Wataru Hokoyama

Film, Game Music

VGO Opens The Doors To The Boston Symhony Hall on April 1st.

March 3, 2011 | Audun Sorlie | 2 Comments Share this

Whenever something is announced for the 1st of April, you can mostly discard it as a bad joke and worthless information as juvenile minds tend to use this day to fake their untimely passing or announce Shenmue 3. The VGO however, always deliver the goods and on April 1st they will be hosting the very first video game related concert to take place in Boston’s Symphony Hall. This event will showcase and highlight the music that has paralleled the mainstream success of both video games and film. In addition to the orchestra, the concert will also feature a choir and a full assembled rock band. Nakama himself is very excited about the potential of the concert as he has been working hard on setting it together with both production responsibilities as well as handling most of the arrangements:

“This will be the first time that a concert held at the prestigious Symphony Hall will showcase video game music. It will also be the first time that industry leaders will be invited to a reception and a concert for the sole purpose of recognizing and enjoying the full artistry of video game music. -Shota Nakama”

In attendance will be Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger), Alan Silvestri (Back To The Future) and Wataru Hokoyama (Resident Evil 5). Tickets are now available at The VGO’s website, so make sure you grab yourself a few tickets and take part in the historic event.
Anime, Game Music, Reviews

So Much Better Late Than Never: A Night In Fantasia 2009 CD (Review)

March 29, 2010 | Wes Chung | 6 Comments Share this

Ever waited for something so long that you were sure it was just never going to arrive? Maybe when you were young and it was barely June and you already knew what you wanted for Christmas? This is pretty much how we felt after the Eminence Symphony Orchestra’s A Night In Fantasia 2009 back in September. As mentioned in our comprehensive report, a live CD recording was always in the works and the pre-orders flooded in. So many, in fact, that the staff of Eminence admitted that the original release date of December 8 would have to be put back. So we waited. And then it was remastering issues. Another delay. And then quite a bungle with the distribution. Teasers popped up around the net, such as the track list and even a snippet of a video from the bonus DVD. Fans were like kids rattling the boxes and speculating on the contents.

Just over six months after the concert, Christmas has finally arrived. In the spirit of giving, we’re going to say it outright: this was worth the wait. Read on to join us in discovering what Eminence has left us under the tree… (more…)
Game Music

Boston’s New Resident Game Concert: Video Game Orchestra’s “Awakening”

November 10, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 7 Comments Share this

With two performances under their belt, including one at Anime Boston that Don and Tommy attended last year, it would appear as though the Video Game Orchestra has laid claim to the Boston area when it comes to game music concerts. This is good news, as the passionate and highly talented performers have a lot to offer, which you can easily see from their series of YouTube videos on their YouTube channel.

Turns out they have a new show coming up, titled “Awakening,” which is currently slated for December 5, 2009 at the Berklee Performance Center. It will feature music from Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, AFRIKA, Super Mario Bros., Silent Hill, and Chrono Cross, and will feature composer Wataru Hokoyama as a special guest. I suppose this list of games doesn’t stray too much from the norms, but my guess is that there will be some surprises in the “and more” that appears on the flyer. I recommend checking out their official website for tickets before they sell out (we missed their debut performance last year for that very reason).

Read the official press release for more details after the jump. (more…)
Anime, Game Music

The Renewal of Eminence: ‘A Night in Fantasia 2009’ Report

November 5, 2009 | Wes Chung | 4 Comments Share this

[Editor’s Note: We have a new name on the site today, and that’s Wes Chung from Australia. He was fortunately able to attend the recent A Night in Fantasia 2009 concert held by Eminence, and has a very lengthy (but ‘goody’) report of the show. Join us in welcoming him to the team, and enjoy his write-up!]

Just over a month ago, the aptly-named Eminence Symphony Orchestra returned to the stage in their hometown of Sydney, Australia, for a one-night-only performance of prominent anime and video game music. Having taken a two-year hiatus to work on studio projects such as Soul Calibur IV and the Blizzard arrangement album Echoes of War, the brainchild of concertmaster Hiroaki Yura had fans in a mild state of frenzy with anticipation. An unprecedented campaign, including radio giveaways and TV coverage, preceded one of the largest and most ambitious orchestral game and anime concerts ever, let alone little old Sydneytown.

So did Eminence live up to their name and deliver a performance worthy of their pioneering career? Read on to find out… (more…)
Game Music

We say “Hakuna Matata” in Afrika: Wataru Hokoyama Interview

September 22, 2009 | Patrick Gann | 4 Comments Share this

Wataru Hokoyama has had plenty of experience in composition, arrangement, and orchestration prior to getting involved in the world of game music. Nerdy trivia: remember the musical episode of Buffy? Hokoyama worked on the orchestration for that episode. He’s done a lot of film and television work in Los Angeles, as a matter of fact.

But in recent years, Hokoyama orchestrated the music for Resident Evil 5, and scored the entirety of the PS3 game Afrika (known in other parts of the world as Hakuna Matata). Note that the release for Afrika (via Natsume) in North America is coming very soon; if there are no further delays, it should be coming on October 6th. Hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink. Go buy it.

After the jump, check out our interview with the Japanese composer who has spent most of his adult life here in America. (more…)
Game Music

Los Angeles Vs. Tokyo: Huge Ass Game Music Concert Taking Place In… Australia?!

September 8, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 5 Comments Share this

You guys probably know that any time “game music” and “Australia” appear in the same sentence, it probably involves Eminence, and indeed I am referring to the upcoming A Night in Fantasia 2009 concert which is shaping up to be one hell of a show. We told you two months ago what was going to be played, but what we know now is who will be attending, and it’s one of the most impressive lists of game music composers from the East and West that we’ve ever seen.

Los Angeles-based composers Wataru Hokoyama, Steve Jablonsky, Cris Velasco, and Inon Zur will be joined by Tokyo-based composers Yasunori Mitsuda, Kow Otani, and Go Shiina. Singer Aubrey Ashburn, also from Los Angeles, will be balanced out by singers AIKA Tsuneoka and Chiaki Takahashi from Tokyo. It truly is an LA Vs. Tokyo event, and it’s taking place in Sydney, Australia of all places! This should definitely be something to see if you’re one of the lucky people in town on September 26.

Check out the official website, and let us know what you think about this list of special guests. Are you looking forward to any of the arrangements being performed in particular?
Game Music

A Game Music Concert With Heart: The Golden State Pops Orchestra’s Videogame Soundtracks

May 19, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 11 Comments Share this

Let’s be honest. When you hear the words “videogame music concert,” you undoubtedly think of large touring concerts like Video Games Live and PLAY! A Videogame Symphony. However, we’ve been seeing more and more local productions cropping up, which I hope is a sign that the popularity of game music is on the rise.

I actually had never heard of the Videogame Soundtracks concert that took place two years ago in the unassuming city of San Pedro, just outside of Los Angeles, and I would have also missed their second run this past Saturday, May 16, 2009, if it hadn’t been for a Facebook invitation from one of the composers that was attending as a special guest. I’m glad I did attend, however, and I’m here to tell you that you should probably do the same if they come back for round three next year. Not only are you going to hear music that has never been performed live in front of an audience before, but you’re also in for a passionate performance from a wonderful orchestra in a lovely little venue that you would have never guessed existed by looking at it from the street front.

Find out what was played, who was there, and why you should be there next time in our review of the Golden State Pops Orchestra’s “Videogame Soundtracks” concert after the jump. (more…)