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Video games have long since advanced worlds beyond the simple graphics and music of Pacman and Donkey Kong. In fact, the music track that accompanies many of the new games has a rich, orchestral sound, similar to movie scores. Nobuo Uematsu, who has been called the “John Williams of video game music composers,” is among the best in his field.
The music of this legendary Japanese video game music composer is coming to DeVos Performance Hall, live, when the Grand Rapids Symphony presents Distant Worlds: Music from “Final Fantasy,” Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. Along with the music, the concert features the official, licensed “Final Fantasy” video and images shown on a giant screen. Audience members will experience the thrill of the game’s most memorable sequences in a new way by hearing the music live with the vivid images, rich in detail.
Direct from Japan, Nobuo Uematsu will also make an appearance on stage, providing video gamers the rare opportunity to see in person, one of the world’s most acclaimed composers of video game music. Uematsu has been recognized as a major contributor in the increasing appreciation and awareness of the music genre. His music from the “Final Fantasy” game series has become so popular he was named as one of the “Innovators” in Time magazine’s “Time 100: the Next Wave Music” feature.
Grammy award-winner Arnie Roth conducts this spectacular two-hour event featuring the full orchestra, four vocal soloists and members of the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus.
“The music of ‘Final Fantasy’ is extremely cinematic and evocative,” said Roth. “There are love themes as well as blockbuster battle themes. Game players have heard this music perhaps thousands of hours on their home computer, and now they have the opportunity to hear it performed by a full orchestra and vocalists. Audience members will be on the edge of their seats.”
Roth is well known in the video game music world for his work with Nobuo Uematsu and Square Enix. Roth served as music director and conductor of the “Dear Friends: music from Final Fantasy,” “More Friends: music from Final Fantasy,” “Voices: Music from Final Fantasy,” as well as his role as music director and conductor of “ Play! A Video Game Symphony.”
Special guest artist Susan Calloway joins the orchestra to sing “Memoro de la Stono~Distant Worlds,” from Final Fantasy XI. A resident of the Detroit area, she sang the title song on the CD “Distant Worlds: Music from FINAL Fantasy” recorded in 2007. Other soloists include Soprano Jody Doktor who taught voice and piano at Grand Rapids Community College for several years before moving to Ann Arbor where she is working on a doctorate degree from the University of Michigan. Tenor Mark VandenBerge has performed as a principal soloist with Opera Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Chamber Choir and Calvin Alumni Choir, as well as numerous churches and special events. William Bokhout has been the resident baritone with Opera Grand Rapids for 19 seasons, and has appeared with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Pine Mountain Music Festival, West Shore Symphony, Calvin College Oratorio Society, as well as many musical theater and sacred concerts throughout the Midwest.
Along with “Final Fantasy” video game fans, this concert will be thrilling for anyone who enjoys being taken on a musical journey filled with adventure.
Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 1-800/982-2787, online at ticketmaster.com or at Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets can also be purchased at the Symphony office at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, or at the door the day of the concert.
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