You might find it odd to host a live music festival when it’s not actually designed to be performed live. Video game, film and TV music is, by definition, designed to be recorded under very strict conditions and played back to you under even tighter constraints. For example, you might hear a bit of Borislav Slavov’s score for Baldur’s Gate 3 during a battle that’s over in a few seconds. Or even, you might never hear some tracks made for the game, depending on your choices. Such is the format, and such is the fate of game composers.
Manage Cookie Settings
But that’s all part of the appeal for Tommy Pearson, concert producer and curator of London’s first acoustic festival. “The feeling and the instinct when you’re in the room with the orchestra is so important to this festival,” he said in his opening speech at the BFI Southbank in London. “Even if the music isn’t designed to be played live, you can’t deny the power of hearing great artists play it.”
While a large part of the festival was devoted to film and television (as you’d expect given their more mainstream focus), it was inspiring and uplifting to see video game music being so well represented at the inaugural Soundtrack Festival.
running March 19 – March 26, 2025is the capital’s premier film, TV and games festival and will include live performances, panels, screenings, Q&As and masterclasses.
For fans of game music, the Roundhouse (in my opinion, the best venue in London) will be hosting a huge celebration called ‘Game Music: The Best of the Art.’ The event will include masterclasses from Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab – both Grammy and Ivor Award-winning composers who have recently won a slew of awards for their work on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Joining the duo are Ludvig Forssell (Death Stranding), Harry Gregson-Williams (Metal Gear Solid), and Borislav Slavov (Baldur’s Gate 3 — who I recently had the pleasure of interviewing for The Guardian). The trio will host the presentation and will take part in a panel discussing game music, and why it’s so important in 2025.
Tickets for the festival will go on sale in September 2024. For the full programme, visit the festival’s official website or follow the festival on social media: @LDNSoundtrack.
“It’s really exciting to bring this brand new festival to London – the world capital of film, TV and games music – and celebrate the greatest composers writing the soundtracks for our lives today,” said Pearson. “For me, this is the culmination of my lifelong love of TV and film music; a chance for audiences young and old (and everyone in between) to enjoy world-class performances, amazing masterclasses, screenings and more.”
Having recently attended the Elden Ring concert at the Royal Albert Hall and seen the phenomenal Games Music Festival (celebrating Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Last of Us at the Southbank Centre), I cannot understate the significance of this statement.
Game music is becoming increasingly important to both musicians and mainstream audiences around the world; Pearson noted in his speech that TV and film music accounts for around 30% of a touring orchestra’s seasonal output – a vital source of income that keeps them doing their work.
Currently, video game concerts account for 11% of all concerts in the UK since 2016. This is a staggering statistic in my opinion. Soon game music will also be as important as film and television – just search “live video game music shows near me” and you will see how popular it is. Appreciation for the format has never been higher.
It’s gratifying, therefore, to see Pearson so committed to including game music in the festival’s program (when the festival could so easily focus on film and TV). It shows that video game music is getting the respect and reverence it deserves, and it’s only going to get bigger and brighter from now on.
And, I’m reliably informed, this is just the beginning. More events will be announced in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned, and if you’re not local to London, maybe start looking up travel and accommodation information for March 2025.
