video game orchestra tour

• Listen/Watch
• Select your icon

SALE! 50% off everything in our store!

New shows around the world being added monthly! Get tickets now!

Video Games Live: LEVEL 6 debuts at #5 on the Billboard Charts!

Video Games Live creator Tommy Tallarico launches new personal website!

Earthworm Jim Anthology Limited Edition Double Vinyl Album!

Video Games Live™ is an immersive concert event featuring music from the most popular video games of all time. Top orchestras & choirs perform along with exclusive video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussionists, live action and unique interactive segments to create an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience!

"Captivating! Bombastic!"

"Beautiful Performance!"

"Simply breathtaking!"

"Ingenious and fantastic!"

"Thrilling!"

"Incredible! Dramatic!"

“Uplifting and exciting!”

11 Best Touring Video Game Orchestras

These phenomenal orchestras bring the music of favorite video games to life!

Music in gaming can truly transform an experience. From sweeping overtures to character-specific themes, the musicality of a game can elevate it to new heights. Depending on the type of game you’re playing, the music could be something light and zany. Or, if emotions are heightened, it could be rousing and stirring. Regardless, it should be memorable.

RELATED: Game Soundtracks That Prove Video Games Deserve A Spot At The Grammy’s

It's no surprise that there have been a number of concerts celebrating the best in video game music. While some concerts hone in on one series or specific game, others take a broader approach and offer music from a selection of well-known and exciting games. If you’re looking to have an intimate night out with some of the best gaming music, some of these video game orchestras still tour. If you prefer a quiet evening at home, many of these can be listened to online, including ones that aren't traveling anymore.

Updated September 15, 2023 by PJ Molloy: There's something magical about video game music, and nowhere is that more apparent than the endlessly talented touring video game orchestras that bless the world with beautiful arrangements of some of the greatest video game music of all time. Now that the pandemic is over, music venues are open again, and video game concerts are making a comeback . Some are scheduled to tour throughout 2024, while others have sadly stopped and can only be experienced through YouTube or Spotify. Either way, if anyone tries to argue that video game music isn’t real art, show them these breathtaking video game orchestras and watch their argument crumble.

11 Press Start: A Symphony Of Games

Who would've thought there would be a video game orchestra organized by the same mind behind the Super Smash Bros. series? Press Start: A Symphony Of Games started performing in 2006 and toured throughout Japan and internationally for ten years.

The tour was organized by video game legends, including Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, Kirby composer Shogo Sakai, and Super Smash Bros director Masahiro Sakurai. The orchestra performed gorgeous renditions of music from Super Smash Bros, Mega Man, Donkey Kong Country, Xenoblade Chronicles, and much more.

10 Kingdom Hearts World Tour

Kingdom Hearts is known for its beautiful, moving, and epic melodies. Kingdom Hearts World Tour is a jaw-dropping way to experience these gorgeous pieces of music. This stunning video game orchestra debuted in 2017 and toured worldwide until 2018.

RELATED: The Most Relaxing Kingdom Hearts Songs

Concert-goers were able to hear fan favorites like the deeply moving Dearly Beloved and character themes for Sora, Riku, and Roxas. If you want to experience the outstanding arrangements of these songs, the orchestra released a full album you can find online.

9 Sonic Symphony

The Sonic series has some phenomenal soundtracks , so the Sonic Symphony is a dream come true for fans of the fastest thing alive. This video game symphony tours the world with a full orchestra and rock band, with special appearances by series composer Jun Senoue at select shows.

The Sonic Symphony plays beautifully orchestrated versions of famous Sonic songs from the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Saturn, Dreamcast, and modern era. As the cherry on top, the rock portion of the concert includes hits like Live And Learn, Escape From The City, and Reach For The Stars. As of 2023, the orchestra is still touring, with dates scheduled well into 2024. If you can't make it to one of their live shows, you can watch the entire performance on the official Sonic The Hedgehog YouTube channel.

8 A New World: Intimate Music From Final Fantasy

The Final Fantasy series is no stranger to beautiful and epic music. From grand, exciting battle themes to tracks that elicit the strongest emotions, the series has had music from one extreme to the next.

A New World takes the best tracks from various games throughout 30-plus years of the Final Fantasy series and combines them into one moving orchestral concert. It's a smaller-scale intimate performance arranged by Arnie Roth and Eric Roth of AWR Music Productions — both of whom are widely respected international conductors.

7 The Legend Of Zelda: Symphony Of The Goddesses

While it hasn’t been performed recently, the Symphony of the Goddesses is known for its commitment to The Legend of Zelda series. The Zelda games have some of the most iconic music in gaming , and this orchestra features music from fan favorites like A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time , Twilight Princess , and Wind Waker.

RELATED: The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom - Best Music Tracks

This video game concert was initially intended to promote the 25th anniversary of the series but would later go on to run for several seasons, with the third being titled the “Master Quest.” The orchestra would go on to tour continuously through 2018. Despite its lack of presence in recent years, you can still listen to the concert online.

6 Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions

As you probably know, Pokemon is a game series where the goal is to catch ‘em all. If you’re a Pokedex completionist, you know how long a feat like that can be. It’s key to have some good tunes in the background, and thankfully, the Pokemon series delivers.

From 2014 to 2017, a video game orchestra called Symphonic Evolutions toured, celebrating the very best Pokemon music from both the games and the anime. Concerts always ended with an encore of the anime's original theme song Gotta Catch 'Em All.

5 Assassin's Creed Symphony World Tour

The Assassin’s Creed games have been immensely popular for years. It's a series that dives into the history of various civilizations across time and place, and it’s no wonder fans have fallen not only for the rich stories and characters but also for its music.

The Assassin's Creed Symphony World Tour features an 80-piece symphony and live choir. Like many video game concerts, it features game footage that plays simultaneously with the company. Over the course of their concerts, over one hundred tracks have been played from across ten different games.

4 The 8-Bit Big Band

If you’re looking for something different, The 8-Bit Big Band is a jazz and pop video game orchestra that plays its own arrangements of some of the most popular gaming tunes. They take fan favorites and add a twist to reimagine them into something fresh and exciting.

RELATED: Game Soundtracks That Are The Perfect Workout Music

From Super Mario 64 to Katamari Damacy to Earthbound, there is a little bit of something for everyone. While it won’t sound exactly like the versions in the original games, it injects an extra layer of jazz into classic tunes and guarantees a good time. They even won a Grammy in 2022 for their arrangement of Meta Knight's Revenge from Kirby Super Star.

3 Video Games Live

Video Games Live is a little more than just a video game concert. It is a full-on experience. Not only does it feature music from some of the best games with a full orchestra and choir, but there are also synchronized lights, solo performers, and interactive segments. If you attend one of their performances, you'll be graced with gorgeous renditions of music from Metal Gear Solid, Halo, Sonic The Hedgehog, and much more.

The concert is put on by people in the gaming industry and truly acts as a love letter to gaming and the good it can do. It's also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest, most successful, and longest-running video game concert.

2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake World Tour

Most video game orchestras cover an entire series or even a variety of games . But when a tour focuses specifically on a single game, you’re in for a treat. The concert tour for Final Fantasy 7 Remake features a grand orchestra with music from Nobuo Uematsu.

Expect favorites like Flowers In The Church and the epic but anxiety-inducing One-Winged Angel. It's all featured alongside electrifying high-definition video scenes created just for the concert. If you’re a major Final Fantasy 7 fan, you owe yourself to look them up and experience the gorgeous melodies.

There's something to be said about a shared experience with strangers. It can happen at the movies, at a play, or in this case, a video game orchestra. Game On! presents music from some of the world’s best games in its purest form.

From The Witcher 3 ’s spirited music to the animated tunes of the often overlooked Guild Wars 2 , there’s a bit of everything in the mix at a Game On! concert. In reviews from concert-goers, attendees noted that people can be heard whispering in between numbers at just how epic everything sounds with a full orchestra.

NEXT: The Best Video Game Soundtracks You Can Fall Asleep To

Based in Boston, MA, “Video Game Orchestra” is a widely acclaimed music project that performs arrangements of mega popular video game scores in their signature “rockestral” style, which includes a high-energy rock band, singers, and an orchestra.

Founded in 2008 by Okinawan-native musician/guitarist Shota Nakama, Video Game Orchestra (aka VGO) quickly gained popularity for its engaging live musical performances that place entertainment and excitement at the forefront of their shows.

VGO has been featured in a number of large-scale international gaming events such as PAX East, PAX Prime, Brasil Game Show, ChinaJoy, San Diego Comic Con, Thailand Game Show, and more making them one of the few international video game music acts today.

In between tours, VGO is actively involved in the creation of soundtracks for video games with their music and video production company, soundtrec. VGO musicians can be found credited on major AAA titles such as Final Fantasy XV as well as indie smash hits like No Straight Roads and Gigabash.

VGO most recently collaborated with MARVEL to produce their first-ever online concert for their “Marvel Future Revolutions.”

 Top Videos on our YouTube Channel 

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Thanks for submitting!

Check out your favorite VGO musicians and get to know the talent behind our music!

SONIC SYMPHONY WORLD TOUR

Sept 16, 2023

London, Barbican Hall (3:30pm show)

London, Barbican Hall (8:00pm show)

Oct 21, 2023

Boston, Emerson Colonial Theatre

Sept 30, 2023

Los Angeles, Dolby Theatre (3:30pm show)

Los Angeles, Dolby Theatre (8:00pm show)

Oct 14, 2023

São Paulo, Brasil Game Show

Oct 15, 2023

Jan 20, 2024

Washington DC, Warner Theater

Oct 28, 2023

Chicago, Auditorium Theatre

Nov 17, 2023

Düsseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Halle

Dec 15, 2023

San Antonio, Majestic Theatre

Dec 29, 2023

Atlanta, Cobb Energy P.A.C.

Jan 05, 2024

Seattle, Paramount Theatre

Jan 06, 2024

San Francisco, Davies Symphony Hall

Jan 27, 2024

Kansas City, Kansas City Music Hall

Feb 11, 2024

Tokyo, LINE CUBE SHIBUYA

Feb 17, 2024

Toronto, Meridian Hall

Mar 24, 2024

Montreal, Wilfrid-Pelletier Theater

Mar 29, 2024

Portland, Schnitzer Auditorium

Apr 06, 2024

Milwaukee, Bradley Symphony Center

Apr 07, 2024

Jul 02, 2023

Paris, Le Grand Rex

Message sent successfully.

VGO - Video Game Orchestra Verified

Similar artists on tour, concerts and tour dates, about vgo - video game orchestra.

Heroes: A Video Game Symphony World Tour Unveiled: Live Performances of Iconic Game Music

Iconic and Fan-Favorite Game Music Comes Alive in Live Performances, Starting August 11 in Baltimore, MD

The highly anticipated video game music concert series, “Heroes: A Video Game Symphony,” is set to embark on a world tour that will captivate audiences around the globe. The tour commences on August 11th, 2023, in Baltimore, MD, featuring the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Handel Choir of Baltimore. Excitingly, this will be followed by concerts by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on September 16th – 17th and the Atlanta Symphony on September 21st – 22nd. Expect more tour dates to be announced soon.

A Visionary Experience by Jason Michael Paul

The creative force behind this exceptional venture is none other than Jason Michael Paul, a renowned producer and creator of iconic video game concerts. Having orchestrated the stateside performances of FINAL FANTASY, The Legend of Zelda’s 25th Anniversary, and The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, Paul has firmly established himself as a leading figure in the industry. As the founder of JMP Entertainment, he conceived the “Heroes” concert series as a transformative journey, inspired by Joseph Campbell’s monomyth narrative framework. This universal framework, prevalent in games, films, and literature, serves as the backbone for the concert’s story, with each stage representing a chapter. Meticulously selected games and musical compositions enhance the narrative in each chapter, culminating in an unforgettable and immersive experience.

Celebrating 20 Years of JMP Entertainment

JMP Entertainment commemorates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of delivering captivating video game music concert series. The inaugural series, “Dear Friends: Music from FINAL FANTASY,” set the stage for Paul’s extraordinary career. Since then, he has produced over 300 video game music concerts worldwide. With a wealth of experience as a concert producer, working with esteemed artists like Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors, Paul recognized that video game soundtracks possess an untapped richness and virtuosity that transcends gaming culture. This revelation sparked a global phenomenon that has continued to grow.

Unveiling the “Heroes” Concert Series

The “Heroes” concert series will feature a 70-piece orchestra accompanied by a choir, performing newly arranged compositions from a diverse range of video game franchises. Among the titles represented are FINAL FANTASY, Chrono Cross, Chrono Trigger, Portal 2, BioShock, Guild Wars 2, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls: Blades, Fallout 4, Starfield, Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, Halo, Mass Effect, Dear Esther, Journey, God of War, Dragon Age, Shadow of the Colossus, and more. This carefully curated selection promises a fresh and immersive music concert format, making it the definitive concert experience for video game enthusiasts and music aficionados alike.

A Multifaceted Concert Experience

Enhancing the concert experience, the captivating story will be narrated by Nigel Carrington, a BAFTA award-winning actor known for his work in the popular video game “Dear Esther” and various other projects. In addition, the concerts will feature special arrangements of music from Fallout, Blades: The Elder Scrolls, and Dragon Age, composed and arranged in collaboration with series composer Inon Zur.

Zur expresses his gratitude, stating, “I’m honored and pleased to have my music performed at the amazing ‘Heroes: A Video Game Symphony’ concert. To have some of the finest orchestras in the world bring my music to life is a dream come true.”

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary celebration of video game music and the hero’s journey. Join the “Heroes: A Video Game Symphony” world tour for an unparalleled experience that brings together the power of music, storytelling, and gaming.

You May Also Like

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Remember Me

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

AWR Music Productions, LLC presents Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY , the official symphony concert tour.

Launched in 2007, in conjunction with the twentieth anniversary of FINAL FANTASY, Distant Worlds features the music of the great video game series FINAL FANTASY and composer Nobuo Uematsu. The concerts are performed by symphony orchestra, choir, and renowned vocal and instrumental soloists, under the direction of GRAMMY Award-winner and acclaimed conductor Arnie Roth. With HD video presentations from the FINAL FANTASY game developers SQUARE ENIX projected onto giant screens throughout the concerts, Distant Worlds performs a diverse and constantly expanding repertoire of classic FINAL FANTASY music from throughout the thirty year history of the game series.  With a dedicated and phenomenal community of FINAL FANTASY music lovers, Distant Worlds is a unique multimedia concert experience that delights audiences all over the globe.

After the successful 2002 FINAL FANTASY concert held in Japan, SQUARE ENIX announced a six-city tour of Japan in 2004, Tour de Japon: music from FINAL FANTASY . Under Music Director Arnie Roth, the 2005 U.S. concert tour Dear Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY was the first concert production that featured the music of FINAL FANTASY outside Japan. This award-winning music was then featured in the More Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY performance in Los Angeles, also in 2005 (again under Roth’s baton). In 2006, the Voices: music from FINAL FANTASY concert took place in Yokohama, Japan. This performance featured premieres, guest soloists and Uematsu’s band, the Black Mages along with the Prima Vista orchestra and choir under the direction of Arnie Roth.

In 2007, Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY had its first performance in Stockholm, Sweden. Since then, Distant Worlds has performed regularly in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In addition to the ongoing worldwide concert tour, there have been four highly acclaimed CD releases and three live concert DVD/Blu-ray releases.  In 2017, Distant Worlds celebrates its 10th anniversary!

Nobuo Uematsu

Nobuo Uematsu is one of the most celebrated composers in the history of video game music, recognized for his work on the FINAL FANTASY series and other games. Nobuo Uematsu has been a major contributor to the increasing appreciation and awareness of video game music. The FINAL FANTASY VIII theme song, "Eyes on Me," composed and produced by Uematsu, featured Hong Kong pop star Faye Wong. "Eyes On Me" sold 400,000 copies and won "Song of the Year (Western Music)" at the 14th Annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1999, the first time in history that music from a video game had attained this illustrious honor. In 2001, Nobuo Uematsu was named as one of the "Innovators" in Time Magazine's Time 100: the Next Wave Music feature. In recent years, Classic FM, the world's largest Classical Music radio station, has repeatedly recognized Nobuo Uematsu's music from FINAL FANTASY for inclusion in its illustrious "Hall of Fame".

Music Director Arnie Roth is a Grammy-winning artist known for his work with performers including Il Divo, Diana Ross, Jewel, Andrea Bocelli, The Irish Tenors, Charlotte Church, Peter Cetera, Mannheim Steamroller, and Dennis DeYoung. Roth has conducted renowned orchestras of the world including the London Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Houston Symphony, Czech National Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic and the Sydney Symphony. Roth is well known in the world of video game music for his work with Nobuo Uematsu and Square Enix as Music Director and Conductor of the “Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY,” “Dear Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY,” “More Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY,” “VOICES: music from FINAL FANTASY,” as well as his role as Music Director and Conductor of “ PLAY! A Video Game Symphony.” He was the winner of the Best Score Award at the 2003 DVD Premier Awards for his score for the film Barbie™ as Rapunzel and was nominated for an Emmy in 2007 for his original song “Shine” from the movie Barbie™ in The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Roth has produced dozens of best selling CD’s. For more information, visit www.awrmusic.com .

Associate Music Director Eric Roth is recognized internationally as a composer/conductor, orchestrator/arranger and producer of concerts and recordings. Eric is the music director and chief arranger for A New World: intimate music from FINAL FANTASY, the chamber ensemble concert production. He’s also the associate music director and an orchestrator/arranger for Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY, the global live orchestral performance phenomenon. His orchestrations and arrangements have been performed by many world-class orchestras and ensembles. Eric was the conductor of the orchestra for ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic’s historic Strings Attached Tour, and the music director and primary arranger/orchestrator for Undertale LIVE. Eric’s arrangements were essential to Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Neurology Telemusic Program. Credits include Pat Benatar, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony (I and II), John Ondrasik/Five For Fighting, Seal, Jewel, Dennis DeYoung, PLAY! A Videogame Symphony, Stevie Nicks, and the “Surprise, Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular” with Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Patti Labelle, Usher, Kristin Chenoweth, Jamie Foxx, Josh Groban, and others. Eric has conducted performances by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Utah Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, and more. For more information, visit www.awrmusic.com .

About Square Enix Co., Ltd.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS and TAITO branded entertainment content around the world. The Square Enix group of companies includes a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 135 million units worldwide; and DRAGON QUEST, which has sold over 75 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER, which has sold over 63 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS. Square Enix Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

Have any Questions?

Drop us a message right here!

This website uses cookies

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

Event Details

Heroes: a video game symphony.

What’s a hero’s journey without appropriately heroic music to accompany it?  Heroes: A Video Game Symphony  features a live orchestra performing music from epic video games such as  Castlevania ,  Metal Gear Solid ,  Starfield ,  The Elder Scrolls ,  Fallout ,  God of War ,  Mass Effect ,  Final Fantasy ,  Journey , and Portal 2 with scenes from the games projected onto a huge screen. Step away from the console and step into a new sensory take on video games.

Saturday July 13, 2024 7:30PM

Media gallery.

Heroes: A Video Game Symphony (July 13, 2024 - Auditorium Theatre)

You May Also Like

A Mesmerizing Celebration of Symphonic Videogame Music

• #   track name composer publisher length    

featured games

The Kennedy Center lights dimmed, a hushed reverence fell over the crowd as a man, who composed the music to some of their favorite video games, rose to his podium.  -CBS TV

An amazing program… a great success! -Carissa Castaldo, Popular Programming, Seattle Symphony

What a brilliant way to bring the brilliance of an orchestra to a whole new audience! -Douglas Mayo, Managing Editor BritishTheatre.com

You could hear whispers from children to their parents..."That was so cool"   It was a night they would never forget!  -Eric Jansen - WUSA9

{Brick's Concert} Speaks to the fundamental musical spirit of today’s youth!  -Cassie Silva, Review Vancouver (previous)

A victorious {European} premiere, both for game fans and newcomers…. -Federico Gagliano, Luzerner Zeitung

You can hear the audience yelling out the video game names . . . Then, the screaming begins. It’s thrilling! Ally Schweitzer, Washington City Paper

“Andy Brick introduced each video game to thunderous ovations generally reserved for rock stars... As the concert rose to its climactic conclusion, the crowd leapt to their feet cheering for more” -Andrew Creasey, The Oregon Music News (previous)

Welcome to Game ON!

A mesmerizing celebration.

Featuring concert premieres of stunning symphonic soundtrack music from an unprecedented lineup of blockbuster video games, Game ON! combines unrivaled symphonic arrangements with stunning, never before seen HD video.

Performed by world-renowned symphony orchestras, Game ON! will mesmerize you with an exhilarating and unequaled concert experience that celebrates the artistry of the symphony orchestra and embraces the passion and excitement of videogames for you, the next generation symphony audience!

• View Photo Gallery
• poison itunes
• poison soundcloud
• poison youtube

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

May 24 & 25, 2024 | toronto, canada, roy thomson hall.

The show was spectacular! Well worth seeing for any aficionado of both music and video games - -Show Film First.com.

The KKL concert hall was near capacity… and vigorous applause and cheers from the fans could be heard early on … -Frederico Gagliano, Luzerner Zeitung

The conductor was fantastic, the Halle was amazing. A really good and enjoyable night. Highly recommended -Show Film First.com

With gracious support from our friends:

a mesmerizing celebration!

Past Concerts

Booking Inquiries

Jake Rosenblum Fifth Season +1 520-301-8753 Send Email

Long read: How TikTok's most intriguing geolocator makes a story out of a game

Where in the world is Josemonkey?

Video Games in Concert announces new UK tour

Brighton! Liverpool! Manchester! Bournemouth! Wolves!

A new tour celebrating the "most iconic video game music" will kick off in May next year.

After two sold-out shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, Video Games in Concert is set to tour the UK next summer, stopping off in Brighton, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Manchester, and Bournemouth. Sadly, there are no dates outside of England at this time.

"Video Games in Concert is a critically acclaimed concert series that features one of the world’s premier composers of video games scores, Eímear Noone, who is responsible for some of the most enduring soundscapes on World of Warcraft and other best-selling video games," a press release says.

"Featuring awe-inspiring scores from classics such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, and World of Warcraft as well as new arrangements from recent hit games including God of War: Ragnarök, Starfield, and much, much more, this series is sure to unite gamers and music-lovers alike.

"From the Nine Realms to the Forbidden West, Hyrule to The Continent, Raccoon City to the Keystone Dimension, and beyond, Video Games in Concert is sure to inspire you to return to the lands you love and invite you to explore new ones."

The tour will be accompanied by the Heritage Orchestra.

Tour Dates:

• 11 May – Brighton Centre
• 12 May – Liverpool Empire
• 17 May – Wolverhampton Civic Hall
• 18 May – Manchester Apollo
• 19 May – Bournemouth BIC

Read this next

• Destiny developer Bungie's original sci-fi shooter Marathon hits Steam for free
• Among Us teases new roles, better lobby filtering, and more in new roadmap
• Another Fallout 4 graphics update coming to all platforms next week

• Search Submit Search
• Subscribe and Save
• Group Tickets
• Special Offers & Deals
• Directions & Parking
• Accessibility
• Concert Extras
• First-Timer’s Guide
• Visiting Portland
• Hall Amenities
• Restaurants & Hotels
• Health & Safety
• Special Events
• Corporate, Foundation & Government Support

You make everything we do possible

• The Orchestra
• Watch & Listen
• Oregon Symphony History

The Oregon Symphony presents Studio 125, a new digital destination for music

• For Families
• For Educators
• In the Community

Enjoy Symphony Storytime, a fun and unique series from the Oregon Symphony designed for pre-K through elementary aged children.

• Staff & Board
• DEI Value Statement
• Reports & Financials
• Subscribe & Save
• Young People’s Concert
• Master Coaching
• Music Educator of the Year Award

Heroes: A Video Game Symphony

Be transported on an epic hero's journey with this unique concert experience perfect for gamers and non-gamers alike! As set forth by Joseph Campbell's monomyth; a narrative framework that can be seen in many of the games, films, and books throughout history, this concert is the story of a hero told in an unforgettable concert that is not to be missed.

Kevin Zakresky , Conductor   Oregon Chorale  Oregon Symphony

Enter Promo Code:

Tickets start at $25

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway, Portland)

Buy Tickets

• © 2024 Oregon Symphony
• Legal Disclaimers
• Photo Credits

Upcoming Events:

Help WMGSO put on more great performances by becoming an annual Supporter or one-time donor!

Be a part of the WMGSO! We're always looking for more performers and volunteers. You could be our newest member!

The premiere community ensemble exclusively devoted to performing video game music in the D.C. area.

Thank You MSAC!

To discover more about the Maryland State Arts Council and how they impact Maryland, visit msac.org.

Our Latest Performance:

Attend Our Spring 2024 Concert,  Ad Astra: Interstellar Harmonies

& Support Crystals In Time : WMGSO's Second Studio Album

• Livestream in Silver Hall

Video Game Symphony - Livestream

Let us take you to the movies.  The same great Orchestra you've seen tonight tackles the movies all next season.  

Tonight's Program

Need beauty? These are 7 of the most gorgeous gardens in the D.C. area.

Surround yourself with roses, azaleas and historic landscapes at these nearby gardens.

Washington has no shortage of places to surround yourself with nature: the plants growing on mountains and glens at the National Arboretum ; the water lilies and lotuses at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens ; the meadows of Rock Creek Park .

In the midst of spring, with summer’s heat on the horizon, our thoughts turn to other landscapes: carefully tended gardens that educate while they delight with colors and scents, and parks where visitors wander from a themed Korean garden to a display of native plants, past ponds where blue herons hide. But there are more reasons to visit than pretty displays: Put your feet in the grass, and your nose in a flower. Feel the warmth of the sun on your face as you read a book. This selection of local gardens has much to offer, whether on a day trip or for a quick mental health break after work.

Important reminders: First, gardens serve as popular wedding venues over the warm-weather months, so check venue websites and social media before making plans to visit, especially on weekends. Also, picnics are forbidden at some gardens, including at private locations like Dumbarton Oaks and county-run facilities such as Brookside Gardens. Make sure eating and drinking are allowed before packing snacks. Finally, while it’s generally okay to take photos of yourself or your friends with your phone at gardens, most locations require permits for professional photo shoots — basically, if you’re bringing a photographer to take photos for your engagement, senior portrait or quinceañera, or creating content that requires another person to take photos or video of you. When in doubt, ask.

And, most importantly, enjoy!

Bon Air Memorial Rose Garden

Arlington is filled with tributes to veterans: the somber monuments at Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps War Memorial, the locally focused Clarendon War Memorial. But the most colorful of all is found in Bon Air Park along Wilson Boulevard. The Bon Air Memorial Rose Garden, which opened in 1951 and moved to Bon Air Park in 1964, was created by Arlington resident Nellie Broyhill to honor “our valiant and courageous men and women who bore the colors of their country in the conflict of World War II.” More than 120 varieties of roses grow in a compact, neatly ordered garden located between the tennis courts and the playground — think of it as the best example of how beautiful your neighborhood park could be.

Star garden : The main attraction is the rose garden, laid out in a linear north-south fashion with a flagpole and memorial plaque in a circular plaza at the center. Everywhere you look, there are roses: delicate small white flowers and larger, Barbie-pink blooms atop arches that are perfect for a photo op. Reddish-pink roses in the beds and on the walls of bushes along the borders. Ruby red and blushing pink roses dangling down from the trellises along the main avenue. Sure, there are other plants, such as the delightful purple puffballs of alliums, but roses are the draw. There are frustratingly few labels, however, telling visitors what kind of rose they’re looking at.

On a recent Friday afternoon, the crowds reading in the park or wandering through in workout attire quickly gave way to crowds posing in prom attire and quinceañera dresses, or squeezing multiple generations of the family under an arch, waiting in turn at each of the features. It’s one of the more colorful, accessible backdrops around.

What not to overlook : Because the rose garden is so small — less than the length of a football field, measured with Google Maps — there’s little chance you will miss anything here. If you have time, wander around the park, which also features demonstration gardens tended by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Visit the Sunny Garden, just north of the Rose Garden, to see shrubs and perennials that flourish seasonally, or the Shade Garden, located amid trees farther into the park, which boasts a wide variety of native plants.

Best bench : The benches framed by roses around the flagpole and at the north end of the garden are frequently in demand for group photos. You’ll be disturbed less often if you snag one of the wooden benches under the trellis, where the roses are still barely over your head.

Essential info : The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. 850 N. Lexington St., Arlington. arlingtonva.us/parks . Free admission.

Brookside Gardens

The sprawling 50-acre Brookside Gardens are only three bus stops from the Glenmont Metro station, but they feel much farther from Washington. A wander through the park covers a variety of environments — a lakefront Japanese Teahouse, formal gardens, a leafy forest of azaleas, a reconfigured rose garden, butterfly habitats and a tropical conservatory. Kids can play in a Maryland-themed area with gardens, a boat and a tot-size farmhouse.

Star gardens : The first time a visitor walks into the Fragrance Garden, they’re likely to stop and sniff. A wave of scents comes from the plants here: tulips, peonies, lavender, abelia and other plants selected for their delightful perfume. It’s fun to go from plant to plant to figure out what, exactly, you’re smelling, and that interaction is by design: A marker explains that this garden was originally developed for blind visitors.

What not to overlook : The Rose Garden received a revamp this spring, with more than 200 new roses amid beds with 800 different perennials and flowering grasses, as well as a new irrigation system to keep the plants blooming longer into the year. (Don’t worry — the benches under the wisteria arbors are still there.) Head around the corner to the formal gardens, each with its own personality: the cool blue, yellow and white flowers and ornamental grasses surrounding a pool in the Perennial Garden, leading to the more structured clipped hedges of the Yew Garden, and finally the searing scarlet colors of the Japanese maples in the Maple Terrace.

Best bench : The benches in the formal gardens offer a mix of shade, birdsong and the buzz of insects — as mentioned earlier, the benches in the Rose Garden offer more shade than those in the Yew or Perennial gardens. Those seeking contemplation, and a view over an undulating green lawn, should head for the benches near the Reflection Terrace, which holds a memorial for the victims of the 2002 D.C. sniper attacks, and the lake by the Japanese Teahouse.

Events and tours : There are regular programs ranging from guided garden tours to yoga and tai chi classes. On May 31, the park hosts “ Ready, Set, Go ,” an evening nature-themed scavenger hunt for adults. A free “ Pride in the Park ” comedy show takes place on the lawn next to the visitor center on June 6, with food trucks and a hard cider garden. Montgomery Parks’ Summer Twilight Concert Series returns to Brookside Gardens every Tuesday in June — the rare occasion when picnics are allowed. The series begins with the Latin rock band Ocho de Bastos on June 4. Monthly plant clinics with master gardeners offer free office hours in the visitor center from July through November.

Essential info : Outdoor gardens open daily from sunrise to sunset; visitor center open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. montgomeryparks.org . Free admission.

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens

Dumbarton Oaks’ surging popularity is an example of how historic gardens can attract completely different audiences. Amateur and professional gardeners are drawn to the breathtaking 16 acres of terraced and natural gardens, designed by Beatrix Farrand, the only woman among the founders of the American Society of Landscape Architects, beginning in the 1920s. In recent years, however, a new generation of social media influencers have discovered that the rose garden, wisteria-covered arbors and shifting displays of color make for beautiful photo opportunities — so much so that you sometimes have to wait to see certain plants up close because there’s a line of phone-toting visitors in front of them. Still, there’s enough to see that if you encounter crowds, you can wander off, find yourself alone in a different area and go back.

Star garden: Before heading off into the gardens and lawns, pause for a moment in the Green Garden, the open entertaining space behind the Orangery. From here, the sweeping vista shows the brilliant design scheme: a mix of formal gardens toward the house shifting toward natural landscape as the property drops steeply, embracing the topography. Once you’ve taken in the scene, head for the Rose Garden, which will be full of color and scent over the summer, and the Fountain Terrace, a grassy flower garden bordered by tulips and perennials, with a pair of fountains as the central feature.

Best bench : The Fountain Terrace features a gorgeous Arts and Crafts oak bench, designed by Farrand, with a view of the flowers and the sound of water. Far from the house (and, often, the crowds), the Lilac Circle contains rustic wood and stone benches with fewer disturbances.

What not to overlook : Everything is in the details, notes Jonathan Kavalier, Dumbarton Oaks’ director of gardens and grounds, from the layering of trees and plants to Farrand’s original designs for benches and balconies. “Farrand’s seamless blending of old and new world styles, her attention to the finest details, and her iterative and adaptive design process are all still thriving a century after she began creating these cherished spaces.”

Events and tours : A free docent-led tour is offered every Wednesday through Saturday at 2:10 p.m., just after gates open, but it is limited to 10 people, so you’ll want to be toward the front of the general admission line to guarantee a space.

Essential info : Dumbarton Oaks tickets can be the hottest in town. All tickets must be purchased in advance; no tickets are sold at the gate. Admission is allowed at 2 or 4 p.m., with the last entry at 5:30. The gardens shut promptly at 6. Dumbarton Oaks closes regularly for meetings and events. (It’s closed to the public this Thursday to Saturday, and again July 9 to 12.) 1703 32nd St. NW. doaks.org . $11; free for children age 2 and younger.

Green Spring Gardens

There are more than 20 demonstration gardens at Fairfax County’s Green Spring Gardens, as well as a garden designed by landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand of Dumbarton Oaks fame, but at its core is a vast grassy lawn where, on a recent weekend afternoon, parents and toddlers were happily playing. Green Spring has education at the heart of its mission, with regular weekend garden tours, talks and family activities. Stop by the visitor center and you’ll find not just a list of what’s in bloom, but cuttings showing the plants and where they’re located. Plant tags throughout list not just names, but QR codes that take you to the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia website for more information. You’ll definitely leave knowing more than when you came in.

Star gardens : The Virginia Native Plant Garden features wildflower meadows and a path through sun-dappled woods, running next to a stream. Other highlights include the children’s garden, with hands-on activities; the colorful arbor gardens; and the Edible Garden, which hosts classes on the third Saturday of the month and donates all the produce grown there to local food banks.

Best bench : Farrand’s designs for the garden behind Green Spring included a large outdoor “room” for entertaining, with a quartz wall topped by a semicircular boxwood. Duck behind this hedge for two of the best places to sit and think: on the steps looking down at the informal landscape with azaleas, and on a bench behind the mixed border, a breezy overlook that offers a view of ponds through the trees.

What not to overlook : The historic Green Spring home, which dates from 1784, is open for visits and contains a history of the site and artifacts that have been found on the grounds. The visitor center hosts art shows and is home to a conservatory with tropical plants, as well as a plant shop.

Events and tours : Green Spring is a hive of activity for curious gardeners. This Saturday features a spring garden tour and a talk about natural gardens. Monday is the monthly Garden Sprouts play group for preschoolers. May 18 brings “ the Big Plant Sale ,” with dozens of vendors, talks with master gardeners and a bake sale. Summer highlights include a Pride Month poetry workshop (June 1), a concert in the garden (June 20) and the annual begonia show (Aug. 17-18).

Essential info : Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. (Visitor center and house close 30 minutes earlier.) 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks . Free admission; activities may have additional charges.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens

Is Hillwood, the estate owned by Marjorie Merriweather Post, best known for its collection of imperial Russian art and Fabergé eggs, or for the lush grounds and gardens that surround it? For many people, it’s the latter. Hillwood is known for azaleas that burst to life in the spring, which, a guide explained on a recent tour, is intentional: Post spent winters at Mar-a-Lago and summers in New York, so the gardens were designed to look their best when she was in Washington in the spring and fall. But don’t think it’s empty now: More than 11,000 warm-season annual and tropical plants are in the process of going into summer displays, says Jessica Bonilla, Hillwood’s director of horticulture, in addition to seasonal blooms in other gardens.

Star gardens : The Rose Garden is one of the most beautiful spots on the estate, with beds of colorful floribunda roses and a flower-covered pergola surrounding the column containing Post’s ashes. The Cutting Garden, located in a prominent position between the greenhouse and the mansion, was designed to supply the mansion with fresh-cut flowers year-round, so it’s constantly in bloom, to the delight of bees and butterflies.

Best bench : The Four Seasons Overlook, a small, circular plaza on the Friendship Walk between the Rose Garden and the woods, is a quiet spot with several benches among the statues and bushes. There are also chairs in the French Parterre, a formal garden with ivy-covered walls surrounding a long central fountain and elaborate plantings.

What not to overlook : Pay a visit to the greenhouse to enjoy vibrant displays of orchids and tropical plants, and make your way down the hillside beyond the lawn to the Japanese Garden, which has cascading waterfalls, Japanese lanterns and sculptures, and where the contemplative setting seems removed from the bustle of tour groups.

Events and tours : Gardener’s Focus tours, led by staff horticulturists, are included with admission and provide far more detail than the guidebooks alone; the next series is focused on the Cutting Garden (June 11-21), but get to Hillwood early: Space on the tour is limited, and tickets are first-come, first-served. Hillwood offers programs for families with preschoolers every other week, with upcoming themes including “ Colors in the Garden ” (May 14-15) and “ Sensational Scents ” (June 11-12).

Essential info : Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. hillwoodmuseum.org . Adults $15-$18; college students $10; $5 for ages 6 to 18; free for ages 5 and younger.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Coming out of Meadowlark’s visitor center, your first views might make you think this is a public park rather than a botanic garden. Green lawns roll down a valley toward a pair of lakes. Next to the water, people lie on blankets, reading, shaded by tall trees. Couples stroll along a dock to a picturesque gazebo that sits over the larger lake. Benches and Adirondack chairs nestled into the grassy hills offer views of it all, next to wisteria and flower beds.

Yes, there’s plenty of nature on the way to those lakes — a conservatory holding Mediterranean plants; a butterfly-friendly pollinator garden; a collection of plants whose chemicals are used in cancer treatments — and Meadowlark’s size and beauty make it a garden that rewards exploration.

Star gardens : The only Korean Bell Garden in the Western Hemisphere is the place to start: The centerpiece is a natural wooden pavilion — built entirely without nails — holding a three-ton bell, handmade in South Korea and decorated with flora and fauna. The garden also contains a mix of plants native to Korea and Virginia, protective figures carved from volcanic rock called dol hareubangs, walls decorated with images of flowers and symbols of longevity, and a koi pond with a fountain.

Best bench : There are benches everywhere: Walk up a curving path to the top of a spiral mound for an overview of the lakes, or grab a chair in the Butterfly Garden for views of the lawns. Two stood out on our last visit, though: a pair of Adirondack chairs overlooking the wetlands pond and bog gardens, where you might see a blue heron sitting in the water or turtles sunning themselves on logs, and the Azalea Woods Gazebo, tucked away in a wooded area home to native wildflowers and trees of the Potomac Valley.

What not to overlook : Meadowlark is home to the Stout Medal Garden, which is a collection of day lilies that have been awarded the Stout Medal, “the highest honor a day lily can receive,” dating back to 1950. Day lilies are featured in multiple beds, and even if the gorgeous flowers aren’t in bloom, it’s still fun to look at the names: “Explosion in the Paint Factory,” “Stop the Car,” “Radiation Biohazard” and “Mayor of Munchkinland” are a few of the hybrids that made us do a double take. If the kids get tired of looking at plants, take them to the lakeside Toddler’s Tea Garden to run around.

Events and tours : The park regularly hosts events, including the Music in the Gardens concert series, which features “ Music for Our Mothers ” with the Virginia Chamber Orchestra this Sunday; twice-monthly Pup Days for dog owners; a monthly Sunrise in the Gardens event, with gates opening at 5:30 a.m.; and weekend “ Bonsai Chats ” with gardeners. Special events include the annual Korean Bell Garden Celebration on May 18, with traditional music and dancing, games, complimentary Korean food, and the ringing of the garden’s monumental bell. (Garden admission is free from 10 a.m. to noon for the celebration.)

Essential info : Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The visitor center closes 30 minutes earlier. 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct., Vienna. novaparks.com . $8 for ages 18-54; $4 for ages 6 to 17 and over 55; free for children age 5 and younger.

William Paca House and Garden

The existence of many gardens is due to the hard work of landscapers and horticulturists. At the William Paca House in downtown Annapolis, you also have to thank archaeologists, historians and 18th-century portraitist Charles Willson Peale.

Paca — signer of the Declaration of Independence, governor of Maryland — designed and built the house that bears his name in the 1760s. In 1901, Paca’s former home became one of Annapolis’s most fashionable hotels, and his beloved terraced pleasure garden was covered with a building containing 200 rooms. After the hotel closed in 1965, the building was purchased by the preservation group Historic Annapolis, and historians and landscape designers became interested in restoring the gardens. Some key details came from Peale’s 1772 portrait of Paca, currently hanging a block away at the Maryland State House, which showed the Founding Father in his garden in front of a two-story summerhouse, a pond and a bridge. More evidence came from archaeological excavations, which revealed the locations of structures and the falls of the garden terraces. It might not be exactly the view Paca would have seen in the heady days before the Revolution, but we should be grateful to have this glimpse into a long-disappeared Annapolis.

Star gardens : Paca’s Garden is split into different garden rooms, separated by stepped terraces. But the focal point of the garden is the summerhouse, a whimsical, octagonal folly at the very back, separated from the formal areas by a fish-shaped pond and a romantic, whitewashed Chinese Chippendale bridge. This has been the backdrop for countless weddings and proposals, and is best observed while taking a stroll along the pathways in the Wilderness Garden, among a selection of native plants grown during Paca’s time.

Best bench : The four parterres, with their ornamental displays, each have a different character — the Rose Parterre is fragrant and attractive when in bloom — but there’s a lovely wooden bench in the corner of the Boxwood Parterre, among the carefully shaped hedges, shaded by a cedar tree, that’s particularly attractive. Want to soak in the sun? Head across the main walk, where the “Governor William Paca holly” — a giant, pine-cone-shaped shrub — sits surrounded by boxwood and benches.

What not to overlook : The Kitchen and Physic gardens offer displays of the kinds of plants grown for practical purposes, not beauty, when the house was built. The Physic Garden’s collection of medicinal herbs is especially interesting.

Events and tours : Guided garden tours are offered at 9:30 a.m. Fridays. This weekend is the 50th annual William Paca Garden Plant Sale, which allows the public to purchase native flowers, shrubs and heirloom specimens, including plants propagated or grown in the Paca Garden itself. (Doors open at 10 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday; see annapolis.org for details.)

Essential info : Open daily through August. Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 186 Prince George St., Annapolis. annapolis.org . Garden entry $5 for ages 3 and older. House tour and garden entry $7-$12.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Frank Wakefield, Who Expanded the Mandolin’s Range, Dies at 89

A bluegrass innovator, he recorded numerous albums as a leader, and his list of collaborators included both Leonard Bernstein and Jerry Garcia.

By Bill Friskics-Warren

Bill Friskics-Warren reports on country music from Nashville for The New York Times.

Frank Wakefield, an innovative bluegrass mandolinist whose sweeping musicality led to collaborations with the New York Philharmonic and Jerry Garcia, and whose unique voicings and technique expanded the parameters of his instrument, died on Friday at his home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He was 89.

Marsha Sprintz, his companion of 47 years, said the cause was complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In a career that spanned seven decades, Mr. Wakefield played with a host of bluegrass luminaries, including Jimmy Martin and the Stanley Brothers.

He first made his mark in the early 1950s after joining a band led by the singer and guitarist Red Allen as a vocalist and mandolin player. Working in Ohio and the Upper Midwest and, by 1960, the Baltimore-Washington area, the band developed a hard-driving, harmony-rich brand of bluegrass that inspired not only other musicians in the genre, but also bluegrass-inclined rock bands like New Riders of the Purple Sage.

While still a teenager, Mr. Wakefield mastered the heavily syncopated “chop” chord of the bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe, whom he met in 1961 and who immediately recognized Mr. Wakefield’s prowess as a mandolinist.

“You can play like me as good — or near as good — as I can,” Mr. Wakefield, in a 2022 interview with the Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association , recalled Mr. Monroe saying at their initial meeting. “Now you’ve got to go out and find your own style.”

Heeding Mr. Monroe’s advice, Mr. Wakefield did exactly that. He devised his own sound by alternating up and down strokes on his instrument with equal force to produce a clear, ringing tone and sustained rhythm, which he likened to a sledgehammer striking a steel rail in a 1998 interview with the bluegrass website Candlewater.com .

At other times, plucking the strings with multiple fingers, he produced a richly textured effect suggestive of two or three mandolins playing together.

David Grisman, a student of Mr. Wakefield’s and a mandolin virtuoso in his own right, said in an often quoted passage from Frets magazine that Mr. Wakefield had “split the bluegrass mandolin atom” by taking the instrument beyond where Mr. Monroe had.

“Bluegrass,” the album that Mr. Wakefield made with Mr. Allen for Folkways Records in 1964 (and that a 19-year-old Mr. Grisman produced), proved ample confirmation of that claim: It featured versions of two of Mr. Wakefield’s most enduring originals, “New Camptown Races” and “Catnip,” both of which, with their developments in melody, tunings and chord changes, pushed the limits of what then constituted bluegrass.

Mr. Wakefield’s innovations didn’t stop there, though. By the mid-1960s he had begun composing sonatas for the mandolin and arranging classical pieces for traditional bluegrass ensembles. He performed with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in 1967 and made a guest appearance with the Boston Pops orchestra the next year.

Mr. Wakefield’s forays outside bluegrass extended into pop territory as well, including a mid-1960s stint with the Greenbriar Boys, an urban folk revivalist group. During this period, he also performed with country bluesmen like Lightnin’ Hopkins and Son House and, later, rock acts like the Grateful Dead.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Wakefield was born on June 26, 1934, in the Emory Gap enclave of Harriman, Tenn., the 10th of 12 children of Simpson and Bertie (Isham) Wakefield. Growing up poor, he was forced to leave school after second grade to help work on the family farm.

Enthralled by DeFord Bailey’s performances on “The Grand Ole Opry,” young Frank took up the harmonica at an early age and soon also became adept at playing the guitar.

His father, who worked as a brakeman to supplement the family income, froze to death in a local railyard when Frank was 13. Several of his sisters moved 300 miles north to Dayton, Ohio, as part of a Depression-era migration. Frank and his brother, Ralph, were left to move between orphanages until Frank finally ran away to join his sisters in Dayton, where a brother-in-law introduced him to the mandolin.

Billing themselves as the Wakefield Brothers, Frank and Ralph, who played guitar, made their first public appearances at house parties and on local radio in 1960. Two years later, Frank joined Red Allen’s band, and his path as a musician was set.

However, his tenure with Mr. Allen was fraught with conflict, much of it brought on by Mr. Allen’s abusive behavior, especially when he was drinking. Nevertheless, apart from a period with the Detroit-based Chain Mountain Boys in the mid-1950s, Mr. Wakefield persevered with him until 1965, when he joined the Greenbriar Boys to replace Ralph Rinzler, who had left the band to become Bill Monroe’s manager.

After recovering from a near-fatal automobile accident in the late 1960s, Mr. Wakefield moved to Saratoga Springs and embarked on a solo career. Over the next five decades, he released albums for a variety of bluegrass-aligned record labels, including Takoma, Flying Fish and Patuxent Music. His 1972 Rounder album, called simply “Frank Wakefield” and featuring the New York bluegrass band Country Cooking, is widely regarded as a touchstone of the movement known as newgrass, which incorporated elements of rock, jazz and classical music into traditional bluegrass.

Despite suffering from emphysema for years, Mr. Wakefield continued to tour nationally and to record well into the 2000s.

Besides Ms. Sprintz, Mr. Wakefield’s survivors include a sister, Susie Norton; a son, Greg Wakefield; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Despite his musically omnivorous appetites, Mr. Wakefield was unfamiliar with Mr. Garcia, who would later produce the 1976 album “Pistol Packin’ Mama,” a string-band collaboration between Mr. Wakefield and others, when they started playing shows together.

“Whenever Garcia played with me and David,” Mr. Wakefield explained, referring to David Nelson of New Riders of the Purple Sage in a 2006 interview with candlewater.com, “we would always have a full house. I thought it was because of me.”

“It took me a while,” he added, “to realize that people were coming to the shows because Jerry was playing with us.”

Richard Tandy, longtime Electric Light Orchestra keyboardist, dies at 76

Richard Tandy, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as Electric Light Orchestra 's longtime keyboardist, has died. He was 76.

The British rock band's founder, Jeff Lynne, shared Tandy's passing on social media Thursday.

"It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my long-time collaborator and dear friend Richard Tandy. He was a remarkable musician & friend and I’ll cherish the lifetime of memories we had together," Lynne wrote in an Instagram post .

Lynne also included several photos and a video of the two from over the years.

A cause of death was not revealed.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

When Lynne revived the group as Jeff Lynne’s ELO in 2014 nearly 30 years after they disbanded in 1986, Tandy was one of the only prior members to return.

The following year, in 2015, Lynne and Tandy performed with Ed Sheeran at the 57th Grammy Awards, with stars in the audience including Paul McCartney singing and dancing along as they played "Evil Woman" and "Mr Blue Sky."

ELO was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 alongside Joan Baez, Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Yes, Journey and Nile Rodgers. During the ceremony, Lynne took to the stage to honor Chuck Berry with a performance of "Roll Over Beethoven."

In 2021, ELO celebrated 50 years since Lynne, drummer Bevan and Roy Wood (who exited in 1972) formed the band in Birmingham, England.

In March, the band – known for hits such as "Strange Magic" and "Don't Bring Me Down" – announced its final tour , The Over and Out Tour, would be performing across North America from August through October.