High Score returns to Classic FM on Saturday 9 November, hosted by Eímear Noone.
Saturdays, 9-10pm. Text 61812, tweet @ClassicFM or email using the forms below.
High Score returns to Classic FM for a fifth series with game scores composer Eímear Noone beginning on Saturday 9 November from 9pm to 10pm.
Described by the Irish Independent as ‘the Irish Queen of Games Music’, Eímear Noone is one of the industry’s most recognised composers. She has written award-winning scores for World of Warcraft and Warlords of Draenor, and has recorded most of the music for Blizzard Games, including Overwatch, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm and Starcraft II.
Each hour-long programme will focus on a different theme, with the first episode exploring the music of Japan, including the first names to achieve legendary status in the video game music industry: Japanese composers Koji Kondo (The Legend of Zelda) and Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy).
Speaking to Classic FM, Noone said: “Video game music is the perfect gateway to the classics for a younger audience, especially since the sonority of the orchestra is already in their hearts and minds.
“It’s also fun to let existing classical music fans in on the zeitgeist of this new form of orchestral pop art, even if they’ve never played a video game in their lives. Classic FM is the perfect home for both audiences.”
Sam Jackson, Classic FM’s managing editor said: “Classic FM has been playing and championing video game music for the past seven years, so it is a real coup for us to sign Eímear Noone as the new host of High Score. Eimear shares our vision to make classical music relevant and accessible to as many people as possible.
“Through her enthusiasm and worldwide popularity, we look forward to welcoming more fans of video game music to Classic FM, while continuing to showcase this exciting genre to our 5.3 million listeners around the UK.”
Eímear Noone presents the final episode of High Score, the UK’s first radio show devoted to video game music.
Last week, the focus was on nostalgic and iconic games of our collective youth. Tonight, by way of contrast, Eímear features the scores she thinks will be thought of as classics in the future, as she surveys the most popular music from video games released in 2019.
Highlights include the strategy game Imperator: Rome; Laurence Chapman’s neo-romantic score for Heaven’s Vault, which brilliantly contrasts with its futuristic science-fiction setting; and the haunting score for A Plague Innocence composed by Oliver Deriviere, which features a selection of period instruments.
Eímear also plays excerpts from Sea of Solitude, Left Alive, Metro Exodus, Driftland: The Magic Revival, Days Gone and Astrologaster, and teases ahead to the new year with a flavour of what to expect in 2020.
