Video Game Suite No. 2

Video Game Suite No. 2 narrates a fictional video game protagonist’s journey, bringing together various functional thematic forms that are present in the music of traditional Japanese console role playing games. The “Overture” and “Ending Theme” are traditionally much longer, but I have opted to portray them somewhat figuratively as to highlight the inner movements. “Nolangard” captures the essence of the archetypical fantasy kingdom suggesting themes of camaraderie, loyalty, and betrayal. “Old Angler’s Wharf” illustrates a historic fishing village through which travellers pass. “The Mirewood” describes a marshland teeming with magical fiends. In “Stargazers’ Guild” the protagonist reminiscences of growing up among a secret guild of astronomers and cartographers. “Decisive Battle” illustrates a final epic battle between our heros and the main antagonist of the game. This work, in contrast to Suite No. 1, attempts to emulate a more recent style of video game music, where the original scoring is purely orchestral, as opposed to being rooted in MIDI and chiptune origins.

This piece was submitted to the 2013 Sonic Boom Festival Call for Scores under the Turning Point Ensemble category and was composed as part of a directed study project at SFU under the supervision of professor Janet Danielson.