After two years, the Manila Symphony Orchestra returned to the live stage last 25 August 2022, as they performed classic video game soundtracks in a symphonic, orchestral style. Needless to say, the video-game, pop culture, and music-loving community jumped at the chance to attend. 

Gamers, anime aficionados, and enthusiasts of classical music appreciated the compositions that reminded them of simpler times, such as the nostalgic sounds of Final Fantasy, Super Mario, and Monster Hunter; the modern compositions of Genshin Impact, Assassin’s Creed, and Mobile Legends; and even two tracks from two of Ghibli’s famous films: Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro. Both the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s setlist and the newly renovated Ayala Museum succeeded in eliciting an atmosphere of wistful reminiscence. 

Early on-site attendees maximized their experience by sitting around the orchestra while another area of the museum was sectioned off for screen view observance. There were also virtual attendees reliving their gaming glory days from the comfort of their rooms with their eyes glued to their screens: an experience that most attendees, as gamers, know by heart. 

Though the on-site and virtual attendees were listening to the symphony at different locations, everyone had the same sentiments and feelings: the Manila Symphony Orchestra was able to bring the listeners back to a time when the only problems they faced were the waves of monsters coming our way, having to repeat a whole level after a mishap, or being beaten by the big boss time and time again. And they were good problems at that. 

Catch the Manila Symphony Orchestra once more as they will be travelling to Japan to open this year’s Asia Orchestra Week Festival at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, on 5 October 2022.

Setlist:

• Proof of a Hero from “Monster Hunter” – Masato Koda / arr. Jacob Zeleny
• Super Mario Bros. Medley – Koji Kondo / arr. Nic Raine
• Megalovania, for Orchestra, from Undertale – Toby Fox
• Kiki’s Delivery Service (No. 3) – Joe Hisaishi
• My Neighbor Totoro – Joe Hisaishi
• Final Fantasy VII Remake: Opening Theme and Bombing Mission – Nobuo Uematsu / arr. Andres Soto
• Final Fantasy X: To Zanarkand – Nobuo Umematsu / arr. Andres Soto
• Never Meant to Belong from Bleach – Shiro Sagisu | Violin Solo by Diomedes Saraza Jr.
• Rapid as Wildfires from Genshin Impact – Yu Peng Chen
• Under the Black Flag from Assassin’s Creed – Bryan Tyler / arr. Andres Soto; 
• An encore piece from Mobile Legends