Video Game music is coming out of the console and onto the stage on January 24th 2026 – with the full force of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Featuring music from: The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Uncharted, The Last of Us, Fallout 4, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and more, the Philharmonic’s “Beyond the Console” concert is presented by Elle Osili Wood, host of the BAFTA Games Awards and BBC Radio 3s Sound of Gaming. The Orchestra will be conducted by Robert Ames who’s pioneering genre-fluid approach to music collaborations has opened new horizons for instrumental music.
The set-list includes music from Final Fantasy by Nobuo Uematsu, one of the most celebrated composers in the history of video game music, Baldur's Gate 3 – voted for by gaming fans in a poll on the Liverpool Philharmonic social media channels, and music from BAFTA-winning composer of contemporary and classical music and co-founder of renowned games company The Chinese Room, Jessica Curry.
Home to major players in the industry, like Sony PlayStation and Tencent, Liverpool is a major gaming capital of the UK and UK innovation hub, reaching the final of the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards. In honour of this vibrant and imaginative gaming community, Liverpool Philharmonic will also be hosting a pre-concert networking event that brings together representatives of the gaming and music industries including members of the Liverpool Game-Dev Network, and Liverpool John Moore University’s School of Art and Creative Industries which is also sponsoring the networking event.
Elle Osili Wood, TV Presenter and Host said: “Video game scores are some of the most creative and complex music being made today, drawing a new generation of listeners to orchestral music, and captivating longtime fans with their depth and emotion. Designed to lead players through intricately crafted adventures, video game music is powerfully transportive, with each score offering a world waiting to be explored. Heard live, they become something truly magical, whisking audiences away on an incredible, immersive journey that celebrates the beauty and imagination of storytelling through music.”
Marek Smagala from the Liverpool Game-Dev Network said: “Liverpool has a strong games heritage, and the community is thriving once again. Game developers and game fans alike have very strong affection for the music from their favourite games, and it will be really special to have an institution such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performing some of these iconic soundtracks live in concert.”
Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive of Liverpool Philharmonic said: “We’re thrilled to be featuring exceptional composers of music for games in this concert which demonstrates our focus on the future of classical music as much as our history as the UK’s oldest symphony orchestra. As we start to plan our creation of the new Abbey Road of the North recording studio, rehearsal spaces and incubation cluster, our connectivity with other innovators across our UNESCO city of music will be key. I’m delighted to be working with the Liverpool Game-Dev Network and LJMU’s School of Art and Creative Industries to reinforce our city’s wider appreciation of our music and gaming community’s contribution to regional growth and inward investment.”
Liverpool Philharmonic presents one of the most diverse programmes of music in the country and is the anchor institution of Liverpool's music ecosystem. Orchestral music from classical to contemporary, pop, rock, folk and more, alongside pioneering learning and health programmes enables the Philharmonic to provide unique cradle to career pathways to music.
In addition to our core classical repertoire, upcoming orchestral concerts at Liverpool Philharmonic include Bruckner Symphony No.4, Classic FM Hall of Fame, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, A Celebration of the Beach Boys, Beethoven Symphony No.6, The Golden Age of Film Music and Harry Potter Live in Concert.