The music composed for video games has come a long way. Once limited to simple tunes generated by early synthesizer chips, it now encompasses complex musical works composed for full orchestra.
Video game music is now also considered a key access point to orchestral music among young people, and concert venues around the world are seeing new and diverse audiences attend live performances of gaming soundtracks.
Unsure at first, the classical music world is now embracing the genre - and for good reason. A study by League of of American Orchestras suggests audiences for concerts have dropped by 26% since 2020, with young people being the minority group of attendees.
In this episode, we'll hear about the origins of music written for video games; speaking to composers and orchestras who are embracing new audiences and exciting musical works. And we'll go backstage before opening night of a tour showcasing music from a major video game franchise.
(Image: Gaming Prom – From 8-Bit to Infinity, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Ames, in the Royal Albert Hall, on 1 August 2022, as part of the BBC Proms.)
Presented and produced by Sean Allsop