Video Game Music

In concert halls around the world, from tiny towns to major metropolises, arts and music directors struggle to capture audience members less than half a century old. Owners and directors are constantly, often frantically, searching for ways to revitalize their programming to bring younger crowds past the ticket box and through the front doors. Drastic changes have been made, like simultaneously projecting movies or digital art on large screens while the orchestra performs, as well as updating repertoire with more modern and contemporary pieces by local and regional composers, but for most, to minimum avail. Their efforts have barely begun to scratch the surface of the massive market of the young generation. One man, however, seems to have solved the mystery – Mr. Nobuo Uematsu, Japanese composer of video game music – and a few others have picked up on his success.

Nobuo Uematsu, a pioneer and leader in video game music composition, has been composing music for Square-Enix, producer of the award winning series Final Fantasy, since 1986. Since then, Uematsu has developed a fan base possibly larger than the Beatles. The demand for his music lead him to create a concert with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2002. The concert featured popular works from the Final Fantasy series scored for orchestra, as well as solo instruments including the piano. Because of the concert’s huge success, in 2004, Uematsu created a six-city tour in Japan called “Tour of Japan” conducted by Taizô Takemoto and arranged by Shiro Hamaguchi. The same year, Uematsu played his first concert Dear Friends – Music from Final Fantasy in the U.S. at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, selling out in three days. In 2005, he came back to the US and presented the concert again in multiple venues, all of which sold out.

Video Games Live (VGL) is a unique interactive concert first performed on July 6, 2005 at the Hollywood Bowl to a crowd of 11,000 featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic, created by CEO, Tommy Tallarico, and COO, Jack Wall of Mystical Stone Entertainment. Selected works from twenty-five popular game titles are performed alongside high-definition videos and synchronized laser light shows. Solo artists and electronic percussionists also take part in the event. Interactive components include on-stage video game battles between randomly selected audience members, while the orchestra improvises what is happening on the screen. (The winner takes home a $2,500 laptop). Since 2005, VGL has performed thirty-eight concerts, twenty-five of which were sold out, and continues to expand its global reach.

Play! A Video Game Symphony was created by the same producers that brought Dear Friends – Music from Final Fantasy to the U.S. Arnie Roth, Principal Conductor and Music Director, Andy Brick, Associate Conductor, and Jason M. Paul, Producer, contract leading orchestras and choirs to perform. Like VGL, Play! features a repertoire of over twenty game titles including the ever popular Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Halo. Similarly, Play! projects high-definition videos of memorable video game scenes in conjunction with the music. So far, Play! has enjoyed great success, often performing concerts twice after tickets for the first quickly sold out.

Only $2 Billion smaller than the movie business, video game companies make up a $7+ Billion industry. 2004 and 2005 had combined sales of $14.4 Billion. In a 2006 survey conducted by Ipsos Insight, 44% of the 1,700 households that own a video game console and/or a computer with entertainment software are exactly the target audience classical music lacks – 18-49 years old (additionally, 31% are under 18). With advances in technology implemented as regularly as the sun rises, video games have the unique ability to attract new users and retain old ones. Innovative game play, captivating plot lines, realistic high-speed real-time computer generated imagery, and soundtracks on par with, if not better than, cinematic and classical music composers, give players a multi-faceted experience.

Many music directors and concert hall owners, as well as those who’ve never played a video game, fail to see the validity and artistry in video game music. Most video game composers have had classical training and compose fully orchestrated music, rather than the “beeps” and “boops” of 8-bit sounds reminiscent of Atari. Uematsu’s most popular song, “One Winged Angel” from Final Fantasy VII features orchestra and choir, and is as dynamic as the Dies Irae from Verdi’s Requiem.

The target audience began growing up in a digital age – Super Mario Bros. is now over twenty-five years old. If concert halls really want to attract the age group as bad as they say they do, concerts beyond the typical Classic and Romantic period masterworks are going to have to be created. As wonderful as they are, classical masterworks are uneventful and “old” (at least to some ears). And it’s important not to segregate classical music and video game music. Mixed programming where Beethoven is performed next to Uematsu and Haydn is performed next to Koji Kondo (Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda) will introduce new music to both types of audience members in an enjoyable and exciting way, and quite possibly create new patrons of the art.