Getting Music on the Stands: Music Library Operations for a Video Game Orchestra

Zeynep Dilli (she/her), Jamin Morden (he/him)

Unlike regular symphonic repertoire, we can’t just buy or rent symphonic arrangements of video game music from publishers. (And often, the original source material is not symphonic to start with.) Rather than how to write an orchestral arrangement, this panel will describe the support and pipeline structure around the path between “I have an idea for an arrangement of the Difficult Level Theme from That 8- Bit Game” to “Our next piece in this concert is the Difficult Level Theme from That 8-Bit Game, arranged by…” We’ll talk about the resources and mentoring available to our arrangers with a variety of backgrounds, and about the review, revision and engraving processes. What devils are in what details, and which ones do we have to root out to produce sheet music that makes for the fewest speed-bumps in the rehearsal season?

Schedule

Getting Music on the Stands: Music Library Operations for a Video Game Orchestra

Sunday, October 23rd, 2022

2:00 pm - 2:45pm ET

Panelists

Zeynep Dilli (she/her)

Zeynep has been a classically-trained musician for most of her life, but discovered VGM only in her 20s and University of Maryland Gamer Symphony Orchestra in her 30s, alas. She joined Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra in the Spring of 2014, their first regular rehearsal season. In January 2016, she created the job description for and was appointed as the first Music Librarian of WMGSO. During late 2021, this position was expanded to a (currently) six-person Library Branch. Besides serving as the branch director, Zeynep sings soprano in WMGSO’s choir, plays piano and recorder in small ensembles, and writes arrangements for the orchestra, choir, and various small ensembles. She streams VGM and an eclectic mix of other music on Twitch as zdmajor7.

Jamin Morden (he/him)

Jamin has served as WMGSO’s Music Director since 2020 (as the Interim until Spring 2022). He is one of the ensemble’s stand-out arrangers; his major works include a symphonic suite inspired by music from UNDERTALE that debuted in Spring 2017, an extensive Theme and Variations on the Final Fantasy Main Theme from Fall 2017, and six pieces on WMGSO’s debut album recorded in 2018. Jamin attended Northwestern University for his undergraduate degree, dual majoring in French horn performance and music education. He completed a master’s degree in French horn performance at Yale University before moving to Maryland to teach elementary instrumental music in Montgomery County Public Schools. Jamin is also involved with Symphony of the Potomac and the Maryland Band Directors’ Band.