American Youth Symphony to Perform Free Concert Featuring Songs from Notable PlayStation Games

Los Angeles, CA, January 11, 2017 (Newswire.com) - ​On Sunday, February 12, the American Youth Symphony (AYS) and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) invite gamers and classical music lovers to experience a stunning orchestral performance that blends contemporary and classic culture. AYS resident conductor Juan Felipe Molano will lead the orchestra in a concert that pairs live-to-picture suites from three beautifully creative PlayStation games with classical works that inspired the games’ composers to enter the field.

The “Game Changer” concert includes music from Takeshi Furukawa’s critically-acclaimed score for the celebrated new release, The Last Guardian; Austin Wintory’s Grammy-nominated, BAFTA-winning score for the indie darling, Journey; and BAFTA-winner Jason Graves’ immersive score for the gritty steampunk fantasy, The Order: 1886, alongside Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite and Britten’s Four Sea Interludes. The live orchestral performance will be enhanced with video clips from the games. This collaboration is the first AYS concert to feature video game music, a relatively new and rapidly expanding field of opportunity for classically trained instrumentalists and composers alike.

We consider music to be a central and high-impact element to every game we create. Music is a narrative tool that can invoke powerful emotions, particularly in an interactive experience like a video game where we have an opportunity to engage players on a very deep level.

Chuck Doud, Director of Music, PlayStation

"We consider music to be a central and high-impact element to every game we create.  Music is a narrative tool that can invoke powerful emotions, particularly in an interactive experience like a video game where we have an opportunity to engage players on a very deep level,” said Chuck Doud, Director of Music, PlayStation. “We’re thrilled to team up with AYS to bring these PlayStation games to life in a grand, orchestral fashion.”

Prior to the concert, at 4:00pm PT, guests are invited to a 30-minute Q&A with Furukawa, Wintory and Graves, moderated by Classical Minnesota Public Radio host Emily Reese, who also produces and hosts “Top Score,” a podcast celebrating video game music and composers. This is a rare chance for musicians and gamers to interact with three cutting-edge composers who are at the forefront of their field.

AYS is fortunate to present this concert for free to the community, thanks to a generous grant from the NEA. “The arts are all around us, enhancing our lives in ways both subtle and obvious, expected and unexpected,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu upon awarding AYS the $15,000 grant in May 2016. “Supporting projects like the one from the American Youth Symphony offer more opportunities to engage in the arts every day.”

Concert Info

Date: Sunday, February 12

Time:

·       Q&A: 4:00pm PT

·       Concert: 4:30pm PT

Tickets: Available for free starting January 11, 2017

Location: UCLA Royce Hall – 340 Royce Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90095

About the American Youth Symphony

The American Youth Symphony’s mission is to inspire the future of classical music. The organization shares exceptional, innovative concerts based on a landmark Fellowship program for musicians ages 15-27. Competitively selected, the orchestra is comprised of 100 musicians who represent extraordinary talent from all over the world. Concerts are offered for free or significantly reduced admission as part of a long-standing commitment to creating access and opportunity for everyone to experience the inspiration of this beautiful art form.

Source: American Youth Symphony