and see Eimear and Tommy together again in a three day celebration of Video Game Music You can also buy his new CD, "Video Games Live Level 3" through this link:
Tommy Tallarico may as well have asked 'Do you want to be a rockstar for a day?' because that's what it felt like for this classic orchestral geek to be on stage for Video Games Live in Irvine and at Comic Con this past July.
Not your usual orchestral concert...
For those who don't know, Tommy is a multi-hyphanite/multi-hyphanite. In addition to being a game and media composer himself, he's a mad creative genius who loves to have a good time and share great video game music.
Tommy at Video Games Live (VGL)
He was told he was completely mad when, in 2002, his excessively fertile brain came up with the never-before-seen concept of an orchestral concert dedicated to video game scores. What followed was inevitable, knowing Tommy as I do now: The genus of his ideas comes from the pure joy of creativity and the possibility of sharing something life-enhancing and spectacular with others. It lights him up from within, and is obvious and sublimely contagious to anyone who has seen him perform.
Well, let's just say, the nay-sayers at the time were many and vocal, and Tommy's reaction...
'Ok then, thanks for your opinions, now let's book the Hollywood Bowl!
Naturellement..!
The first concert with the LA Philharmonic was a roaring success and spawned an entirely new genre of concert experience, bringing live orchestral performance to an audience that may never have experienced the power of such a musical force.
And it was thus that Tommy's little idea became part of music history.
Not everyone gets to create their own concert genre, but the lesson from Tommy is to let your excitement and passion guide, energize and fortify you; let the sound of your own creative voice drown out the nay-sayers and obstacle makers.
Huzzah!!!
And so it was that after a couple of years of trying to get our schedules to align, the perfect moment arose for me to make a couple of guest appearances at VGL, for two very special editions of the show.
Rehearsing with the Pacific Symphony, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
The first concert in Irvine was a Blizzard-centric program, and I was to conduct one of the cues from the BAFTA nominated score to Diablo III, for which I had the great pleasure of conducting the original recording (reminder to self: must do a blog entry on that ultimate scoring adventure).
Most importantly, Tommy, and one of my dearest friends, Blizzard's Audio Director/Principal Composer Russell Brower, had set the stage, so to speak, so that the entire Blizzard music team got to represent World of Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo at this particular VGL concert.
Eímear and Blizzard Audio Chief, and Principle Composer
Russell Brower
Russell on the podium
All of my favorite Blizzard-music-family members were there: Russell, Neal Acree, Glen Stafford, Derek Duke and Jason Hayes. It was such an emotional experience to watch and hear some of my favorite beings perform each other's music. During rehearsal, and back stage, we reminisced about the original recordings and anecdotes that go back years together. It's a very rare occasion that we all get to be in the same space at the same time.
Jason Hayes and Derek Duke
Neal Acre, Rockin Out, while Derek Duke
Conducts the Pacific Symphony.
It was actually the first time I'd ever heard, performed live, some of the very orchestrations that I had worked on for Jason Hayes' original WOW score. This instantly transported me back in time to - ahem ahem - years ago - when we actually worked on it. It was also very moving for me to see Jason perform it.
Eímear and Jason Hayes
Jason Hayes on the Podium
The orchestra for VGL in Irvine was The Pacific Symphony, with whom I'd had the pleasure of recording the original score for Diablo III. The piece I performed was the concert version of Russell Brower's "Leah". I had actually commissioned/nagged Russell to write an extended version of this, one of my favorites of his compositions, to perform on stage at Segerstrom Hall with the PSO last April.
Eímear Conducting Russell Brower's "Leah."
There's nothing like performing the music of a dear friend with an orchestra I have come to know and appreciate so well.
Aside from this epic display of all things Blizzard, we all got to celebrate with our colleague Austin Wintory, the stunning success of his score for "Journey." This beautiful piece of work was actually nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. Of course, it's incalculably important to all of us that VG Music gets recognized in such a prestigious way, so backstage the atmosphere was jubilant and congratulatory.
Austin Wintory, Rehearsing His Score from "Journey"
Speaking of backstage: There is another facet to VGL that is uniquely impressive in that it's a family business full of heart, inclusiveness and generosity of spirit. These are the attributes that gives every show a backstage atmosphere that's like none other I've experienced - something spun out of a contagious good-naturedness, where each member of the team is passionate about the sho, their role in it and completely respectful of the orchestral/choral musicians and performers. Aside from Tommy's family and friends supportively milling about, his brother Mike Tallarico is an integral and vital part of operations. Then there's the long-standing chosen family of Cesar Solorio (stage), Mike Runice (video) and Matt Yelton (audio).
Cesar Solorio with one of Tommy's Custom Guitars
Cesar Solorio with one of Tommy's Custom Guitars
Sitting down to a pre-concert dinner, nay banquet, with the guys was like being welcomed into their family home, taking your shoes off and simply doing your thing. Plus, my dressing room was right next to gorgeous vocalist Jill Aversa whose warm-up exercises coming through the walls set the tone for what I knew was to be a great night.
Singer Jill Adversa and my Stepdaughter, Aspiring singer Madz
One of the greatest pleasures of my experiences with VGL was in meeting the show's acclaimed conductor/composer Emmanuel Fratianni and conspiratorially laugh/cringing through two careers worth of live performance war stories together! I think we lost count of battle scars but the anecdotes were hilariously terrifying in their re-living and sharing. It was akin to two safety-net-averse tight-rope walkers sitting at a bar, limbs in plater casts, drunkenly comparing breakages... ouch! Aside from his obvious talents as both conductor and composer, Emmanuel is simply the classiest of old-fashioned musical gentlemen, instantly setting everyone at ease in rehearsal from soloists to orchestra, choir and guest conductor/composers.
VGL Conductor Emmanuel Fratiani and Tommy,
With the Pacific Symphony
So, that was Irvine, and now for the afore-mentioned record-breaking/history-making bit: A couple of days later we traveled to San Diego for SDCC for a very special VGL - the Comic Con Edition. For this show I conducted another of Russell's pieces from Diablo III - "And the Heavens Shall Tremble" (I always hear that title in Tyrael's booming baritone voice in my head...). This performance was going to be special, as we all knew it would be broadcast over Amazon.com/Twitch TV and was projected to be the most watched live video game music concert ever.
The Amazon/Twitch stream was viewed by over 330,000 people live on the night of the show!
It also trended at #2 on Twitter and #1 that day was SDCC itself!
So with all of this creation of new genres, making of history and breaking of records, what could possibly be left for Tommy and VGL to actually accomplish?
Well, in true Tallarico style, don't pause on that thought for too long or you'll have already missed it: The greatest video game music kickstarter campaign ever!
I may not have gone through the gates of Ellis Island but I am still an old fashioned Irish emigrant at heart, so it was a poignant experience for me to conduct The National Symphony of my adopted country in rehearsals at The Kennedy Center and in performance at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
The Hall of Nations at Kennedy Center reminded me that Washington DC was designed by the Forefathers with the express intention of intimidating foreign dignitaries. As I looked at the flags of the world's nations above me in this cavernous hall I naturally had to find my own green, white and gold.
The SOTG team outside The Hall of Nations at The Kenndy Center, Washington DC
Just after finding the tri-color on the ceiling I opened the backstage door to be confronted by a black and white photo of the Belfast tornado himself, the bold Jimmy Galway. I thought, maybe I'm not such a foreigner here afterall...
I was shown to the conductor's dressing room which was like a private gallery of photographs of some of music history's greatest maestros (maestri?). My favorite being one of Leonard Bernstein in full flight:
"Lenny"
Maestros Galore
Rehearsals with the NSO went extremely well and I got a chance to talk with principal harpist, the fabulous Dotian Levalier, whose extraordinarily sonorous playing was quite the musical and sonic experience.
We both agreed that comfortable trousers are a crucial pre-requisite for both of our jobs (thanks to composer Julia Newman my dear friend for those same trousers!) but aside from sartorial concerns, there was the worry of the inevitable heat and humidity at Wolf Trap breaking harp strings...
And I thought that only happens when I get near a harp; it's the musical equivalent of the smell of brimstone.
Rehearsals for the concert happend on the semi-outdoor stage at Wolf Trap and wow, Dotian was correct - someone had just thrown a few coals on Dante's Inferno and we were dripping in perspiration during rehearsals. The kindly and excellent staff at Wolf Trap did everything they could for us but the Virginian weather had other ideas.
Any, extreme of temperature is problematic for orchestral musicians. Wood, brass, nickel etc. react to heat and cold in ways that are difficult to control. I always see it as part of my responsibility as a conductor to help create a physical and emotional environment conducive to my colleagues doing their best work in comfort. It was clear to me that a lengthy rehearsal was not a good idea especially since the orchestra had worked so hard and performed exceptionally at The Kennedy Center rehearsal. The orchestra were absolute troopers at this, their summer home.
The performance at Wolf Trap was a great success. We had an audience just shy of 7,000 souls and as per usual Zelda fans treated the orchestra like rock-stars. Our concertmaster for the evening, Ricardo Cyncynates lent his stunning musicianship to the violin solos in the score. We've met some incredible concertmasters on our travels and I have to say, Ricardo was definitely one of my personal favorites.
Rehearsals with the NSO at Wolf Trap
This is why I referred to Wolf Trap as semi-outdoor:
My Heels on the podium at Wolf Trap!
You can read a review of the Wolf Trap show by Erica Laxson here.
Thanks to Emily Cary of the Washington Examiner for the article below.
Ireland's eclectic conductor tackles 'Zelda' at Wolf Trap
Eimear Noone grew up in the tiny village of Kilconnell, Galway, loving every musical genre. When she was not practicing classical passages on her flute, she was listening to pop, rock or the symphonic concert music of popular video games. It's no wonder the accomplished Irish conductor-composer has captured hearts of Nintendo fans as she conducts symphony orchestras performing "The Legend of Zelda" while graphics from the videos play on giant screens.
"It's a fun show," she promised. "Being an Irish immigrant, I'm very excited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra that I've known about and admired for years. Like everyone in my generation, I've loved the music in this program since my childhood and am crazy about the arrangements. My background is in classical music, so I knew from the start that this is a symphonic score."
The music for "The Legend of Zelda" was created by Japanese composer Koji Kondo, who has contributed many Nintendo soundtracks. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the video that has sold nearly 70 million copies. Its primary character, Link, is a courageous lad, whose many adventures include saving Princess Zelda, named for F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife. He carries a baton called a Wind Waker to invoke powers of nature. To help him achieve his goals, the players must solve games and musical puzzles. The various instruments featured are important components that the players never forget.
"Video games became the soundtrack of young people's lives, but wherever I conduct this music, it's still amazing to me that some in the audience burst into tears," Noone said. "When the concertmaster comes out, he gets a huge round of applause, and this phenomenon happens each time a principal player takes a bow. It's like a rock concert filled with respect for the players. We made a special Wind Waker like the one Link uses, and every time we hold it up, there's a great roar from the audience."
Noone's passion for conducting and composing film scores led to an invitation to meet with the makers of World of Warcraft and record the score of "Starcraft" at Skywalker Ranch with members of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Ballet. She now makes her home in Los Angeles, where she has scored or orchestrated a variety of films, including "The Hole," "The Donner Party," "The New Daughter" and "Mirrors."
Here Lewis Lipnick discusses the Contraforte:
After our first rehearsal together, I bumped into principal contrabassoonist - or should I say, principal contraforte bassoonist - Lewis Lipnick and got to talk to him about this astonishing instrument his brass playing colleagues call "the rocket launcher" (it would be the brass, wouldn't it...). The sound of the contra-forte is much more refined that the regular old contrabassoon with an extended range and high notes that sound somthing like a soprano sax. Lewis is the only musician in a professional US orchestra playing the contraforte and he also commissioned an exhilarating concerto for the instrument by Finnish composer Kalevi Aho.
I was so excited to learn about this instrument and the Aho Concerto as coincidentally I'd studied briefly with Aho at the Ennis IMRO Composition School when I was about 17! His work is exceptional and of course Lewis gave me a copy of the recording (and score; yeaay, geek-out) he made of the concerto for BIS.
Naturally I'd love any old excuse to perform it...
