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PLAY! Symphony Concert Series Launches World Tour
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posted by: George Holomshek
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date posted: 12:13 AM Thu Nov 10th, 2005
last revision: 04:29 AM Thu Nov 10th, 2005



Click to read.JMP productions has announced that PLAY!, a symphony concert series featuring music from a number of hit video games, will go on a world tour in April of 2006, starting right here in the United States.

PLAY! A Video Game Symphony will be performed by a full orchestra and choir, accompanied by large screens displaying CG scenes of memorable moments from the games. Featured games include Final Fantasy, Battlefield 1942, World of Warcraft, and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Arnie Roth, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Chicagoland Pops, will serve as Principal Conductor. Music Director Jason Michael Paul will head up the production side.

\"As the most experienced team in the field of video game music concerts we will present the ultimate tour to the fans,\" says Paul. \"Our concerts will feature many brand new arrangements done by the original composers themselves. We will focus on celebrating video game music like never before.\"

From Final Fantasy to Super Smash Brothers, orchestrated video game music brings forth one of the most under appreciated aspects of games, and shows that many video games can truly be considered an art form. This tour looks to be a fantastic show for anyone who attends. More information on the series can be found here.

Other concerts built around video game soundtracks include Dear Friends and Video Games Live. Versions of Dear Friends were performed in a number of locations (including L.A. and San Fransisco) throughout the summers of 2004 and 2005. Dear Friends focused exclusively on music from Final Fantasy.

Video Games Live, however, pulled from games like Beyond Good and Evil and Advent Rising, as well as others. Video Games Live was scheduled to cross North America throughout 2005 - 2006, but the tour was canceled after just two performances in Vancouver and Seattle. \"Circumstances beyond our control\" were blamed for the show\'s cancellation. There is not yet word if the tour will start again in 2006.

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