It's finally happening. Though the Distant Worlds and Symphonic concert series have both featured selections from Final Fantasy VII (including a 41-minute suite in the latter's Final Symphony), we now have our first orchestral concert dedicated exclusively to the fan-favorite RPG score by Nobuo Uematsu.  The concert is the first from "Game Symphony Japan", which after a year and a half of preparation intends to make this the first in an ongoing series of orchestral VGM concerts.

Performing the concert at Tokyo Suntory Hall will be the professional Tokyo Chamber Orchestra, whose 86-year history includes, among its classical repertoire, some of the earliest orchestral performances of Dragon Quest music.  The concert program will be divided into three segments, each handled by one of three arrangers: Tomomichi Takeoka, Souhei Kano, and Yutaka Kimura. Nobuo Uematsu will be serving as special musical adviser to the concert, which will be conducted by Kenichi Shimura.

Date: June 21, 2014, 1:30 pm

Program:
-Part 1-
- Opening ~ Bombing Mission ~ Mako Reactor ~ Bombing Mission
- Flowers Blooming in the Church ~ Hurry! ~ Those Who Fight ~ Fanfare
- Shin-Ra Company ~ Trail of Blood ~ Those Who Fight Further ~ Crazy Motorcycle
- FFVII Main Theme

-Part 2-
- On That Day, 5 Years Ago ~ The One Chosen by the Planet
- Gold Saucer ~ Words Drowned by Fireworks
- Anxious Heart ~ Who... Am I? ~ Aerith's Theme
- From the Abyss of Despair ~ On the Other Side of the Mountain ~ The Highwind Takes to the Skies
- Canyon of Falling Stars ~ Feelings Held Close to the Heart ~ Lifestream
- The Nightmare's Beginning ~  J-E-N-O-V-A

-Part 3-
- The Great Northern Cave ~ The Last Day  ~ Reunion ~ Jenova Complete
- Birth of a God ~ One-Winged Angel
- The Planet's Crisis ~ Staff Roll

Official Home Page:
http://www.aim-vil.com/artists/game-symphony-japan/

Ugh pls cd/DVD/bd release. Pls pls pls

wish i could be there for that echo the bd release

If this doesn't get some kind of release, I'M gonna go on a Bombing Mission.

I don't see any mention of Square Enix's endorsement on this one (which I think is a first for an FF concert by a professional orchestra), so that makes me wonder what the chances are.  It's possible too that they might want to hold several concerts before releasing an album recording.  I hope I'm wrong though.

ARGH this is the second concert that's going to happen while I'm over there this summer that has sold out nearly instantly and I missed out on tickets for.  SO FRUSTRATED.

Bah! This makes me so sad and happy. I have often thought how cool it would be if they did symphonic suites for each Final Fantasy entry in the same way that they have for Dragon Quest. This would really give some uniformity to the best of the scattered orchestra tracks that litter various arranged albums [Distant Worlds I & II, Returning Home, 20020220, 25th Aniv. Orchestral, Tour de Japon DVD]. This reminds me of the time when Tactics' music was performed by the Hoshirabe ensemble; and then also the Little Jack orchestra performance of FFVI's soundtrack. Those performances didn't have recordings of course, but ah... how nice it would be if we could have straight-up suites. It would really alleviate the inconsistencies that a full listen to some of the FF OSTs garner [it would also cut the listening down to something more digestible]. Final Fantasy VIII is really the only title in the series to have received a full album suite of orchestral music [Fithos Lusec], and it's a fantastic one at that.

I will try my absolute best to go to this concert! My vacation got confirmed today and I'm arriving in Japan the day before this concert! The tickets are sold out, but if anyone in Japan (Amazingu?) happens to have extra tickets or happens to know anyone with extra tickets, please let me know!

This concert will without a doubt be amazing. Kenichi Shimura is a really good conductor and has such a passion for game music. I hope they overdeliver like the Little Jack Orchestra always does (which Shimura also conducts, at least sometimes).

Yeah, if anybody knows any way of getting tickets for this now (is scalping a thing in Japan??), TELL US!!!!

Yes but to my knowledge they don't have any organized ticket reseller services like Stubhub.  Whenever I search for Hisaishi albums on Y!J, if he has upcoming concerts and I'm not filtered to just Music --> CDs, I get ticket results.  There appears to be one Game Symphony Japan ticket on Y!J right now for $700 but I'm sure there will be more popping up over time which should drive the price down.

http://auctions.search.yahoo.co.jp/sear … &ei=euc-jp

You could also check MSN auctions

I can ask Kenichi Shimura, the conductor. I can't promise anything, but I'll ask him. If anyone else needs a ticket, let me know ASAP. I'd rather ask if he has X number of tickets, rather than bombard him with requests every other day. But keep in mind that this concert is hugely popular and I can't promise anything. Shimura (and others) would very much like to see more foreigners in their concerts, but I don't think he has back pockets full of extra tickets

He already said he'll arrange a ticket for me. I met him two years ago, he is great person.

Email so incredibly sent.

Did he conduct the FFVI orchestra concert as well?  I thought the name looked familiar.

Wish I knew if I'll be in Japan by that time, would love to see it!

Yes, he did. I just checked their website. Apparently, Kenichi Shimura has conducted every single concert by the Littlejack Orchestra since 2004, expect for a few non-main concerts! That man is amazing!

Did anyone make it out to the concert?

I did. And four other foreigners too (from Akita), who I randomly met there. The concert was amazing, I plan on writing a report later. I've written a bit already.

The concert will be performed again on September 30th, 2014. Same venue, same city. Suntory Hall in Tokyo at 19:00. Here's a link:
http://www.aim-vil.com/artists/game-symphony-japan/

Where is this writing? I can't find it.

No audience recording means we'll never be able to hear it, since there sure as hell won't be a CD. Heck, there's barely any mention of it on the internet.  I am constantly keeping an eye out for FF7 orchestral music and I didn't find out about this until last night. This sucks. Might as well have never happened if only a couple hundred people get to hear it. If a tree falls in the woods etc

There you go. Good stuff.

I sense slight bitterness in your words. We all want various things, yet many of them are out of reach. I would've liked to attend the concert, too. Am I bitter that I couldn't be there? No, I'm glad there was such a concert in the first place, and that many people got to see it. No need to hope nice things to not happen if you can't be a part of it. Besides, to have excellent, successful concerts somewhere may well help to have similar events take place somewhere closer to you so that you can attend, too. Be happy for others, it pays off in the end.

First of all thank you very much for the link, it's very informative. Second you're darn right I'm bitter. I have dreamed of hearing something like this for nearly half my life and it tortures me to think it's come and gone with little to no hope of ever experiencing it. Still, I'm not saying I wish it never happened.

Oh man, that sounds amazing!
Would've loved to be there, but I didn't find out until it was too late, and Tokyo is kinda far from Osaka anyway...

They should do more concerts in the Kansai area!

The same orchestra, Game Symphony Japan, has eight performances scheduled for 2015 in Japan (that includes a June 7 concert in Kansai, Amazingu). Not to mention two December concerts to be held in Russia. Concert programs not yet announced but keep an eye on the official Game Symphony Japan site.

And owenblinky, I understand your frustration and feel it to some degree myself but they are playing to far more than a couple hundred people, and it is better than nothing. And I think the chances are decent that we will eventually see an album release. Fingers crossed.

I doubt there will be an album, considering that Square-Enix has no involvement with the concert. Final Symphony barely got greenlit for an album and that was a much more publicized event which had SE's blessing.

This situation reminds me of the littlejack orchestra FFVI concert, another passion project by a small Japanese orchestra. That never got a recording either, and has long since faded into obscurity.

I wonder why concerts in Europe and the US have bootleg audience recordings (see: Final Symphony, Distant Worlds, etc) but audience members rarely record concerts in Japan (Press Start, LittleJack orchestra concert, FFVII concert)?  I remember that Jonne Valtonen had no problem with the bootleg recording of Final Symphony and actually reposted link on other websites with his own personal annotations.

Sweet!
I'll be keeping an eye on that!