Wake Forest University to host 'We Play Together' event celebrating music and gaming

The Wake Forest Symphony Orchestra is performing video game scores Friday alongside composer Inon Zur.

The concert is part of a three-day event called “We Play Together: Music & Gaming."

It was organized by Aaron Hardwick. He's Wake’s Symphony Orchestra Director, a music professor and an avid gamer. He still remembers his first time playing Halo on the original Xbox console.

“I had such a great time playing with friends this game. It was so much fun," he said. "And I mean, as a musician, the first thing I remember is the soundtrack.”

In the past few decades, he says there has been a big evolution in the complexity of gaming music. The orchestral arrangements help create an immersive experience and add to the story. Like the main theme of Starfield. 

It’s a role-playing game of space exploration, but even if you didn’t know that, you feel that sense of discovery and wonder from the music alone. 

Hardwick says as more and more video games began using these massive scores, symphonies took to performing the music live, drawing in gamers and classical music fans alike. 

“What I'm seeing is people are really starting to engage, even if they have no connection with video games, like, ‘Oh my gosh, this music is amazing. Like, this is really deep and complex,'" he said. 

Hardwick says it’s important to take the gaming industry seriously, and expose students to career possibilities in the field from composing, to graphic design, to marketing and cybersecurity. 

“We Play Together” aims to do that. It includes panel discussions with astronaut Dan Tani and Starfield Composer Inon Zur; a concert performance with music from Starfield and Fallout; and a video game tournament. 

More information about the events and links to register can be found on Wake Forest University’s website.

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.