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GMF comes to London! This spring, Royal Festival Hall shall resound with the music of video games as never before. The BAFTA Award winning jazzy vibes of Cuphead, an unmistakably stylish platformer, will be artfully and energetically interpreted on stage by a seasoned big band.
Subsequently, a symphonic concert featuring the enchanting and melodious music from Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Ori and the Blind Forest will be performed live by the esteemed Philharmonia Orchestra.
It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
6 MARCH 2022
Paying homage to the golden age of cartoons, Cuphead’s bold and brazen style shook the video game industry to such a degree that Cuphead-based Netflix series is already in production, while the soundtrack itself won BAFTA’s prestigious Games Award for Best Music.
In the game, which adopts a dynamic ‘rubber hose’ animation style and aesthetic, two cup-like brothers strive to repay their debt to the devil; such a classic and stylistic setup deserves a proper soundtrack, something that Kristofer Maddigan bountifully delivers.
Full of early big-band jazz mixed with ragtime music, Cuphead’s original soundtrack swiftly transports the listener to a world inspired by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, but always with a lively twist.
Bartosz Pernal Orchestra is a highlight among contemporary European big bands. Its members have been given the honour of interpreting these vibes on stage; they are certainly up to the challenge, having previously performed the Jazz of Grim Fandango in an earlier GMF tribute to a cult classic OST.
6 MARCH 2022
Ori and the Blind Forest is remembered to this day as one of the most ambitious platformer games, not merely because of its flawless mechanics and visual design but also – if not mainly – because of its music. Composed by Gareth Coker, the soundtrack combines sublime melodies with lyrical themes to form a warm and organic soundtrack.
The universally acclaimed sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, quickly gained a reputation of being a masterpiece in its own right, thanks once again to another unforgettable score by Gareth Coker – an Ivor Novello Award winner and multi-BAFTA-nominated composer.
Both of these soundtracks form the musical material of The Symphony of the Spirits, the second concert of Game Music Festival 2022. Maestro Robert Kurdybacha is no stranger to the music of video games; as a conductor and arranger, he is an experienced academic tutor who wrote several fan-favourite symphonies for previous Game Music Festivals.
The performance by Philharmonia Orchestra and Hertfordshire Chorus will take the audience on a journey through Ori’s world as never heard before. Woodwinds soloist Kristin Naigus, who performed all of Ori’s specialist woodwinds in the original soundtracks, is also joining us on our musical journey.
5 MARCH 2022
Game Music Festival consists of more than concerts featuring the music of video games; it also involves multiple educational and informative events, sessions, and meetings with composers, industry leaders, and experts. During masterclass workshops, participants will be able to ‘see backstage’, discover something about how audio is being created for games, improve their various competencies, and learn many new tips and tricks to better create and analyse game music.
In parallel to the festival’s concerts, meetings and discussions will be held with several game audio professionals, including masterclass workshops conducted by composers, such as Gareth Coker, as well as other special guests of Game Music Festival 2022 (see below for a complete list).
Those sessions will be a unique opportunity to have closer look into the world of music and sounds of contemporary video games. This will be hugely beneficial for everyone who plans to build a career in composing or designing sound.
These experienced professionals will deliver game music workshops with the same passion that accompanied them during their own creative processes.
Composer | Audio Director
Composer | Music Director
Conductor | Orchestrator
Bandleader | Orchestrator
Host | BBC Radio Presenter
Host | Music Producer
Woodwind soloist
ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL
Stunning interior design of the Royal Festival Hall is matched only by its sheer acoustics. The concert space itself is famous worldwide for a crisp and delightful sound.
There are 2700 seats in the concert hall, each providing outstanding capabilities for the audience both in terms of stage visibility and the natural quality of sound.
Southbank Centre is the largest centre for the arts in Europe. It is a spectacular complex of venues which forms the heart of cultural life in London and beyond.
