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| Patrick Gann |
Via Thomas Boecker, Benyamin Nuss, and Universal Music.
06.01.10 - 9:52 PM
Game music concerts are gaining more notoriety, and more attendance, with each passing year.
Germany has been a hotbed for strong showings of game music, particularly in thanks to the WDR Orchestra in Cologne.
Recently, it has been confirmed that not one, but two Square Enix-centric CDs and concert series are on the way (or are already here!).
The "already here" part is the Symphonic Fantasies show, which debuted late last year. The concert is a full orchestral performance of Square Enix tunes, including plenty of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. A CD for "Symphonic Fantasies" will be published in Germany by Universal Music, the largest classical music publisher in the world, under their Decca record label. The album is being mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London and will hit German store shelves in September. We have our fingers crossed that the CD will be published in other regions as well.
One performer who stood out among the many talented individuals from the Symphonic Fantasies concert is young prodigy pianist Benyamin Nuss. Even more recently, it was announced that Mr. Nuss would do an 18-stop tour throughout Germany called "Benyamin Nuss Plays Uematsu." That is, of course, Nobuo Uematsu. The full set list is not yet confirmed, but many Final Fantasy titles, as well as Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, will be part of the piano solo concert series.
Furthermore, "Benyamin Nuss Plays Uematsu" will be released as an album on September 17, 2010. Again, Universal Music, via Decca/Deutsche Grammophon record label. We yet again cross our fingers that the CD will be released in other territories, and heck, that Benyamin Nuss takes his tour worldwide!
That's the latest news on performances of RPG music in Europe. We'll see what else develops from these talented musicians and others throughout 2010.
