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Video Game Orchestra plays Berklee
For many belonging to Generations X, Y, Next or anything between or after, the soundtrack of their youth has been played between “start”, “pause” and “game over”. Video games have become so intertwined with youth—and popular culture at large—that they seem inescapable at any corner of life. On the evening of December 10th, the 90-piece Video Game Orchestra will bring these digital opuses to life at Berklee College.
The last time the Video Game Orchestra played at Berklee the result was a sold out concert with 1,200 attendees—the last time they played a public concert (at the 2009 Anime Boston Convention) they played to a crowd of 5,000. To say that the orchestral sound of the Super Mario Bros. is popular is an understatement. The 90-member Video Game Orchestra comprises a 45-piece orchestra, 40-piece choir, and 5-piece rock band, with players from more than 20 countries who are students at Berklee, Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and New England Conservatory.
Being played at the concert are new arrangements from popular games such as: Super Mario Bros. and Final Fantasy, and music from modern hits like God of War, Silent Hill, and Metal Gear Solid. Concert-goers will be in for a special treat this performance— renowned video game music composer Wataru Hokoyama (Afrika, Resident Evil 5) will guest conduct the VGO for his own Afrika Suite, which won numerous awards last year.
The concert takes place on Saturday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. General admission tickets are $15 and are available at the BPC box office, at ticketmaster.com, or by calling 617 931-2000. For information, call 617 747-2261 or visit berkleebpc.com. Tickets are $10 for Berklee students with ID.