[UPDATE 6/18/15] We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky winner, to the Legend of Zelda concert on July 11! See the Rafflecopter below to enter!
Fans of both classic video games and great music can be excited that the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, Master Quest concert is coming to San Diego Comic-Con this year as part of its global tour, with the San Diego Symphony’s annual Summer Pops concert series.
Tickets for the Saturday, July 11, event can be purchased through the San Diego Symphony, online with Ticketmaster or over the phone. The Zelda Symphony is also currently on tour through Canada, Europe and back to the United States, running through the end of the year. If you can’t make the Comic-Con show, check out their full tour schedule, and they are likely coming to a city near you.
Producer Jason Michael Paul recently spoke with the San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog about the origins of the Legend of Zelda symphony and what guests can expect from the performance in July:
SDCC Unofficial Blog: What inspired you and your team to do a concert based solely on the Legend of Zelda games?
Jason Michael Paul: It started out with Nintendo asking me to produce the opening for the E3 press event at the Nokia Theatre in 2010. I produced three concerts in London, Tokyo, and LA as part of the 25th Anniversary series of concerts, and I also produced the Orchestral CD that was included as part of the bundle with Skyword Sword. After the success of the 25th Anniversary concerts I came up with a touring show, Symphony of the Goddesses, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What are the challenges of translating 8bit music into a full orchestra?
We try and give it the Hollywood treatment. 8bit music is being turned into music to be performed by an orchestra. Sometimes it doesn’t sound as good being performed live.
How much has Nintendo and the original Zelda creators been involved?
After working closely with Miyamoto-san, Kondo-san, and Aonuma-san, the show you see is the show that they want you to see. It is the best reflection of what they want a Zelda concert to be. It is my job to deliver exactly the show that they want fans to see when it comes to Zelda.
How long does the preparation process take for a symphony like this?
We typically rehearse up to six hours with the orchestra and choir.
Are there any other games you’ve given thought of producing a concert on, in the future?
I’ve produced rePLAY: Symphony of Heroes, which features game music across 13 different game titles including Final Fantasy and Halo; the last show is this June in Phoenix. Although I am concentrating on Zelda right now, we always have things going on in the background for the future!
What can be expected from this show? What makes it a good fit for San Diego Comic-Con?
A selection of footage is curated and presented during each movement to match the music during the performance, and is displayed on screens while the orchestra is playing. We work directly with Nintendo to match iconic moments and gameplay to the performance, to really evoke the memories and emotions we all share when playing the games. The orchestra will be performing carefully arranged movements from the series’ most memorable classics, including Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Majora’s Mask, A Link to the Past, and more. While the Zelda series is a classic on its own, it’s a good fit for Comic-Con because with people ambling around all day and getting to see snippets of cool and exciting things, this concert really allows viewers to dive into an experience and involve themselves in the music and game.
Obviously, there’s some overlap in the concert and with Comic-Con. Are you planning to check out anything at or around the convention?
Absolutely! I go to Comic-Con every year whether I am producing a concert or not. I always stop by the Nintendo demo in the Marriott. Who knows this year there might be some other game music related projects in the works.
[UPDATE 6/18/15] Enter to win tickets to the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, Master Quest! One lucky winner will receive 2 tickets to the Symphony on Saturday, July 11, to be picked up at Will Call. Enter using Rafflecopter, below. Contest ends next week, 6/25, at midnight and the winner will be notified by email.
Have you attended any of the San Diego Symphony’s events in the past, or are you planning to attend the Legend of Zelda concert? Post your thoughts below in the comments!
