BAM and American Composers Orchestra Will Perform Interactive Performances of Austin Wintory’s Journey LIVE

The American Composers Orchestra, BAM, and Ode to Joy will present an original, interactive live performance featuring Austin Wintory’sGRAMMY®-nominated score for iconic video game Journey on December 6 and 7, 2024 at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House. Never the same each time it is played, Journey LIVE is an interactive parable, marking an unprecedented formal exploration in which live musicians respond to the actions of video game players—in real-time—on stage. 

In the video game Journey, the player controls a robed figure who wakes alone, surrounded by miles of burning, sprawling desert. They discover a looming mountaintop is the goal—but the passage will not be easy. Other players on the same journey can be discovered, and two players can meet and assist each other, but the only form of communication is a musical chime, which transforms dull pieces of cloth to red and allows the player to progress through the levels. 

The music, mirroring the solo quest and composed by Austin Wintory, responds to the player's actions, building a single theme to represent the game's emotional arc. The score for Journey centers around a cello soloist, with a myriad of other instruments and sounds that represent the world around the player. The music responds dynamically to player actions, creating a seamless original musical score each time the game is played. This breathtaking synergy between score and action made Journey the first ever video game soundtrack to earn a GRAMMY® nomination in 2012, along with two British Academy Awards.

Journey LIVE takes the game’s solo experience one step further. In the game, it’s impossible not to feel unexpectedly connected to the anonymous travelers players meet as they play–other players are playing at the same time on the network and enter the screen anonymously. Journey allows you to then interact with those players. The live experience is a new sense of connection writ large that seeks to answer the question: What will it feel like to share this experience live with a 21-musician ensemble, plus solo cello and solo soprano responding in real-time to the actions of an onstage player?

As pre-selected audience members take the stage to explore and interact with those playing online, American Composers Orchestra, conducted by Austin Wintory, reacts in real-time to the on-screen action with gorgeous live orchestrations, mirroring the experience of the in-game score.

In addition, American actor and singer Anthony Rapp, best known for his Broadway leading roles in "Rent" and "If/Then" and more recently on screen in "Star Trek: Discovery" (CBS All Access, 2017) will be a featured player.

Fans and avid players of the game can submit themselves for consideration to play live in front of the audience. Using the form at this link, the general public is invited to share their relationship with Journey for a chance to be chosen to play on December 6th or 7th. 

BAM will also be featuring Journey-inspired fan art on their social media pages. Fans will be able to upload recent artwork for a chance to be featured. Each submission will also be entered into a raffle to win a pair of tickets to Journey LIVE. Fans are encouraged to submit their original Journey art here.

To post a comment, you must register and login.