(WASHINGTON)—Game music legend Andy Brick leads the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and The Washington Chorus in concert premieres from more than a dozen video game classics in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, at 8 p.m.
The full Game ON! program will feature music from Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, The Witcher 3, Assasin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed 4, Bioshock, Diablo 3, Ori and the Blind Forest, Rayman Legends, Portal 2, Civilization V, Until Dawn, Destiny 2, League of Legends, and Overwatch. Beloved moments and scenes from these games come to life above the Orchestra during the concert as videos of HD game play and never-before-seen concept art from a selection of the games listed on the program are projected on screen above the stage.
Brick has composed music for many popular video games, including Sim City, Stranglehold, Sims 2, Arc The Lad, KidPix Deluxe, and the Kingdom series. He has also conducted and orchestrated live concert and recorded soundtracks for many immensely popular franchises, including Super Mario Bros., Halo, and Final Fantasy. Brick launched the live symphonic game score movement in 2003 when he conducted the world’s first Symphonic Game Music concert at the Gewandaus in Leipzig, Germany to a sold out hall. From there he went on to popularize the concept with many more sold out performances, eventually taking the sub-genre to new heights as the principal conductor and music director of “Play! A Video Game Symphony.”
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets (from $29–$89) are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, online at kennedy-center.org, and via phone through Instant Charge, (202) 467-4700; toll-free at (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquires, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA POPS
The 2019–2020 season marks the National Symphony Orchestra’s 89th, and Gianandrea Noseda’s third as its music director. The Italian conductor serves as the Orchestra’s seventh music director, joining the NSO’s legacy of distinguished leaders. Its artistic leadership also includes Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke and Artistic Advisor Ben Folds. Founded in 1931, the Orchestra has always been committed to artistic excellence and music education. In 1986, the National Symphony became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs year-round. The NSO’s community engagement projects are nationally recognized, including NSO In Your Neighborhood, an annual week of approximately 50 performances in schools, churches, community centers, and other unexpected venues; Notes of Honor, which offers free performances for active, veteran, prior service, and retired members of the military and their families; and Sound Health, a collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its affiliated organizations. Career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its tuition-free Summer Music Institute. For more information, visit nationalsymphony.org.
FUNDING CREDITS:
AARP is the presenting sponsor of the NSO Pops Season.
Additional Support is provided by Kathryn and J. Stephen Jones MD.
Patrons 30 and under and active-duty members of the military are invited to join the Kennedy Center’s MyTix program for special discount offers and chances to win free tickets. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org/mytix.