Genesis: The Winnipeg Video Game Orchestra Brings Gaming Music to Life From the Big Screen to the Console For many of us, hearing a great film score instantly transports us back to the moment we first experienced it on the big screen. Over the past 50 years, that same musical magic has evolved beyond the silver screen and into the world of video games. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } That evolution will be on full display Friday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. when the Winnipeg Video Game Orchestra (WVGO) presents Genesis at Jubilee Place. The concert will celebrate the artistry and nostalgia of gaming music—from the pixelated days of Sonic the Hedgehog and The Legend of Zelda to the sweeping cinematic worlds of Kingdom Hearts and Halo. A Community of Musicians and Gamers The Winnipeg Video Game Orchestra is still a young ensemble, but it’s already making an impression. Founded by director Dan Bjornson, the group began as a small idea that quickly grew into a thriving community. “It was an idea I’ve had for many, many years,” Bjornson said. “A couple of years ago, I discovered that there are groups like this in other cities. There’s a really big one in Montreal, a few in Europe, and I thought there’s no reason why we can’t do that here.” With Winnipeg’s strong music scene, the concept took off. “We have an incredible community of musicians here,” he explained. “Before we knew it, now we’re up to—there’s going to be 50 in the band for this concert… It has exploded beyond my expectations and it’s been so great to experience.” Clarinetist and founding member Amanda Forest was among the first to join. “I was really excited about it,” she recalled. “I had been a fan of video games for some time… It was just a perfect time to really kind of get into something like that and a new ensemble and community of people—and it worked out.” Building a Space for Everyone Inclusivity lies at the heart of WVGO’s philosophy. “It’s all community members,” said Bjornson. “We don’t do any auditions, but there is a certain level of difficulty to the music. I don’t want to have somebody brand new on their instrument jump in and get totally lost and never want to play their instrument again.” Instead, he takes a personal approach: “I have a conversation with people, find out about their experience… I want it to be like—video games are such a unifying medium, and music can be that too. I don’t want to put too many barriers up for folks who are really passionate.” Favorite Soundtracks and Musical Inspiration When asked about their favorite video game music, both musicians had passionate answers. For Forest, Soulcalibur II stands out. “It’s a fighting game series that is a little more unique to many others because you’re not just using your fists,” she said. “It takes place in like sort of late 15th century or so, and you have people fighting with swords, and a lot of the games have sort of an orchestral sound font to support that… Soulcalibur II was a really big one for me.” Bjornsson, on the other hand, credits Nintendo classics and modern indie gems for his inspiration. “Super Mario World is kind of the first one that pops to mind,” he said. “Super Mario RPG… they re-orchestrated all the music and made it sound like I remember it.” He added, “My favorite two newer games are Outer Wilds—an incredible space game—and Undertale, which exploded in popularity. We had some of the music played by a jazz band at my wedding… it’s a beautiful game.” What to Expect at Genesis The Genesis concert will open with local jazz band 8-Bit and the Single Players, led by YouTube creator 8-Bit Music Theory. “He has a huge YouTube channel—half a million subscribers,” said Bjornsson. “I didn’t realize I went to the University of Manitoba with him until afterwards. They’re going to do an opening set for us.” WVGO’s setlist will include music from Sonic 1 and 2, Kingdom Hearts, Halo, Soulcalibur, Kirby, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. “Both bands are gonna come together for a big finale,” teased Bjornsson. “I won’t say what song we’re doing, but we’re gonna do a big finale at the end with both groups.” From Arrangements to Education Finding arrangements for video game music can be a challenge. “You can’t just go into Long & McQuade and buy all this music,” Bjornsson explained. “A lot of these arrangements were done for a group in Montreal, OJD… and we’re also using some of our local talent here.” That includes contributions from Bjornsson’s wife, Meg. “She did one of our arrangements for the last concert and assisted in one for this concert,” he said. “We’re planning on having more composers do some arrangements.” Local composer Kenley Kristofferson is also on their radar. “Oh yes, we’ve talked,” Bjornsson confirmed. “He’s been a good friend for a long time and yeah, he’s on our list of people we’re working with.” As educators, both Forest and Bjornson see video game music as a teaching tool. “I absolutely believe they can be used as wonderful teaching tools,” said Forest. “I think Undertale would be a really wonderful sort of tool to teach leitmotif… Toby Fox uses a lot of leitmotives to connect the characters.” Leveling Up: What’s Next As WVGO continues to grow, the future looks bright. “I want this to be an institution that’s here,” Bjornsson said. “Something that’s unique to us here in Winnipeg… I want people to come back every year and see our concerts.” Forrest added that she’s eager to expand smaller-scale projects too. “We started a very small little wind quintet called the Side Quest Quintet,” she said. “We performed at Comic Con and for Extra Life, which is a video game charity. I want to create more opportunities where we can have small-scale concerts as well.” A Concert for Everyone Ultimately, Bjornsson hopes Genesis will bring together fans of both gaming and classical music. “There are a lot of people out there who have never been to the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,” he said. “Video game music is classical music—Beethoven and Tchaikovsky are not that far off from what we’re doing.” And beyond that? “Times are tough right now,” he reflected. “Video games are a place of escape and comfort… to have people feel those nostalgic feelings again and just have a great time.” The Winnipeg Video Game Orchestra presents Genesis on Friday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Jubilee Place. Tickets are available at wvgo.ca/tickets. More than just a concert, Genesis is a celebration of how music and imagination collide—where nostalgia meets innovation and pixels meet passion. Whether you grew up chasing rings with Sonic, exploring dungeons in Zelda, or saving worlds in Kingdom Hearts, the Winnipeg Video Game Orchestra will bring those memories roaring back to life in full symphonic color. Expect heart-pounding rhythms, soaring melodies, and a shared sense of joy that reminds us why game music has become one of the most dynamic art forms of our time. On November 14 at Jubilee Place, Genesis isn’t just a show—it’s a journey through the soundtrack of a generation.