The Game Composer’s Blog

This Saturday (March 7) I’ll be conducting Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra as the orchestra’s founder and usual conductor, Alan Shen, takes a seat at the piano to play this masterpiece. Our rehearsal last night went very well and the piece is coming together nicely. I have many friends who play in the orchestra and it’s been a joy to work with them on this piece and hear how much the piece has improved over the weeks. This is the first time the orchestra has been led by someone other than Alan, so I feel very honored.

This has been a great experience to help me grow as a musician, but it’s also been very beneficial for my game composing career. Always dealing with sample libraries, sometimes you forget what a real orchestra can sound like. An orchestra is the only ensemble that is capable of both huge power and extreme precision. You lose some of that spectrum when dealing only with sample libraries. But hearing real players play music reminds you of the full potential of music. I do play tuba in a couple of orchestras, but there’s nothing like standing in front of an orchestra and hearing them play, with such amazing music making potential resting in your hands.

On a personal note, I wish Lucky Mosko were still with us. He was one of my composition teachers and my conducting teacher at CalArts. He was an accomplished composer and conductor and taught conducting in a way that made complete sense: be clear and be efficient. He learned how to conduct from Antonia Brico, the first female conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic… if you want to hear an interesting story, read more about her or watch the documentary they made about her in the 70’s. It was always interesting hearing what Lucky had to say about Ms. Brico and I can only hope that one day I conduct half as well as either of them. I can’t help but think of Lucky at some point during my conducting day… imagining him feeling the tension in my upper arm (should be none!) or analyzing my pattern.

Anyway, you’re all invited to come watch us! The concert also has Barber’s School for Scandal Overture and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony #2. Tickets are cheap, $7 online or $10 at the door with discounts for students and seniors. Find out more about the concert and the orchestra at www.psso.org.