Video Games at Symphony Hall
Wataru Hokoyama presents his award-winning <i>Afrika</i> suite.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Wataru Hokoyama laughs after conducting the audience's applause.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Alan Silvestri conducts his own music from <i>Back to the Future 3</i>.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Alumnus Lucas Vidal conducts music he composed for the upcoming Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver movie <i>The Cold Light of Day</i>.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Student Emir Cerman's Rhythm of the Universe culminated with flags unfurling from the balcony, representing the 90-plus countries the musicians hailed from.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Video Game Orchestra conductor Yohei Sato directed the entire second half of the concert.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Video Game Orchestra founder and Berklee alumnus Shota Nakama plays guitar on music from <i>Metal Gear Solid</i>.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Alumnus Keith Murray premiered "Bella and Edward" at the concert.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Film Scoring Department chair Dan Carlin directed music by Georges Delarue from <i>Steel Magnolias</i>.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Film scoring professor Richard Davis conducted music by Georges Delarue from <i>Salvador</i>.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Rhythm of the Universe musical director Simone Scazzocchio
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
The featured composers and conductors take a bow.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
The Video Game Orchestra and Força Choir
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
VGO concertmistress and first violinist Julgi Kang
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Students Patrick Taylor and Nadia Sosnoski sing "Bella and Edward."
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Members of the VGO
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Members of the VGO
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
The venerable Symphony Hall experienced a first this April: a concert showcasing music from video games. Berklee's Back to the Future: Two Generations of Film and Video Composers concert featured film music by alumni in the first half and video game music performed by alumnus Shota Nakama's Video Game Orchestra in the second half. The event mirrors a trend at Berklee, where a video game scoring minor and two summer programs have recently been added to the film scoring curriculum to keep up with students' demands.
Composers Alan Silvestri (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future) and Wataru Hokoyama (Afrika) were on hand to conduct their own pieces, as were alumni composers Lucas Vidal and Keith Murray. Student Emir Cerman's Rhythm of the Universe featured musicians from more than 90 different countries.
Click on the photo on the left to see a slideshow of photos from the concert.