Video Game Music Concert Tours

Colbert presents The Legend of Zelda Concert (article by Winifred Phillips, video game composer)This week I thought we’d check in with some of the top orchestral video game music concert tours currently underway.  We’ll take a look at some reviews of 2015 performances from the respective tours, and we’ll also take a look at video from some of the most recent concert performances.

The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses

Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses marquee (article by game composer Winifred Phillips)Originating as a simple four-minute overture performed at a Nintendo press event in 2011, Symphony of the Goddesses kicked off as a full-fledged concert tour in January 2012 and currently has 33 dates scheduled for 2016 that will take the popular tour all around the world.  The concert’s program lineup focuses exclusively on famous music from the Legend of Zelda games.  In a review of the September 25th 2015 performance at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Rhode Island, Broadway World critic Andria Tieman wrote, “Overall, this was a night of fantastic music, excellent people-watching and a fun, visual performance. This is something that Zelda fans should certainly seek out.” Here’s a video clip from the Oct. 30th 2015 broadcast of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, in which the Symphony of the Goddesses tour performed their Legend of Zelda Medley:

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Game Music Composers in the Top 300 (Classic FM)

ClassicFM

Classic FM is the only 100% classical music radio station in the UK.  Every year, they hold a poll to select Britain’s favorite pieces of classical music, listing the top 300 selections on their web site.  Over 100,000 people voted in this year’s poll. The final results include music from video games – 11 out of the 300 compositions are pieces of video game music, including three pieces that won places in the top 20.  To celebrate, I’ve gathered together some YouTube videos presenting the famous video game music that was voted into the top 300 in Classic FM’s poll.  I hope you enjoy it!

#9. Final Fantasy Series (Nobuo Uematsu)

#11. The Elder Scrolls Series (Jeremy Soule)

#13. Banjo-Kazooie (Grant Kirkhope)

#30. Kingdom Hearts (Yoko Shimomura)

#41. Viva Piñata (Grant Kirkhope)

#53. World of Warcraft (Russell Brower, Neal Acree, Jason Hayes, Tracy Bush, et. al.)

#59. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (Grant Kirkhope)

#84. The Legend of Zelda Series (Koji Kondo)

#118. Blue Dragon (Nobuo Uematsu)

#163. Starcraft II (Glen Stafford)

#244. Halo Series (Martin O’Donnell)