Previous |
Next |
August 02, 2006, 03:36 PM ET
Shostakovich, Meet Sonic
Evidence that video-game design is on its way to becoming a respected academic pursuit: It earned has recognition from a symphony orchestra.
Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Stockholm have already played host to "Play! A Video Game Symphony," which offers gamers a chance to hear their favorite Nintendo and Sega theme songs given the full-orchestra treatment. The symphony—conducted by Arnie Roth, music director and principal conductor of the Chicagoland Pops—will reach Washington and Toronto audiences in the coming months.
The repertoire includes pieces from such video games as Halo, Metal Gear Solid, and Sonic the Hedgehog, along with a newly created fanfare by Nobuo Uematsu, who composed music for the popular Final Fantasy series of games.
But what really brings down the house (or so the Wired Campus likes to imagine) are the works of Koji Kondo, a composer whom Wikipedia calls "the John Williams of the digital entertainment world." Mr. Kondo scored both Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, soundtracks that Nintendo enthusiasts may never get out of their heads. —Brock Read
Add Your Comment
Commenting is closed.