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Composer Nobuo Uematsu To Be Honored With UK Tribute Concert

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Published: February 9, 2017 6:00 PM

It wasn't so long ago that composer Yoko Shimomura had her score for Final Fantasy XV played in the revered halls of Abbey Road Studies. It was performed live by the London Philharmonic Orchestra over two months before the game's release as a celebratory gesture. It seems that the UK might make a habit of concerts like these, since some of Nobuo Uematsu's most renowned work will be ringing throughout London with the Symphonic Odysseys London concert.

This is the latest in a line of concerts playing video game music from Nintendo to Square Enix properties. This one in particular has been performed in Cologne, Germany and Paris, France, but will now grace the Barbican Hall venue on June 20, 2017 at 8:00 pm. The London Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Chorus will be led by conductor Eckehard Stier as they perform select songs from titles like Blue Dragon, Chrono Trigger, Lost Odyssey, and - of course - the Final Fantasy series. These include original arrangements such as "Final Fantasy Concerto" and more traditional adaptions like "Waterside" from Blue Dragon. Uematsu-san's lifelong career in orchestration has left an indelible impact on the industry with dozens of soundtracks spanning from 1986 and onward. It's no wonder he has been called "the Beethoven of video games" by Classic FM in its Hall of Fame, which he has been in over five times.

Thomas Böcker, Symphonic Odysseys London producer, claims that this will be an evening to remember, especially since the man of the hour will be attending the event and conversing with its audience during a pre-concert show.

Nobuo Uematsu has been a musical hero of mine for many years and it's both a delight and a pleasure that we can celebrate his work with such an amazing concert in London. [...] Fans will not want to miss hearing Uematsu’s classic compositions, along with some of his less well known, but equally wonderful works too.
If you are interested in the event, tickets will be sold Friday starting at 10:00 am for prices ranging between £30 to £65. Should you attend the pre-concert show with Uematsu, tickets will be sold at the same time for £10. To book tickets, have Barbican's website bookmarked to purchase them tomorrow morning.

Uematsu's iconic music has continued to delight audiences over many years in the industry. Let us know if you're planning on attending this tribute concert in the comments below!

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I'm a part-time videogame journalist with a BA in Game and Interactive Media Design and an MA in Writing Studies. I bleed theology, sci-fi, and fantasy… More about Joey