From 8-Bit to Epic Program

Suite from Video Games Live
arr. Ralph Ford
perc. arr. Jeremy Logan

Name: Bethany Rowlings
Instrument: Cello

The song "Baba Yetu" was incredibly popular from the time it released, and I remember hearing about it outside of the video game itself. The piece won multiple awards within the video game industry and also won the composer, Christopher Tin, a Grammy. It's been performed around the world and is responsible for bringing video game music out of games and into the world as legitimate, powerful, and meaningful music. This success was a turning point for general recognition of not only video game music, but video gaming in general in pop culture.

In the game, the vocals for both "Coronation" and "Baba Yetu" are amazing. One of my favorite parts is when the African rhythms start and the vocals first enter, as well as when it repeats and crescendos into an instrumental section. The pieces are wonderfully orchestrated and open the game in an energetic and joyful style that starts in "Coronation," which is the song for the opening cutscene of Civilization 4, and into "Baba Yetu," which is the main theme seen on the game start screen.

As these pieces are the first music you hear when you open Civilization 4, they set up what you are going to experience in the game. In Civilization, you are a ruler who builds an empire from just a few settlers in a village in prehistoric time, all the way through to the modern age. This music is an epic anthem that introduces you to the game and draws you into years of human history during the gameplay.

The Civilization series has been one of my favorite game series since Civilization 2, which I played shortly before Civilization 3 released in 2001. I immediately bought Civilization 3 after experiencing Civilization 2. Civilization 4 came out while I was in college, and I spent many late nights – when I should have been studying – caught up in playing. I'd often leave the game running while I studied, occasionally playing a few turns in the game for study breaks. The music was the background for many hours of studying in addition to many hours of gaming.

Civilization 4 is absolutely the best Civilization game they have released (in my opinion), and the music is one of the elements that make it top tier. Christopher Tin's music is very unique in the world of both classical music and video game music. It isn't particularly common to bring in African gospel vocals and the kind of rhythmic African drums that are featured in this piece. I think one of the reasons it became such a hit was because it revolutionized what type of music we could find in a video game.

Fun Fact:
– Baba Yetu is the first piece of video game music to win a Grammy. They recognized Christopher Tin, the composer, in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016 for this achievement!
– The lyrics for Baba Yetu are the Lord's Prayer in Swahili.
– The game features different ages of man and has a wonderful score of classical composers from history to go along with it.

Music Achievement:
I've been paid to make music, and that's an achievement for any amateur musician. I am most proud of the work I have done as a singer-songwriter in the folk/filk/ren fair/medieval music scene. The biggest compliment anyone can ever give you is to ask for permission to sing a song you wrote!
Hours Practicing: Thousands
I can't even count over the years! It's probably more interesting to list the instruments that I regularly practice and play (flute, cello, harp, recorder, ukelele, bodhran), though I have several other unique instruments I dabble in as well (hammered dulcimer, vielle, shawm).

Gaming Achievement:
– I'm an old-school World of Warcraft (WoW) nerd and have been in the Top 100 raiding guilds for most of the time I played, with many top damage parses as well. I have also run successful, high-level raiding guilds in WoW over several expansions. At the height of my nerdiness, playing in the competitive 5-man content, I was Top 25 in the US and Top 100 in the world for Mythic Dungeon Completion for my class.
– I am a recovered World of Warcraft nerd who did not buy the most recent expansion, so we will also call that a proud achievement. In recent years, I've shifted into more music hobbies and have less time for competitive gaming.
Hours Playing: More than I'd like to admit.
For my playtime in WoW 1, just my main character was in excess of 2 years of time over the 15 years I played that game on and off. And that's just one game.
Hours on Civilization IV: 300+
More if you count other games in the Civilization series.

Classic Video Games
arr. Andres Soto

Name: Claire Erlacher-Reid
Instrument: Clarinet

Even though Tetris doesn’t have visually-stunning, life-like graphics or an extensive storyline paired with an epic orchestral soundtrack as is common in most current video games-, the incredible stress-inducing emotional and physical impact its 8-bit music is still able to create for the player as the simplistic geometric blocks stack higher and higher truly highlights the power of music! The relationship between the speed of the falling blocks (officially called Tetrominos) and the increasing tempo of the music is so intertwined that the thrilling and competitive experience of the game would be lost without either one. This suspense and thrill makes you want to play the game repeatedly to obtain a higher score. It's the reason that Tetris has remained a popular nostalgic game, even when more advanced or visually stunning games are available.

It is amazing how the music in Tetris initially hides in the background, but as the game progresses, you become more and more aware of the music and its speed. The main theme song of Tetris is a Russian folk song, which highlights the Russian roots of the game. This game also exposes a wide audience to various classical music styles in a way that they may never have heard it before – in 8-bit format. Scattered throughout the Tetris games there are 8-bit or chiptune versions of many classical songs. One of the most easily recognizable classical songs heard in Tetris is Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Over the years, many people have criticized video games in an increasingly digitized world that seems overly reliant on screens and technology, but there are so many benefits to video games! They represent a marriage of arts and technology and demonstrate that you cannot have one without the other. Developing a video game requires advanced mathematical and scientific knowledge, but to turn data into a game you need storytellers, artists, and musicians working closely with the programmers.

Playing a game exercises the mind, and games can be utilized as tools in classrooms, museums, zoos/aquariums, and more to enhance learning. Games in moderation can provide entertainment to help nourish the mind, relieve stress, and improve mental health. They can help people of all ages become more familiar with computers to prepare for life in an increasingly technology-dependent world. Playing video games can enhance reflexes and improve hand-eye coordination, benefits that are important for all ages. As a veterinarian, I utilize advanced diagnostic imaging (e.g. ultrasound, endoscopy, laparoscopy) daily, which requires skilled hand-eye coordination, and I thank my past experiences with video games for helping me learn and maintain these skills at a fast pace.

Fun Fact:
The official theme song for Tetris existed far before the game was created. It is named "Korobeiniki," and it was initially created as a poem in 1861 by Nikolay Nekrasov and then transformed into a Russian folk song that compliments the original Russian origins of the game Tetris.

Music Achievement:
The memory I hold most dear is an opportunity to perform a small portion of my favorite song from the best movie in the world, Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the largest orchestra in America at Steinmetz Hall. This was during Symphonic Disney 2, and hearing the audience cheer loudly as the Disney Park Hopper Medley transitioned from “Imagination” to “Raiders of the Lost Ark March” made my eyes tear up. I’ve played the Raiders March before, but getting to perform it with the amazingly talented CFCArts orchestra in such a beautiful venue with such a large audience was an absolute dream come true!

I am grateful beyond words for Central Florida Community Arts and it bringing music back into my life! I had to set aside my clarinet for 13 years during veterinary school and post-graduate internship and residency programs in aquatic veterinary medicine. I always hoped to find an opportunity to play again once I achieved my dream job. Having found CFCArts in Orlando, I now get to live out two of my dreams – being a veterinarian at SeaWorld while also having the opportunity to rehearse and perform with an amazing orchestra! I feel so lucky and grateful!
Hours Practicing: Too many to count
I started playing the clarinet in 1992! I played consistently from 1992-2003, then I returned to playing my clarinet after a 13-year hiatus.

Gaming Achievement:
Marrying my husband, a video game programmer – does that count? Having him in my life is certainly my greatest achievement! Also, anytime I am able to beat him at a video game like Mario Kart or Tetris, I consider myself proud since he is a professional.
Hours Playing: Too long ago to count
I started playing video games casually in 1985/86 shortly after Mario Brothers made its debut on the Nintendo.
Hours on Tetris: Too sporadic to count
However, I have spent more time playing Super Mario World, Tetris, and Mario Kart than any other games.

Suite from Undertale
Toby Fox, arr. Kyle Young

Name: Kyle Young
Instrument: French Horn

Undertale is one of the newest games in this concert, released in 2015. It was made by a game developer and composer named Toby Fox. The cool thing about Undertale is that it draws from vintage games in its art and music design, but it has a more modern sense of humor and invites us to question the decisions we make while playing. Toby's inspiration for the game was this idea: "You kill a lot of random monsters (sometimes even humans) in every RPG [Role Playing Game] and the consequences for this are never addressed. What if they were?"

You play as a child who gets dropped into an underground world. As you play the game, you have the choice of whether to take the easy option – fight and kill the monsters who show up – or talk to them and try to become friends with them. And the game dramatically reacts to your choices, so every time you play through the game, you can make different choices and get a different ending. If you choose to be more violent, the digital world you inhabit becomes a darker place. It's kind of like our everyday lives: the more we choose to put kindness into the world, the brighter our lives become from it.

Toby Fox, the creator of the game, said about it, "Hearing 'Undertale made me want to be kinder' or 'Undertale helped me through a dark time' feels more valuable than any award or score."

Fun Fact:
Toby Fox got into music as a kid by learning how to play the piano and the trumpet, which I personally relate to.

Music Achievement:
My proudest achievement is writing "Go the Distance," played by 18 horn players who are also some of my best friends in the world. They all put so much effort into making it the best they could, and people constantly told me they loved it. I had family fly in from out of state to see us perform it. The night it premiered, my awesome section leader Roland gave me a book he handmade with the score printed in it and a personal note from everybody in the section. That book sits on my piano and is one of the first non-living things I would save if my home was burning.
Hours Practicing: Near 10,000
If you count rehearsals, I really do think I'm near that 10,000 hours everybody talks about... I practiced piano every day from kindergarten through high school, trumpet about every other day through middle and high school, and French horn every day in high school. In high school, I did marching band, concert band, jazz band, and orchestra (if they didn't let me do multiple concert or jazz bands, which they often did). In college, I was a horn major on top of playing in big band and marching band. – Needless to say, it's difficult to put an exact number on it!

Gaming Achievement:
I've always been more of a social gamer, and it's hard to have significant individual achievements that way.
Hours Playing: n/a
Hours on Undertale: Not enough – I'm probably a bigger fan of the soundtrack than the game.

God of War: Ragnarok
Bear McCreary, arr. Julian Bond

Name: Aidan Keating
Instrument: Tuba

The God Of War games have always been great at these epic pieces to really show the scale of what is going on around you in game. The fight sequences are hyped up and epic. When you need to feel awe, there are broad, sweeping pieces. The music puts you in the headspace of people trying to survive and feeling the awe of these fantastical things happening to them.

Underneath the cinematics and awesome boss fights, it is a story about family and those relationships and how to process grief. Everyone has felt everything these characters are feeling at some point in their lives, and we're shown what they do to process these feelings. Those feelings and actions are challenged by other characters. It makes you, as the player, sometimes question your own feelings and reactions to hardship.

For me, two moments in this music really stand out: the songs "Call of the Light" and "Letting Go."

"Call of the Light" takes place at the Light of Alfhiem (in Norse mythology, where the souls of all nonhumans, dwarves, elves, and giants go). The main character's wife dies in the first game, and he sees her in the light. He is tempted to step into it and can hear his wife singing on the other side. But he looks towards his son and knows it isn't his time yet.

"Letting Go" happens at the end of the game. The whole game tackles the relationship between the main character (Kratos) and his son (Atreus). Kratos lost his first child and wife long ago and is terrified of losing his son, of letting him go. But Atreus feels like Kratos is stifling his growth. Through the whole story, they are both coming to terms with what that means. After the final battle is won, Atreus comes to Kratos and tells him he must leave to forge his path, and Kratos finally accepts it. It is not just Kratos letting go of his son to become a greater man, but also letting go of his own trauma and past life. It is bittersweet and triumphant as the two embrace and walk their own paths.

Kratos and Atreus's relationship, while filled with more magic than real life, is the relationship of any parent and child. A parent who cannot let go out of fear or anxiety or whatever reason. And a child wishing to forge their own path and to become more. It reminds me of my own father who passed last New Year's Eve. We had many conversations of what our paths would be when I and my brother left to be on our own. He, like Kratos, had a hard time letting go. But he was so proud of what I have accomplished and made on my own. I miss him every day.

Fun Fact:
Bear McCreary has also written many scores for film and TV, like Battlestar Galactica and Outlander. He also performed a song live with Hozier at the game awards two years ago.

Music Achievement:
Performing at the Dr. Philips Center with CFCArts for Hooray for Hollywood in June. It was an awesome experience performing in a space like that.
Hours Practicing: Not enough

Gaming Achievement:
– One moment was a tie between a Nuzlocke run of Pokémon Platinum. A Nuzlocke is a challenge run of Pokémon that limits the pokémon you can catch and features permadeath. I was down to two half-strength pokémon on the final fight and just pulled it out.
– Another moment was when I completed 100% of Spiderman for the PS4. It's a really fun game with a low entry point but a high skill ceiling. It was just very satisfying to finally finish the last parkour challenge and see "100%" on the screen. My PS4 then promptly crashed.
Hours Playing: Too many
Hours on God of War: Ragnarok: Around 30-40

World of Warcraft Suite
Russel Brower, Derek Duke, arr. Jerry Brubaker
perc. arr. Tiffany Jones

Name: Brandon Mason
Instrument: Bass Trombone

Unlike most of the games on this concert World of Warcraft is an MMORPG. That means that millions of players play this game every day year-round, and have done so for 20 years. There have been 10 expansions in addition to the base version which means 11 “different” games. However as an MMO, you don’t beat it and stop; people keep playing. They immerse themselves in the world – and one of the key components of that is the music.

The composers have to create every scene in this world, from battles, candlelight dinners, festivals, the apocalypse, etc. Each zone feels unique and lived in, and the music is what helps give it that vibe. Take the “Lion’s Pride” section of our arrangement for example. This song is from a small inn nestled in a forest outside the game's human capital. This is in a low-level, early area where people of all levels can hang out and relax. The music is written to encapsulate the emotions of adventures returning home to rest and have fun before going back out into the unknown.

The middle section of our arrangement is called “Lament of the Highbourne,” and it is one of the most famous songs in the game. It was added in the Burning Crusade expansion in 2007 to cap off a quest chain. This song is so beloved by the community that they eventually created an in-game item that summons a banshee to sing it for you whenever you want.

While there aren’t any songs from World of Warcraft that I would consider on the same level as the themes from Mario, Zelda, Halo, or Kingdom Hearts, there is a key difference. Those soundtracks are built for a game that is meant to give you 2-100 hours of content. World of Warcraft is meant to be lived in, not completed. This places less emphasis on catchy themes and more on setting scenes and evoking emotions at pivotal moments.

I’ve heard all this music in-game and have lived through the story, so to be able to play it is a surreal experience. It reminds me of all the hours I spent in an inn, goofing around with friends (before voice chat became popular online), or out exploring the world through quests and expansions. The music sets the scene, enhances the drama, and draws you in. Whether it’s the background music of the different zones or the themes for different characters, the music really facilitates an immersive experience. (Look up “Grizzly Hills in Unreal 4” for a good idea of the immersion.)

Fun Fact:
Back in the early days of the game (~2004-2008), The Lion’s Pride Inn in the town of Goldshire was a popular place to hang out. People would duel, gamble, roleplay, and more. At the time, I played on a server where roleplaying was huge. That means we all created backstories for our characters and would come up with storylines with our friends and act them out through our characters. One time on the Argent Dawn server, about 40 of us started in Goldshire and played out a story where we marched through the forest, through a vale, into a place known as the Burning Steppes where we arrived at a place called the Altar of Storms and had this huge showdown with another group of players. The feeling of walking through these different locations with their background music setting the scene really helped us all get into character. It was such a cool experience. That type of fun doesn’t happen in the game anymore, so it’s a really fond memory to look back on. (Even if it was a bit dorky!)

Music Achievement:
I’ve had a lot of performances I’ve been proud of, including touring back in college, playing with the Video Games Live! Orchestra at Universal, and making windows shake in Elizabeth Hall at Stetson University when we played Maslanka’s 8th Symphony after having worked with David Maslanka the week before.
However as a musician, the proudest moments in my musical career have been centered around my students. Seeing the growth they experience on their instruments and as people continues to instill me with a love for music every single day.
Hours Practicing: Probably less than 2,000 hours. (I unfortunately never had a huge drive to practice… especially as a student.)

Gaming Achievement:
In MMOs there are two primary game modes Player VS Player (PVP) and Player VS Environment (PVE). There are rankings given out for both modes by the systems of the game as well as by the community. I’ve played the game in a hardcore mindset for the last 12 years, and I’ve been in a Top 40 world (Top 20 US) guild for raiding for most of that time.
– My peak was ranking 29th in the world and 9th in the US.
– I've been one of the highest-parsing warrior and monk players in the world on community log websites every raid tier for the last 10 years.
– Legion expansion: I was on the highest-rated Alliance Mythic Plus team in the world.
– Shadowlands expansion: I reached “Rank 1” title my first season of PVP content, meaning I was in the top 0.1% of all people playing PVP (only around 230 people that season).
Hours Playing: Probably around 40,000 hours.
Hours on World of Warcraft: There is a neat command you can use to check this in-game. As far as the characters I still play/have access to, I have 1,063 days played so around 25,500 hours.

Fortnite: Main Theme
Rom Di Prisco, arr. Andres Soto

Name: Ilana Szlamkowicz
Instrument: Euphonium

The Fortnite piece we are playing is the main theme song of the game, which could be thought of as the foundation of the music in the game.

Music is such a large component of playing video games because it helps create a fully immersive experience for players. The combined effort of the music matching the events of the games has a paralleled, lasting effect on the perception of the game when thinking back on playing it. Even hearing the soundtrack from the game transports you back in time to when you were playing the game or lets you reimagine the game in your mind.

When we play the Fortnite music, I feel like I am being amped up or spurred on to do something. It has an air of epic adventures and experiences yet to come. The music makes me think of all of the late nights spent with my roommates playing Fortnite, which contributed significantly to me getting back into playing videogames.

Fun Fact:
The music in Fortnite is used mostly as a way to engage with other players through dances in the lobby before a match begins. Players can approach each other and perform the same song and dance together. This mainly uses music that is currently trending or other funny songs that the game creators release in-game.

Music Achievement:
I love being able to stand at the end of a concert, knowing that I gave my all into playing and (hopefully) making an enjoyable, lasting impression on the audience. This is especially the case for sold-out shows like Symphonic Disney.
Hours Practicing: 1-2 per week

Gaming Achievement:
I am always excited to obtain Victory Royales in Fortnite, especially when I am playing in squads with my friends.
Hours Playing: 10-20 per week
Hours on Fortnite: Around 5 per week

Final Fantasy VII
Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Andres Soto
perc. arr. Patrick Thorington

Name: Sarah Brooks
Instrument: Clarinet

In Final Fantasy 7, the "Opening Theme" plays as the video pans over the entire city of Midgar, setting the scene. It zooms in on the protagonist, Cloud Strife, as the music transitions to the "Bombing Mission." I absolutely love the transition of the opening section to "Bombing Mission." You begin to understand the main character's motivations (as well as his team's), trying to save the planet they are living on and doing anything to accomplish that mission. It gives the same feeling of awe and wonder as opening a new book – there's so much to explore and you can't wait to learn more.

One of the biggest messages of FF7 is about how important it is to heal from the past and keep moving forward. The music in the game supports this by providing a sense of urgency throughout – an example being the "Bombing Mission" theme that we're playing, as well as battle themes throughout the game. Character themes, like Aerith and Tifa's themes, bring a sense of comfort and nostalgia, assuring us that everything is going to be alright no matter what happens because we've made it this far already. These messages are conveyed to Cloud Strife, who has undergone traumatic events throughout his life and realizes that he must keep moving forward to accomplish his goals and save the world. The world of the game is also incredibly diverse, vast, and full of intrigue.

The main theme for FF7 is quite unsettling at some times, conveying this sense of mystery the characters have about the world around them. "One Winged Angel" evokes dread and terror. Sephiroth is one of the most recognizable video game villains for a reason – he's willing to destroy everything to accomplish his goal, and this boss music for him really conveys that.

The music was remastered for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and it may have been the best part of the Remake. Transitioning from the original 8-bit music to a deeper, orchestral sound adds so much to the soundtrack. This music brings back lots of memories of playing Final Fantasy with friends – specifically of playing the Remake on Discord calls with my friends during the pandemic. When I first heard Aerith's theme in the Remake, I almost broke down in tears. It's one of my favorite video game tracks of all time and evokes feelings of hope and healing. Hearing it in the context of the game was beautiful, especially during such a turbulent time when we didn't know what the future would hold.

Final Fantasy 7 had a massive influence on video game culture and is one of the most famous RPGs (role-playing games) of all time. The characters are so recognizable that they were added to the Super Smash Bros. series – a process known for memorializing characters and introducing them to new audiences. Its massive success and diverse, beautiful soundtrack introduced a new generation of players to the power of music in video games. The music has been recognized and played by professional orchestras for many years. Distant Worlds is a touring Final Fantasy concert series I've attended, and it's incredibly wholesome to see so many fans of all different walks of life gather and celebrate their love for music from all Final Fantasy games by seeing a professional orchestra perform the music. It also always sells out, which speaks to how much of an impact this music has on people.

Fun Fact:
– The intro to "One Winged Angel" was based on "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix as well as the theme from Hitchcock's "Psycho."
– Nobuo Uematsu has said he was inspired by Stravinsky while writing this soundtrack, and "One Winged Angel" definitely reminds me of some Stravinsky pieces, including "The Rite of Spring." (Final Fantasy 16 also has a wonderful soundtrack, and one of the main themes sounds similar to Stravinsky's "The Firebird," so Stravinsky's influence on the Final Fantasy series seems to continue!)

Music Achievement:
Honestly, I'm proud to just be able to continue playing after graduating college! It's been over six years since I graduated, and I've continued playing clarinet all this time. Playing my instrument is genuinely one of the only things I've kept consistent since middle school, and it's pretty cool to look back on it and know how much in my life has changed since then, yet my love for performing music remains.
Hours Practicing: Not enough – usually a few hours to work through difficult passages each season!

Gaming Achievement:
I'm proud of all of the wonderful people I've met along the way. I have friends from all over the world who I've connected with through gaming, and I keep in touch with them regularly via our Discord servers and group chats. No matter how different you may be from someone else, if you have a favorite game in common with them, you can talk and play for hours on end. I've also connected with lots of people at conventions by gushing to each other about a mutual favorite character from a game. It's the little things!
Hours Playing: 2-3 per night
Hours on Final Fantasy VII: Over 200

Hidden Gems from the Last Decade
arr. Patrick Thorington

Name: Patrick Thorington
Instrument: Percussion

This compelling piece is a medley including the games Portal 2, Deltarune: Chapter 2, Terraria: Calamity Mod, and ULTRAKILL. It is an indescribable feeling to perform a piece I've had the honor of arranging for this incredible ensemble, but it's a unique feeling compared to performing any other piece. My favorite moment is the highest point of the fourth song (and of the entire arrangement). It has a very certain pull at the heartstrings that this arrangement cannot fully replicate outside of the games themselves, but it is as close as it can be.

The music ranges from very delicate ambiance that supports the game's setting to tracks that take center stage to elicit the right emotions while still supporting the setting. These themes have birthed new genres of music to suit the tone of the game it's used in. They have pioneered new takes and interpretations on the games' genres as a whole.

Fun Fact:
Half of the music from these games are composed by the games' lead developer.

Music Achievement:
Compose an original (and arranged) piece and have it played live.
Hours Practicing: Several thousand

Gaming Achievement:
Perfect rank the level "P-2" in Ultrakill on Violent difficulty within four days of its release. It is the hardest level on the hardest difficulty (at the time), and it was an insane difficulty jump from the previous hardest level in the game.
Hours Playing: Several thousand
Hours on Ultrakill: 800

Halo: Main Theme
Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori, arr. Nate Chivers

Name: Laura Gudino
Instrument: Flute

Halo is an interactive role-playing game where the music grows more suspenseful as you progress through different scenes. The music supports both the narrative by Master Chief and the emotion of your journey through the game, battling enemies. This music transports you into another dimension when you play it is is a classic – when you hear it, you remember it. To perform this piece is very nostalgic for our families. It has brought our generation of kids together from our families to all play in different households online and share a fun and exciting family bond. This music reminds us of the times we sat in our living room battling the enemy as we teamed up (or even battled one another in "1 vs all" with winner-takes-all).

Fun Fact:
Martin “Marty” O’Donnell is an American composer and politician who wrote the jingles to Mr. Clean and Flintstone Vitamins before getting into game soundtracks. He collaborated with his musical companion, Michael Salvatori on musical pieces for video games, such as the Myth series, Oni, and the Halo trilogy. He met and recommended Steve Downes as the voice actor for the role of the Master Chief at Bungie Studios. Marty now has his own studio, Highwire Games.

Music Achievement:
I started playing piano at age 5, and continue music today with both piano and flute. Music continues through my two children with piano, voice, horn, and tuba. My mom and dad got both my brother and I into piano and other instruments. We are proud that we enjoy music to this day with our families.
Hours Practicing: 2

Gaming Achievement:
It is exciting to watch my son play with his cousin online in different households to carry on the family gaming tradition.
Hours Playing: 2
Hours on Halo: 2

Helldivers II: Main Theme – A Cup of Liber-Tea
Wilbert Roget II, arr. Andres Soto

Name: Justin Muchoney (with support from Bethany Rowlings and Jessica Hartman)
Instrument: Conductor

The music for Helldivers 2 came as a complete shock to me. It was one of those (many) games I hadn't heard of. When I first listened to it and when we played it in rehearsal, "A Cup of Liber-Tea" was so rich and expressive that it made me want to play the game to discover what beautiful world and story went along with what I was hearing. As so many members in these notes are saying, that's the point of video game music – to transport us and make us deeply feel something. That's the point of almost all music, really.

Helldivers 2 is a cooperative third-person sci-fi shooter for up to 4 players. The goal is to complete objectives and operations and fight off swarms of enemies to liberate human-colonized worlds. The game has been compared to the Starship Troopers movie and was very popular upon release in early 2024. It has been nominated for Best Multiplayer Game of the Year and Console Game of the Year in the Golden Joystick Awards.

The music for it is adaptive based on the gameplay. The songs are stored as small segments that are cut down to their essential thematic elements. This allows the audio engine to put together a temporary arrangement that is the appropriate length and feel for a given circumstance in the game, rather than just replaying a longer theme on a loop. This makes the music dynamic to the gameplay and allows the music to have a greater impact on the player, enhancing their gaming experience.

This adaptive element is one of the things an orchestra member's student loves about the game. On top of the dynamic soundtrack and exciting gameplay, he also really likes that the theme plays every time you drop into a new mission.

Fun Fact:
Despite the "divers" in "Helldivers," these player characters can't really swim. After a few seconds, characters will sink but can be brought back into the game as a "Reinforcement."

Music Achievement:
Getting to program concerts with this incredible orchestra!
Hours Practicing: 9 per week

Gaming Achievement:
Used to be really good at Mario Kart!
Hours Playing: 0
Hours on Helldivers 2: 0

The Last of Us: Main Theme
Gustavo Santaolalla, arr. Nate Chivers

Name: Jaime Leffler
Instrument: Percussion

The Last of Us is genuinely one of my favorite pieces of art of the last decade, and that is by no means a unique take in the world of gaming. Despite its 2014 release date, it feels even more pertinent in the 2020s as a story about a pandemic-based apocalypse that segments and divides the surviving people in the world, and its overarching themes of finding emotional humanity for humanity to survive.

It is also one of my favorite pieces we're performing. It stands in stark contrast to most of the fun and energized pieces, but I feel that the main theme of The Last of Us is so vulnerable, so melancholic, that it’s easy to find pieces of yourself within it. The iconic guitar melody is iconic and haunting as it begins alone and is drowned out by marching drums by the end. This perfectly matches Joel’s theme, as he tries initially to survive the apocalypse by himself, but by the end of the game learns that despite the end of the civilization, he needs the support of loved ones to maintain his humanity. (He even has to face the atrocities he committed for the sake of survival). The game also musically compares its plot of a lone smuggler delivering “goods” westward across a vastly empty and dangerous United States to the plots (and music) of older Western films.

Gustavo Santaolalla uses multiple motifs that are changed only via instrumentation and/or tempo to non-verbally communicate ideas throughout the game. Specifically, there are multiple series of tracks throughout the game with the same title – but with a secondary, reprise title to represent the story’s impact on the game’s themes, both in the literary and musical sense. The motif of “The Last of Us” and its various reprises, “The Last of Us (Never Again),” “The Last of Us (Goodnight),” “The Last of Us (A New Dawn),” and “The Last of Us (You and Me),” carries the game’s protagonist, Joel, as he grapples with the loss of his biological daughter and the world he once knew. The motif changes and echoes throughout the game as he develops his relationship with his newfound, surrogate daughter-figure Ellie and they navigate the dangers of his new world.

Fun Fact:
In the sequel game, the music becomes a diegetic symbol of Joel and Ellie's relationship as he teaches her how to play the guitar. The most emotionally devastating sequence of the series is in The Last of Us Part II, where Ellie's selfish attempts at revenge ultimately rob her of her ability to play the guitar – and that tangible connection to her father-figure.

Music Achievement:
I just celebrated my 11th year of formal musical performance, ranging from middle school to some college semesters in Gainesville to now performing with the largest symphonic orchestra in the nation. But honestly? I believe my proudest achievement in music is being able to continue playing post-pandemic.
As a 2018 high school graduate, the majority of my college years were entirely virtual. And as a percussionist, I can’t exactly drop the cost of a new car on a marimba or a tympani. So for about a year and a half, I lost a huge piece of myself until joining a small local orchestra in late 2021 for a few years. Now, I find myself performing amongst CFCArts’ incredibly talented, near-400 piece Symphony Orchestra, and almost five years after the COVID lockdowns, I feel reunited with that musical piece of myself. I get to feel challenged and experiment with new percussion techniques and enjoy doing it. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.
Hours Practicing: About 5,000 hours across about a decade

Gaming Achievement:
I think the proudest achievement of my gaming journey was either the Sans Undertale Genocide Route boss battle (if you know, you know) or the first time I had completed Pokémon Platinum after literally hundreds of hours of leveling and traveling across the in-game Sinnoh nation (including the time I snuck my Nintendo DS to school to catch the end-game legendary, Giratina, and my mom wiped my save file as punishment for sneaking it to school).
Hours Playing: Probably comparable to my music rehearsal time
Hours on The Last of Us: 89

Fallout 4: Main Theme
Inon Zur, arr. Andres Soto
perc. arr. Jose Rafael Baez Feliu

Name: Eowyn Livingston
Instrument: Violin 1

Music and games go hand in hand. So many games have such good music that they wouldn't be the same without it. Games actually built my appreciation of music.

The music of Fallout 4 is nostalgic and powerful, calling back to older music and drawing emotion in the form of comfort and determination. To me, the music from Fallout 4, especially the main theme, shows the determination of the main character to find their son and avenge their spouse. It creates the vibe of the journey the main character is about to go on.

The Fallout series is influential in the post-apocalyptic genre of video games. Whenever I hear this music, I think of the most well-known line: "war never changes."

It's odd given the series, but I love the Fallout universe and the way this theme slowly builds energy throughout the piece. I love the way it starts and ends so gently despite the world it takes place in and what this whole story is about. To me it's almost like it's saying "even in war, there can be moments of peace.

Fun Fact:
– Most companions in the game have different responses to the same event such as going back into Vault 111 and seeing the sole survivor's spouse.
– Also, the dog companion can't go into the vaults – or at least Vault 111. (Fallout 4 makes me so attached to the digital dog that I think I will cry if I can't keep him safe.)

Music Achievement:
Getting to play in this orchestra. I've played so many pieces I never thought I'd get the chance to play, and I actually feel confident when playing in these concerts.
Hours Practicing: Probably a couple hundred

Gaming Achievement:
My biggest gaming milestone would be beating all four campaigns on Resident Evil 6 as that takes a lot of time and the game is so janky that it's unfair at times.
Hours Playing: Probably thousands
Hours on Fallout 4: Around 10

Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
Marcin Przybylowicz, arr. Andres Soto
perc. arr. Tiffany Jones

Name: Chiara Marcario
Instrument: Saxophone

I'm gonna be fully honest, I haven't played that much of The Witcher III yet. However, the soundtrack is very important to me. In grad school, we had this class called Game Lab, which was hands down the worst class in the program for me (there was a coup... ask me about it sometime), but the one bright spot in this class was the presentations we gave. The class was about how gaming could be used in non-gaming contexts, and we all needed to give presentations about some such topic surrounding that. I decided to give mine on music – specifically on a research paper I found discussing and comparing the music of this game and Skyrim. The meat of the paper, and subsequently my talk, was the different methods these two games used to score a gigantic fantasy game world.

I had a really great time working on this talk. I was already pretty familiar with Skyrim, but I learned a lot about The Witcher during this process. I found the whole process of developing the soundtrack really interesting. That semester of school was brutal, and it was a nice reprieve to be able to sink my teeth into this project. Since this is what led me to discover the music of The Witcher, I was able to not only greatly expand my music library but also use that music to help me get through the rest of school.

The music of The Witcher brought Slavic folk music to the ears of a lot of people who had never heard anything like it. The Witcher III was (and still is) a massively popular game, winning a plethora of awards including Game of the Year at 2015's Game Awards (where it was also nominated for Best Soundtrack). A lot of people have remarked upon how good the music is, how different it is from other game music they've heard, and how it really helps to immerse players in the story and in the world.

The composers made very purposeful and deliberate decisions as to the instrumentation of the game to better entrench the game into the folklore it's derived from – in both the diegetic and the non-diegetic music of the game. It is so vital to making the world feel more fleshed-out and real and also enhances elements of the story. Maybe it's the saxophone player in me talking, but I think instruments that aren't often represented in a classic orchestral setting always add so much to the overall sound. I love the moment when the music finally arrives at the theme being portrayed by all these Slavic instruments with the support of the orchestra underneath (1:27 on Spotify). I think the piece really captures the spirit of the game's music as a whole. To be playing it with such a massive orchestra is really cool.

Fun Fact: Short answer: the soundtrack is almost entirely in D minor!

Long answer: Since the lore of The Witcher is heavily grounded in Slavic folklore, the composers wanted to be able to reflect that in the music. They worked with Slavic folk musicians for the most authentic sound, particularly with a Polish group called Percival. They struggled to communicate and get what they wanted at first because these musicians were self-taught, whereas the composer working with them, Marcin Przybyłowicz, was traditionally trained. Eventually, they decided to scrap the material Marcin had prepared (and he was very prepared) and instead had a bunch of jam sessions while they recorded. And lo and behold, they got fantastic results from a more authentic experience.

Additionally, since a lot of this soundtrack was going to be focused on solo instruments, they were very particular about the instruments used – in terms of sound and history. They chose instruments born in the area, migrated there, and also some custom instruments like a seven-string hurdy gurdy. A lot of these instruments naturally tune in D natural, so between that and the jam sessions, the majority of the soundtrack ended up being in D minor.

If you want to learn more about all this, the composers talk about it in the GDC talk they gave.

Music Achievement:
Getting accepted into Ithaca College's saxophone studio. I worked so hard for college auditions, practicing pretty much every single day for hours each day. Any study halls? Practicing. Lunch? Practicing. After school? You guessed it, practicing. Ithaca was my top choice of four schools, and I was so nervous, but I went in there and knocked that audition out of the park. I tend to be pretty critical of myself as a player, but I was on top of the world walking out of that room. And when the saxophone professor emailed me personally to tell me he was going to accept me before I even got accepted to the college as a whole? I was so incredibly proud of myself and the work I had done to get to that point.
Hours Practicing: At least 2,000

Gaming Achievement:
Shipping my first title as a game developer was a big moment for me. I had the honor of working on the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves PC port. It was the first thing I worked on as a full-time game engineer. I joined the team early in the development process and saw it through to release. It was very rewarding and a lot of fun to bring that experience to PC and see our hard work pay off. It was the first time I had a hand in something that so many people around the world got to enjoy, and it was a great feeling.
Hours Playing: 4,000?
Hours on The Witcher III: 10

Animal Crossing: New Horizon Theme
Kazumi Totaka, arr. Nate Chivers

Name: Catherine Ferrell
Instrument: Clarinet

Animal Crossing: New Horizon drew quite the crowd during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it gave friends a way to connect online while having to stay at home. My earliest memory of playing any version of Animal Crossing is with my younger sister on her GameCube. It was one of her favorite games when we were kids. We spent countless hours customizing our houses, saving up to buy different accessories, and helping villagers around our town. Throughout the various versions of Animal Crossing, many elements of the music have remained the same to help players connect back to earlier versions they're familiar with.

The main theme serves as an introduction to the various themes the player encounters throughout their playing experience. During the main theme, you get a slow down of the tempo, a slight pause, and then the beautiful trumpet melody comes in, bringing the listener back to the original melody. I also love the use of acoustic guitar throughout giving the soundtrack a laid-back feeling.

The main melodies and accompanying instruments in Animal Crossing help invoke a sense of calm in the player. It indicates that the game can be played at one's own pace and that there is no need to rush certain elements of the story. This music supports the game emotionally as it gives the player a steady cadence to fall back upon during gameplay. There are subtle variations in the music during different parts of the day (12 p.m. vs 6 a.m.), and there are different themes depending if you're in a shop, or interacting with the in-game characters.

In both classical music and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you'll discover a wide range of instruments that are featured and soothing. The different tracks remind me of other Nintendo games. I could hear elements you might find in Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and others. Just like classical music, video game music is there to help tell the story and connect the listener to the story that's being told. The lyrical sections remind me of something that Tchaivoisky would compose with the famous melodic elements that he is so well known for (think Swan Lake, 1812 Overture, or The Nutcracker).

Fun Fact:
– The player can influence what melody plays when interacting with in-game characters. This occurs once you've unlocked Isabelle, who is in charge of the setting that controls this. The town tune can be set to a famous piece, such as the Imperial March, or players can compose their own, letting them truly flex their creative muscles!
– Narratively, there is music that is composed by K.K., a dog who writes and sings his own music. Players can collect the different tunes, thus customizing their gaming experience to their liking.

Music Achievement:
My proudest one would be finding out that I made first chair Wind Symphony (the highest band at my high school) my senior year. It was always a secret goal of mine, so it was incredible to achieve that dream.
Hours Practicing: 5-10 per week

Gaming Achievement:
I made it to the end of Animal Crossing: New Horizon! It's challenging to get through a game without restarting due to frustration or second-guessing myself. I'm currently on my fourth play-through.
Hours Playing: 10-15 per week
Hours on Animal Crossing: New Horizon: Close to 250

Suite from Pokémon
Junichi Masuda, arr. Andres Soto
perc. arr. Tiffany Jones

Name: Stephanie Wagner
Instrument: Percussion

Pokémon has been around through most of my life and still is to this day. I remember my brothers and I bonding over playing Pokémon on the Nintendo DS when I was little, bringing my N64 to college and playing Pokémon Snap to help cure my homesickness, and going out on routes and catching Pokémon with friends on Pokémon Go now. I know these melodies like the back of my hand because they have been sprinkled throughout my upbringing. I find I don't need to think about what I am playing and can just give in to the overwhelming sense of adventure.

The Pokémon theme really drives home a sense of adventure. When I hear it, it makes me believe I am about to embark on a life-changing, friendship-building, backpacking trip across the country. When I hear the battle music, I instantly think of the anxiety and uncertainty that accompanies any altercation. Who will come out on top? The victory music comes with a sense of resolve, relief, and accomplishment. The iconic main theme to Pokémon has so many renditions that can be found throughout its many games – whichever game I am playing seems to have a version of it that instantly gives me a sense of nostalgia.

Although it's not the first game to compose through its technological limitations, Pokémon's music helped pave the way for broader musical ideas using only four channels. The music of these games is extensive, intriguing, and engaging. The sound engineering to represent the different Pokémon's growls, roars, and chirps further solidifies this game's significance in video game music history.

Fun Fact:
Like a lot of the original video game systems, the music was created using only four channels which means the original Pokémon themes were composed with only four usable sounds at a time.

Music Achievement:
Getting back into playing percussion with the CFCArts orchestra!
Hours Practicing: Hundreds

Gaming Achievement:
Beating all of Pokémon Snap in one day!
Hours Playing: Thousands
Hours on Pokémon: More than most others

Super Mario Bros.
Koji Kondo, arr. Nic Raine
perc. arr. Jeremy Logan

Name: Eunice Culhane
Instrument: Violin

When we were little kids, my cousins were given an NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) that included Super Mario Bros. for Christmas one year during our big family gathering. We immediately tore into the box and set it up on the TV to test it out. Super Mario Bros. was our first foray into a full-platform adventure game. Mario and Luigi immediately became favorites, and everyone would pick sides – red or green, Mario or Luigi.

All the cousins would gather around the TV after school or during family gatherings and parties. We would take turns on our favorite character and challenge each other to see how far we could go before losing all 3 lives. We would share tips and secrets for every level that we discovered. Not all of us were able to finish to the end at Level 8-4. But one time, my cousin Ian was able to beat Bowser at the very end and save Princess Peach. We all cheered and shouted at the top of our lungs as if we won the NBA Championship. That was one of the best shared moments we had as kids.

This music brings me back to my happy childhood playing alone or with my cousins. The music easily gets into your head and becomes an earworm. You can play or hear just the first few notes, and everyone knows what music it's from. You'd have to be living under a rock if you don't recognize the Mario theme. If you're familiar with the game, you don't have to see the screen to know the level somebody is playing. Each theme elevates the level you're playing and makes it more emotional at certain points. It can get your blood pumping when your time is running out or when you're fighting the big boss. The final level and battle with Bowser in Level 8-4 just make you tense and nervous the entire time. I can't remember how many attempts it took to beat Bowser because of this.

Fun Fact:
Koji Kondo's original theme for Mario was scrapped because it didn't match the gameplay.

Music Achievement:
Helping build the CFCArts orchestra from the ground up as concertmaster and manager.
Hours Practicing: A couple a week when possible.

Gaming Achievement:
Too many to mention. The most recent are almost completing everything in Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Origins.
Hours Playing: Lifetime? A couple thousand.
Hours on Super Mario Bros.: Probably 200 back in the day.

The Legend of Zelda: 25th Anniversary Medley
Koji Kondo, arr. Andres Soto
perc. arr. Tiffany Jones

Name: DeLana Russ
Instrument: Alto Sax

When you hear the music of The Legend of Zelda, you instantly are transported to Hyrule. You are Link. You feel like a hero in a forgotten magical land. The very beginning of the Overworld theme will always excite me. I always anticipate that first moment of stepping out into the overworld – it gives you the sense of the world opening up and all the fantastical possibilities that await. The music sets the tone for each environment and sets the emotion of the storytelling. There are parts that are a bright, heroic fanfare. There are also parts that are dark, ethereal fantasy. All of these elements are ones that I enjoy playing and listening to.

In 1999, my parents bought our first video game console for Christmas – a Nintendo 64 – and along with it, several games. Among those was Ocarina of Time. I was six years old. From the moment I turned the game on, I was obsessed. As a lover of fantasy and adventure stories, gaming opened up a whole new world for me. And everything about that game, even the starting menu, was so breathtakingly atmospheric and magical. Video games became a family event for us. On Saturdays, my parents would sit on the sofa and watch me play. They would make suggestions and sometimes we would pass the controller around and everyone took turns playing.

This music was probably one of my first influences as a child that showed me what orchestral music can be and how it can shape our experiences and emotions. For me this music is intricately tied to the fantasy adventure stories that I grew up adoring. It's probably one of the key reasons I went on to play the trumpet (and saxophone).

This music has been performed by orchestras all over the world for a good reason. It's not only great game music – it's fantastic music, period. The music and sound are not just there to drown out silence or provide auditory cues for the on-screen actions. They're there to set the atmosphere, to pull you into the story withthe emotional highs and lows, the scary moments, and the triumphs. And it does this extremely well, as all good music should.

Fun Fact:
Zelda has been around for close to 30 years, and it was one of the first series to move toward a more cinematic approach to storytelling.

Music Achievement:
I enjoyed being the captain of my high school band and being a member of CFCArts for the past nine years. Any time I get to perform in front of a crowd is a proud moment for me.
Hours Practicing: Hundreds

Gaming Achievement:
Very on theme, it actually is when I beat Ocarina of Time. I was really young when I got it, and I struggled with not understanding or being able to do a lot of parts so it took me a few years.
Hours Playing: 4 a week
Hours on The Legend of Zelda: At least 200. I played it over and over.