Not so distant if you're in Boston

Next week sees a concert of music from Final Fantasy hit Boston's Symphony Hall, with series composer Masashi Hamauzu set to appear too.

Boston's Video Game Orchestra and Choir Força, conducted by Grammy-winner Arnie Roth, will take to the stage on 10th March at 8pm for an evening of music from the venerable Japanese RPG series.

Tickets run from $43.50 - $76.00, or $126 for VIP seats, and are available to buy from Boston Symphony Orchestra. Groups of ten or more are eligible for discounts, so if your party is large, you may be able to save some Gil.

Here's a trailer, too.

[quote]
Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy
Featuring Boston's Video Game Orchestra (VGO) and Choir Força
Conducted by Grammy-Winning Artist Arnie Roth
with Guest Final Fantasy Composer Masashi Hamauzu

Saturday, March 10, 2012, 8:00 p.m.
Symphony Hall, Boston

Boston, MA - Attila Glatz Concert Productions presents "Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy," the international concert phenomenon featuring Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu’s stirring music from the award-winning video game Final Fantasy on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. at Symphony Hall, Boston. The concert will be conducted by Grammy Award-winning artist Arnie Roth, accompanied by Boston's Video Game Orchestra (VGO) and Choir Força, with Final Fantasy composer Masashi Hamauzu in attendance.

Tickets are $43.50-$76.00 ($126.00 for VIP tickets) and may be purchased at the Symphony Hall box office at 301 Massachusetts Avenue, online at bso.org, or by calling (888) 266-1200. To purchase 10 or more tickets at a special discounted rate, call (800) 545-7807.

With more than 100 musicians on stage, "Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy" is a multi-media feast for the ears and the eyes. Composer Nobuo Uematsu's music, hailed by Time Magazine's Christopher John Farley for "...imbuing Final Fantasy games with grandeur and depth, much the way John Williams' score helped propel Star Wars into hyperspace," is sweeping and richly atmospheric. Originally created to enhance the gaming experience of one of the best-selling video game franchises in history, the compositions have garnered legions of fans of their own.

"While originally composed to set the tone for the Final Fantasy games, Uematsu's music is as emotionally compelling and sophisticated as the work of any composer working today," said Music Director and Executive Producer Arnie Roth, who has held the baton for all Final Fantasy concerts in North America and Europe, including those featuring the San Francisco Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Tokyo Philharmonic. "The breadth of his work is astounding, encompassing traditional orchestral and operatic work to pop-inspired ballads. To witness the overwhelming reaction of audiences - and even veteran musicians - to this music is a genuine thrill."

About the Concert and Tour
"Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy" includes highlights from Uematsu's music for the Final Fantasy game franchise (produced by Square Enix and now in its 14th edition since the franchise's debut in 1987, with more than 97 million units sold). Also being performed is new music by composer Masashi Hamauzu from the recently released Final Fantasy XIII, and new scores by Nobuo Uematsu from the newest release, Final Fantasy XIV. This live performance celebrates the music of Japanese video game composer Nobuo Uematsu and includes state of the art HD video presentations filled with images direct from Square Enix and exclusive to the Distant Worlds concert production. Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy is represented exclusively by Columbia Artists Management, Inc.

About Composer Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu is one of the most celebrated video game composers in the field, having achieved global recognition for his music from the Final Fantasy franchise that has been performed by world-class orchestras around the globe. Seen as a major proponent and contributor for the increasing popularity and performance of video game music, his song “Eyes on Me,” the theme song from Final Fantasy XIII, sold a record number of copies and was the first video game song to win “Song of the Year (Western Music)” at the Japanese Gold Disc Awards in 1999. The music from the game series has grown to such notoriety, Nobuo Uematsu was included in Time Magazine's "Time 100: the Next Wave Music" feature.

About Composer Masashi Hamauzu
Composer Masashi Hamauzu is best known for his work on the Final Fantasy and SaGa franchises. After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts, Hamauzu was hired by Square (now Square Enix), and his debut as a solo composer came the following year when he scored Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon (1997). He also composed for the titles SaGa Frontier 2, Final Fantasy X, Unlimited Saga, Sigma Harmonics, and Final Fantasy XIII. In 2010, Hamauzu left Square Enix and established his own music studio Monomusik.

About Music Director Arnie Roth
Music Director Arnie Roth is a Grammy-winning artist known for his work with performers including Il Divo, Diana Ross, Jewel, The Irish Tenors, Charlotte Church, Peter Cetera, and Dennis DeYoung. Roth has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and more. Roth is well known in the world of video game music for his work as music director and conductor of "Dear Friends: Music From Final Fantasy," "More Friends: music from Final Fantasy," "Voices: music from Final Fantasy," and "Play! A Video Game Symphony."

About Video Game Orchestra (VGO)
Comprised of a full orchestra, choir, and rock band, Video Game Orchestra (VGO) performs contemporary arrangements of video game music. Founded by Shota Nakama in 2008, the acclaimed group includes musicians from over 20 countries. Since 2008, they have performed in front of increasingly massive audiences at the PAX East, PAX Prime in Seattle, Independent Game Conference East, Anime Boston, and other concerts and events. VGO is known for its epic symphonic rock performances of music from Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Metal Gear Solid, and God of War, among many other popular video game titles.

About Presenter Attila Glatz Concert Productions
Attila Glatz Concert Productions arrived on the thriving North American concert scene in 1987 and committed themselves to maintaining both the quality and authenticity of popular musical presentations in Canada and the United States. The company’s signature event is the New Year’s concert, "Salute to Vienna," which has been performed at Lincoln Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre, and Montreal’s Place des Arts. Co-founders Marion and Attila Glatz were awarded the Austrian Government’s Decoration of Merit in Gold. Attila Glatz Concert Productions have also produced and presented Bravissimo! Opera’s Greatest Hits, The Lord of the Rings Symphony, Daniel O’Donnell, the famous Irish crooner, Tango Buenes Aires, and more. www.glatzconcerts.com