116-396: Video Game Orchestra (VGO) is a Boston -based project that performs its own "rockestral" arrangements of video game music with a rock band, vocals, and orchestra. The project was created by Shota Nakama, a Boston-based producer from Okinawa, Japan. Comparative to the other existing major video game concert acts, which mostly focus on the pure orchestral performances, the rock band element is
232-731: A March 10, 2012, Concert. After Nakama appeared as a special guest during a concert in Pittsburgh on February 25, VGO was personally selected by conductor Arnie Roth as the orchestra to perform the world touring Distant Worlds program on their tour stop in Boston, officially sanctioned by Square Enix and based on the legendary Final Fantasy video game franchise. The concert was held on March 10 in Boston Symphony Hall , and gained high praise and sold out within mere days of tickets being put on sale. After several convention shows,
348-490: A cannon barrage for two hours, but their shot could not reach the colonists' cannons at such a height. The British gave up, boarded their ships, and sailed away. This has become known as " Evacuation Day ", which Boston still celebrates each year on March 17. After this, Washington was so impressed that he made Rufus Putnam his chief engineer. After the Revolution, Boston's long seafaring tradition helped make it one of
464-704: A distinctly Japanese quality." He has been named one of the "Innovators" in Time 's "Time 100: The Next Wave — Music" feature. He has also been called the " John Williams of the video game world" and been credited for "increasing the appreciation and awareness" of video game music. Many of Uematsu's musical influences come from the United Kingdom and the United States. He cites Elton John as his biggest musical influence, and he has stated that he wanted to be like him. Other major inspirations include
580-412: A few tracks for Cruise Chaser Blassty . He met game designer Hironobu Sakaguchi shortly after, who asked him if he wanted to create music for some of his games, to which Uematsu agreed. For the next year, he created music for a number of games which did not achieve widespread success, such as King's Knight , 3-D WorldRunner , and Rad Racer . In 1987, Uematsu and Sakaguchi collaborated on what
696-475: A hiatus in order to recover from work fatigue, which led to him being hospitalized. He composed the main theme for 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake , "Hollow". Sakaguchi said that Uematsu's work on 2021's Fantasian could be his last major game score due to health issues. In a video posted to the Fantasian Twitter account on October 15, 2024, Uematsu announced that this was his last project as
812-457: A million residents, and the most densely populated state capital. Some 1.2 million persons may be within Boston's boundaries during work hours, and as many as 2 million during special events. This fluctuation of people is caused by hundreds of thousands of suburban residents who travel to the city for work, education, health care, and special events. Nobuo Uematsu Nobuo Uematsu ( 植松 伸夫 , Uematsu Nobuo , born March 21, 1959)
928-496: A music rental shop in Tokyo , a Square employee asked if he would be interested in creating music for some of the titles they were working on. Although he agreed, Uematsu at the time considered it a side job, and he did not think it would become a full-time career. He said it was a way to make some money on the side, while also keeping his part-time job at the music rental shop. Uematsu joined Square in 1986, with his first work being
1044-516: A new concert was announced in August titled ~Live At Symphony Hall~, and would see VGO return to Boston Symphony Hall after their success with Distant Worlds. Uniquely, a Kickstarter campaign was launched at the same time as the concert was announced in order to fund an official live recording album, to be released in Spring of 2013. Setting the goal amount at $ 30,000, the campaign would in the end go past
1160-475: A pair of bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon , killing three people and injuring roughly 264. The subsequent search for the bombers led to a lock-down of Boston and surrounding municipalities. The region showed solidarity during this time as symbolized by the slogan Boston Strong . In 2016, Boston briefly shouldered a bid as the U.S. applicant for the 2024 Summer Olympics . The bid
1276-610: A population of 4.9 million as of 2023, making it the largest in New England and the eleventh-largest in the country . Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers. The city was named after Boston, Lincolnshire , England. During the American Revolution , Boston was home to several events that proved central to the revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War , including
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#17328010380751392-565: A project to improve the historic West End neighborhood. Extensive demolition was met with strong public opposition, and thousands of families were displaced. The BRA continued implementing eminent domain projects, including the clearance of the vibrant Scollay Square area for construction of the modernist style Government Center . In 1965, the Columbia Point Health Center opened in the Dorchester neighborhood,
1508-782: A record 400,000 copies and was the first song from a video game to win an award at the Japan Gold Disc Awards , where it won "Song of the Year (International)" in 2000. Uematsu said that he gets more inspiration from walking his dog than from listening to other music. Uematsu resides in Tokyo with his wife, Reiko, whom he met during college. They have a summer cabin in Yamanakako, Yamanashi . In his spare time, he enjoys watching professional wrestling , drinking beer, and bicycling. Uematsu has said he originally wanted to become
1624-459: A rock band that focused on reinterpreting and expanding on Uematsu's compositions. He declined their offer at first because he was too busy with work; however, after agreeing to perform with Fukui and Sekito in a live performance as a keyboardist, he decided to join them in making a band. Another employee at Square, Mr. Matsushita, chose the name The Black Mages for their band. In 2003, Keiji Kawamori , Arata Hanyuda, and Michio Okamiya also joined
1740-478: A state of defence, that I could promise myself little success in attacking them under all the disadvantages I had to encounter. William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe , in a letter to William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth , about the British army's decision to leave Boston, dated March 21, 1776. Many crucial events of the American Revolution occurred in or near Boston. The then-town's mob presence, along with
1856-614: A surprise appearance on One Winged Angel during the encore, marking one of the first times the famous composer has performed alongside a video game cover band. During 2011, VGO reached another milestone by performing at the Boston Symphony Hall which marked the first time that video game music was featured as a main draw in the venue. The show was titled Back to the Future ~Rockestral Renditions of Timeless Video Game and Film Music~ and sold out all tickets within only days, and
1972-532: A video game composer. This was later clarified on his Twitter account that he was not retiring from video game music entirely, but rather scaling back his involvement. He explained that while he would no longer take on full game soundtracks due to the time commitment, he would still be open to composing individual pieces, such as theme songs. Uematsu's video game compositions have been performed in numerous concerts, and various Final Fantasy concerts have also been held. Outside Japan, Uematsu's Final Fantasy music
2088-401: A violent tornado , the city itself has experienced many tornado warnings . Damaging storms are more common to areas north, west, and northwest of the city. See or edit raw graph data . In 2020, Boston was estimated to have 691,531 residents living in 266,724 households —a 12% population increase over 2010. The city is the third-most densely populated large U.S. city of over half
2204-505: Is 2 °F (−17 °C) on December 30, 1917, while the record warm daily minimum is 83 °F (28 °C) on both August 2, 1975 and July 21, 2019. Boston averages 43.6 in (1,110 mm) of precipitation a year, with 49.2 in (125 cm) of snowfall per season. Most snowfall occurs from mid-November through early April, and snow is rare in May and October. There is also high year-to-year variability in snowfall; for instance,
2320-508: Is July, with a mean temperature of 74.1 °F (23.4 °C). The coldest month is January, with a mean temperature of 29.9 °F (−1.2 °C). Periods exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) in summer and below freezing in winter are not uncommon but tend to be fairly short, with about 13 and 25 days per year seeing each, respectively. Sub- 0 °F (−18 °C) readings usually occur every 3 to 5 years. The most recent sub- 0 °F (−18 °C) reading occurred on February 4, 2023, when
2436-523: Is a Japanese composer and keyboardist best known for his contributions to the Final Fantasy video game series by Square Enix . A self-taught musician, he began playing the piano at the age of twelve, with English singer-songwriter Elton John as one of his biggest influences in pursuing a musical career. Uematsu joined Square in 1986, where he first met Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi . The two later worked together on many games at
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#17328010380752552-547: Is an intellectual, technological, and political center. However, it has lost some important regional institutions, including the loss to mergers and acquisitions of local financial institutions such as FleetBoston Financial , which was acquired by Charlotte -based Bank of America in 2004. Boston-based department stores Jordan Marsh and Filene's have both merged into the New York City –based Macy's . The 1993 acquisition of The Boston Globe by The New York Times
2668-588: Is in Roxbury . Due north of the center we find the South End. This is not to be confused with South Boston which lies directly east from the South End. North of South Boston is East Boston and southwest of East Boston is the North End Unknown, A local colloquialism Boston has an area of 89.63 sq mi (232.1 km ). Of this area, 48.4 sq mi (125.4 km ), or 54%, of it
2784-410: Is land and 41.2 sq mi (106.7 km ), or 46%, of it is water. The city's elevation, as measured at Logan International Airport , is 19 ft (5.8 m) above sea level . The highest point in Boston is Bellevue Hill at 330 ft (100 m) above sea level, and the lowest point is at sea level. The city is adjacent to Boston Harbor , an arm of Massachusetts Bay , and by extension,
2900-804: Is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States . The city serves as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the Northeastern United States . It has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km ) and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census , making it the third-largest city in the Northeast after New York City and Philadelphia . The larger Greater Boston metropolitan statistical area has
3016-568: Is usually accompanied by a string section or orchestra. Regular members performers of the orchestra include; During international shows, VGO frequently features local talents as special guests and ensembles for the performances. For instance the Kumamoto Orchestra during their Capcom Live show at Kyushu and a local China Jazz horn section during ChinaJoy. VGO's concert on March 5 at the Berklee Performance Center
3132-585: The Boston Garden opening in 1928. Logan International Airport opened on September 8, 1923. Boston went into decline by the early to mid-20th century, as factories became old and obsolete and businesses moved out of the region for cheaper labor elsewhere. Boston responded by initiating various urban renewal projects, under the direction of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) established in 1957. In 1958, BRA initiated
3248-724: The Boston Massacre (1770), the Boston Tea Party (1773), Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (1775), the Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), and the Siege of Boston (1775–1776). Following American independence from Great Britain , the city continued to play an important role as a port, manufacturing hub, and center for education and culture. The city also expanded significantly beyond the original peninsula by filling in land and annexing neighboring towns. Boston's many firsts include
3364-625: The Boston Public Library , Trinity Church, single-family homes and wooden/brick multi-family row houses. The South End Historic District is the largest surviving contiguous Victorian-era neighborhood in the US. The geography of downtown and South Boston was particularly affected by the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (which ran from 1991 to 2007, and was known unofficially as the " Big Dig "). That project removed
3480-639: The Final Fantasy series and was conducted by Arnie Roth. Uematsu and several of his fellow composers were in attendance at the world premiere of Play! A Video Game Symphony in Chicago in May 2006; he composed the opening fanfare for the concert. The style of Uematsu's compositions is diverse, ranging from stately classical symphonic pieces and heavy metal to new-age and hyper-percussive techno - electronica . For example, in Lost Odyssey ,
3596-537: The North End , and the Seaport . Boston is sometimes called a "city of neighborhoods" because of the profusion of diverse subsections. The city government's Office of Neighborhood Services has officially designated 23 neighborhoods: More than two-thirds of inner Boston's modern land area did not exist when the city was founded. Instead, it was created via the gradual filling in of the surrounding tidal areas over
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3712-652: The South End , the West End , the Financial District , and Chinatown . After the Great Boston fire of 1872 , workers used building rubble as landfill along the downtown waterfront. During the mid-to-late 19th century, workers filled almost 600 acres (240 ha) of brackish Charles River marshlands west of Boston Common with gravel brought by rail from the hills of Needham Heights. The city annexed
3828-693: The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California, and was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale . It was conducted by Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra director Miguel Harth-Bedoya . Due to a positive reception, a concert series for North America followed. On May 16, 2005, a follow-up concert called More Friends: Music from Final Fantasy
3944-412: The 1970s, the city's economy had begun to recover after 30 years of economic downturn. A large number of high-rises were constructed in the Financial District and in Boston's Back Bay during this period. This boom continued into the mid-1980s and resumed after a few pauses. Hospitals such as Massachusetts General Hospital , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , and Brigham and Women's Hospital lead
4060-457: The 19th century, Boston's core neighborhoods had become enclaves of ethnically distinct immigrants with their residence yielding lasting cultural change. Italians became the largest inhabitants of the North End , Irish dominated South Boston and Charlestown , and Russian Jews lived in the West End . Irish and Italian immigrants brought with them Roman Catholicism. Currently, Catholics make up Boston's largest religious community, and
4176-643: The 20th century: Horticultural Hall , the Tennis and Racquet Club , Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum , Fenway Studios , Jordan Hall , and the Boston Opera House . The Longfellow Bridge , built in 1906, was mentioned by Robert McCloskey in Make Way for Ducklings , describing its "salt and pepper shakers" feature. Fenway Park , home of the Boston Red Sox , opened in 1912, with
4292-598: The Atlantic Ocean. Boston is surrounded by the Greater Boston metropolitan region. It is bordered to the east by the town of Winthrop and the Boston Harbor Islands , to the northeast by the cities of Revere , Chelsea and Everett , to the north by the cities of Somerville and Cambridge , to the northwest by Watertown , to the west by the city of Newton and town of Brookline , to
4408-539: The Beatles , Emerson, Lake & Palmer , Simon & Garfunkel , and progressive rock bands. In the classical genre, he cites Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as a great influence. Uematsu has said that 1970s bands, such as Pink Floyd and King Crimson , influenced his Final Fantasy compositions. The lyrics for the piece "One-Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy VII were taken from the medieval poetry on which Carl Orff based his cantata Carmina Burana , specifically
4524-577: The English town ultimately derives from its patron saint, St. Botolph , in whose church John Cotton served as the rector until his emigration with Johnson. In early sources, Lincolnshire's Boston was known as "St. Botolph's town", later contracted to "Boston". Before this renaming, the settlement on the peninsula had been known as "Shawmut" by William Blaxton and "Tremontaine" by the Puritan settlers he had invited. Prior to European colonization ,
4640-512: The Irish have played a major role in Boston politics since the early 20th century; prominent figures include the Kennedys , Tip O'Neill , and John F. Fitzgerald . Between 1631 and 1890, the city tripled its area through land reclamation by filling in marshes, mud flats, and gaps between wharves along the waterfront. Reclamation projects in the middle of the century created significant parts of
4756-579: The John Hancock Tower is the old John Hancock Building with its prominent illuminated beacon , the color of which forecasts the weather. Downtown and its immediate surroundings (including the Financial District, Government Center, and South Boston ) consist largely of low-rise masonry buildings – often federal style and Greek revival – interspersed with modern high-rises. Back Bay includes many prominent landmarks, such as
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4872-735: The Renew Boston Whole Building Incentive which reduces the cost of living in buildings that are deemed energy efficient. Under the Köppen climate classification , Boston has either a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa ) under the 0 °C (32.0 °F) isotherm or a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ) under the −3 °C (26.6 °F) isotherm. Summers are warm to hot and humid, while winters are cold and stormy, with occasional periods of heavy snow. Spring and fall are usually cool and mild, with varying conditions dependent on wind direction and
4988-498: The United States' first public park ( Boston Common , 1634), the first public school ( Boston Latin School , 1635), and the first subway system ( Tremont Street subway , 1897). Boston has emerged as a global leader in higher education and research and the largest biotechnology hub in the world. The city is also a national leader in scientific research, law, medicine, engineering, and business. With nearly 5,000 startup companies,
5104-621: The VGO decided to return to their full orchestra size for their big show in their home town of Boston. The concert entitled ~Awakening~ was held at the Berklee Performance Center and took place on December 5, 2009. ~Awakening~ featured an accomplished film/game composer, Wataru Hokoyama . During PAX East 2010 at Hynes Convention Center in March 2010, VGO was featured as one of seven musical guests, performing alongside more visible and tenured performers such as Jonathan Coulton and The Protomen . Starting
5220-471: The Western Hemisphere. The first European to live in what would become Boston was a Cambridge -educated Anglican cleric named William Blaxton . He was the person most directly responsible for the foundation of Boston by Puritan colonists in 1630. This occurred after Blaxton invited one of their leaders, Isaac Johnson , to cross Back Bay from the failing colony of Charlestown and share
5336-615: The act as an attempt to force them to accept the taxes established by the Townshend Acts . The act prompted the Boston Tea Party , where a group of angered Bostonians threw an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company into Boston Harbor . The Boston Tea Party was a key event leading up to the revolution, as the British government responded furiously with the Coercive Acts , demanding compensation for
5452-535: The adjacent towns of South Boston (1804), East Boston (1836), Roxbury (1868), Dorchester (including present-day Mattapan and a portion of South Boston ) (1870), Brighton (including present-day Allston ) (1874), West Roxbury (including present-day Jamaica Plain and Roslindale ) (1874), Charlestown (1874), and Hyde Park (1912). Other proposals were unsuccessful for the annexation of Brookline , Cambridge, and Chelsea . Many architecturally significant buildings were built during these early years of
5568-508: The angry colonists. This did not sit well with the colonists, however. In 1770, during the Boston Massacre , British troops shot into a crowd that had started to violently harass them. The colonists compelled the British to withdraw their troops. The event was widely publicized and fueled a revolutionary movement in America. In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act . Many of the colonists saw
5684-426: The area. Nevertheless, the city experienced conflict starting in 1974 over desegregation busing , which resulted in unrest and violence around public schools throughout the mid-1970s. Boston has also experienced gentrification in the latter half of the 20th century, with housing prices increasing sharply since the 1990s when the city's rent control regime was struck down by statewide ballot proposition . Boston
5800-412: The band. The Black Mages released three studio albums and performed at several concerts. Uematsu left Square Enix in 2004 and formed his own production company, Smile Please. He later founded the music production company and record label Dog Ear Records in 2006. The reason for Uematsu's departure was that the company moved their office from Meguro to Shinjuku, Tokyo and he was not comfortable with
5916-531: The cancelled game Cry On . Uematsu created the main theme for Super Smash Bros. Brawl in 2008. He then composed the music for the 2009 anime Guin Saga ; this marked the first time he provided a full score for an animated series. Uematsu has contributed music and story to e-books , such as "Blik-0 1946". Uematsu appeared five times in the top 20 of the annual Classic FM Hall of Fame . In 2012, " Aerith's Theme ", written by Uematsu for Final Fantasy VII ,
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#17328010380756032-605: The centuries. This was accomplished using earth from the leveling or lowering of Boston's three original hills (the "Trimountain", after which Tremont Street is named), as well as with gravel brought by train from Needham to fill the Back Bay . Christian Science Center , Copley Square , Newbury Street , and New England's two tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center . Near
6148-460: The city government. A climate action plan from 2019 anticipates 2 ft (1 m) to more than 7 ft (2 m) of sea-level rise in Boston by the end of the 21st century. Many older buildings in certain areas of Boston are supported by wooden piles driven into the area's fill; these piles remain sound if submerged in water, but are subject to dry rot if exposed to air for long periods. Groundwater levels have been dropping in many areas of
6264-403: The city is considered a global pioneer in innovation and entrepreneurship , and more recently in artificial intelligence . Boston's economy also includes finance , professional and business services, information technology , and government activities. Boston households provide the highest average rate of philanthropy in the nation, and the city's businesses and institutions rank among
6380-464: The city often receives sea breezes , especially in the late spring, when water temperatures are still quite cold and temperatures at the coast can be more than 20 °F (11 °C) colder than a few miles inland, sometimes dropping by that amount near midday. Thunderstorms typically occur from May to September; occasionally, they can become severe, with large hail , damaging winds, and heavy downpours. Although downtown Boston has never been struck by
6496-443: The city's economy, and the city's industrial manufacturing overtook international trade in economic importance by the mid-19th century. The small rivers bordering the city and connecting it to the surrounding region facilitated shipment of goods and led to a proliferation of mills and factories. Later, a dense network of railroads furthered the region's industry and commerce. During this period, Boston flourished culturally as well. It
6612-414: The city, due in part to an increase in the amount of rainwater discharged directly into sewers rather than absorbed by the ground. The Boston Groundwater Trust coordinates monitoring groundwater levels throughout the city via a network of public and private monitoring wells. The city developed a climate action plan covering carbon reduction in buildings, transportation, and energy use. The first such plan
6728-594: The colonists' growing lack of faith in either Britain or its Parliament , fostered a revolutionary spirit there. When the British parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765, a Boston mob ravaged the homes of Andrew Oliver , the official tasked with enforcing the Act, and Thomas Hutchinson , then the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. The British sent two regiments to Boston in 1768 in an attempt to quell
6844-474: The commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America, led the British army in the siege. On June 17, the British captured Charlestown (now part of Boston) during the Battle of Bunker Hill . The British army outnumbered the militia stationed there, but it was a pyrrhic victory for the British because their army suffered irreplaceable casualties. It was also a testament to the skill and training of
6960-643: The company, most notably in the Final Fantasy series. After nearly two decades with Square, Uematsu left in 2004 to create his own production company and music label, Dog Ear Records . He has since composed music as a freelancer for other games, including ones developed by Square Enix and Sakaguchi's studio Mistwalker . Many soundtracks and arranged albums of Uematsu's game scores have been released. Pieces from his video game works have been performed in various Final Fantasy concerts , where he has worked with conductor Arnie Roth and Game Concerts producer Thomas Böcker on several of these performances. Uematsu
7076-399: The core essence of the VGO. Their concerts are presented as a rock show with entertaining audience engagement and improvised solos. Video Game Orchestra was founded by Shota Nakama , a graduate from Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory , in May 2008. VGO became comprised by a group of Boston-based professional musicians, assembled by Shota himself. His own intentions with
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#17328010380757192-475: The creation of Boston baked beans . Boston's economy stagnated in the decades prior to the Revolution. By the mid-18th century, New York City and Philadelphia had surpassed Boston in wealth. During this period, Boston encountered financial difficulties even as other cities in New England grew rapidly. The weather continuing boisterous the next day and night, giving the enemy time to improve their works, to bring up their cannon, and to put themselves in such
7308-664: The destroyed tea from the Bostonians. This angered the colonists further and led to the American Revolutionary War . The war began in the area surrounding Boston with the Battles of Lexington and Concord . Boston itself was besieged for almost a year during the siege of Boston , which began on April 19, 1775. The New England militia impeded the movement of the British Army . Sir William Howe , then
7424-466: The elevated Central Artery and incorporated new green spaces and open areas. Boston is located within the Boston Basin ecoregion , which is characterized by low and rolling hills with a number of ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. Forests are mainly transition hardwoods such as oak - hickory mixed with white pine . As a coastal city built largely on fill , sea-level rise is of major concern to
7540-541: The first Community Health Center in the United States. It mostly served the massive Columbia Point public housing complex adjoining it, which was built in 1953. The health center is still in operation and was rededicated in 1990 as the Geiger-Gibson Community Health Center. The Columbia Point complex itself was redeveloped and revitalized from 1984 to 1990 into a mixed-income residential development called Harbor Point Apartments. By
7656-554: The first time a video game based music act has toured China, and drew over 9,000 attendees. Riding off the success of their performances at Distant Worlds and the many PAXs they've attended, VGO was invited as a special guest for the 11th iteration of MagFest , playing alongside nerdcore stalwarts Brentalfloss and Powerglove . MagFest XI took place in the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center from January 3–6, 2013. VGO developed new acoustic style show
7772-461: The first wave of European immigrants . Irish immigrants dominated the first wave of newcomers during this period, especially following the Great Famine ; by 1850, about 35,000 Irish lived in Boston . In the latter half of the 19th century, the city saw increasing numbers of Irish, Germans , Lebanese , Syrians, French Canadians , and Russian and Polish Jews settling there. By the end of
7888-404: The fortifications and dozens of cannons on Dorchester Heights that Henry Knox had laboriously brought through the snow from Fort Ticonderoga . The astonished British awoke the next morning to see a large array of cannons bearing down on them. General Howe is believed to have said that the Americans had done more in one night than his army could have done in six months. The British Army attempted
8004-473: The group was to deliver something very different and fresh to the world. VGO's debut concert, A Night of Symphonic Video Game Music, was held at Gordon Chapel in Old South Church in Boston on July 2, 2008. The orchestra, or rather a small ensemble of 28 musicians including Shota himself playing the guitar, performed the music from popular titles such as Final Fantasy , Chrono Trigger , Chrono Cross , Legend of Mana , and Metal Gear Solid . Their second concert
8120-406: The main theme for the 2000 animated film Ah! My Goddess: The Movie and co-composed the 2001 anime Final Fantasy: Unlimited with Shirō Hamaguchi . He also inspired the Ten Plants concept albums, and released a solo album in 1994, titled Phantasmagoria . Feeling gradually more dissatisfied and uninspired, Uematsu requested the assistance of composers Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano for
8236-399: The militia, as their stubborn defense made it difficult for the British to capture Charlestown without suffering further irreplaceable casualties. Several weeks later, George Washington took over the militia after the Continental Congress established the Continental Army to unify the revolutionary effort. Both sides faced difficulties and supply shortages in the siege, and the fighting
8352-634: The nation in medical innovation and patient care. Schools such as the Boston Architectural College , Boston College , Boston University , the Harvard Medical School , Tufts University School of Medicine , Northeastern University , Massachusetts College of Art and Design , Wentworth Institute of Technology , Berklee College of Music , the Boston Conservatory , and many others attract students to
8468-572: The nation's busiest ports for both domestic and international trade. Boston's harbor activity was significantly curtailed by the Embargo Act of 1807 (adopted during the Napoleonic Wars ) and the War of 1812 . Foreign trade returned after these hostilities, but Boston's merchants had found alternatives for their capital investments in the meantime. Manufacturing became an important component of
8584-453: The new location. He also stated that he had reached an age where he should gradually take his life into his own hands. He does, however, continue to compose music as a freelancer for Square Enix. In 2005, Uematsu and several members of The Black Mages created the score for the CGI film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children . Uematsu composed only the main theme for Final Fantasy XII (2006); he
8700-504: The notable events in the United States such as Anime Boston and PAX East 2018. During PAX East 2018, Video Games Orchestra collaborated with Final Fantasy XV in performing legendary pieces from the game soundtrack. Later that year, VGO performed in China's biggest gaming event Chinajoy alongside a group of local talented horn section. By this time, Video Games Orchestra has taken the world by storm and has expanded their tour to various parts of
8816-419: The official name from the "Town of Boston" to the "City of Boston", and on March 19, 1822, the people of Boston accepted the charter incorporating the city. At the time Boston was chartered as a city, the population was about 46,226, while the area of the city was only 4.8 sq mi (12 km ). In the 1820s, Boston's population grew rapidly, and the city's ethnic composition changed dramatically with
8932-537: The orchestra. Another world premiere was "Dancing Mad" from Final Fantasy VI , performed by orchestra, choir, and pipe organ. The event in 2007 included "Distant Worlds" from Final Fantasy XI , performed by Japanese opera soprano Izumi Masuda. A series of successful concert performances were held in Japan, including a Final Fantasy concert series titled Tour de Japon . The first stateside concert, Dear Friends – Music from Final Fantasy , took place on May 10, 2004, at
9048-564: The peninsula. The Puritans made the crossing in September 1630. Puritan influence on Boston began even before the settlement was founded with the 1629 Cambridge Agreement . This document created the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was signed by its first governor John Winthrop . Puritan ethics and their focus on education also influenced the early history of the city. America's first public school, Boston Latin School ,
9164-461: The position of the jet stream . Prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore minimize the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. However, in winter, areas near the immediate coast often see more rain than snow, as warm air is sometimes drawn off the Atlantic. The city lies at the border between USDA plant hardiness zones 6b (away from the coastline) and 7a (close to the coastline). The hottest month
9280-423: The proceedings on the first day of concerts, their performance was hailed as the best of the night. Capped with a standing ovation and incessant chants. The show was so successful that PAX East has invited the group back each year since. VGO returned for Anime Boston at Hynes Convention Center on April 2, 2010, this time with its full group unlike the previous year. The convention guest of honor, Nobuo Uematsu , had
9396-402: The projected end sum and raise over $ 37,000. ~Live At Symphony Hall~ was held on October 7. The event was sold out, and in attendance was 4 of Japan's most prolific names in the video game music industry, Kinuyo Yamashita , Yoko Shimomura , Noriyuki Iwadare , and Hitoshi Sakimoto . Each composer was honored by a piece based on their works, including the first time music from the game Grandia
9512-630: The region surrounding present-day Boston was inhabited by the Massachusett people who had small, seasonal communities. When a group of settlers led by John Winthrop arrived in 1630, the Shawmut Peninsula was nearly empty of the Native people, as many had died of European diseases brought by early settlers and traders. Archaeological excavations unearthed one of the oldest fishweirs in New England on Boylston Street , which Native people constructed as early as 7,000 years before European arrival in
9628-536: The rock band. To honor the presence of Yuki Kajiura, they included an Anime song from Tsubasa Chronicle that Kajiura composed in their set list. VGO also had a special appearance at the end of the Music for Video Games workshop at Berklee College of Music. Norihiko Hibino , a composer from the Metal Gear Solid franchise, attended the concert. After a year of experimenting with different performance styles,
9744-408: The score ranges from classical orchestral arrangements to contemporary jazz and techno tracks. Uematsu has stated that he is a big fan of Celtic and Irish music , and some of his work contains elements from these musical styles. Uematsu's Final Fantasy scores vary from upbeat, to dark and angry, to melancholic in nature. For instance, the music of Final Fantasy VIII is dark and gloomy, while
9860-443: The score to Final Fantasy X in 2001. This marked the first time that Uematsu did not compose an entire main-series Final Fantasy soundtrack. For Final Fantasy XI from 2002, he was joined by Naoshi Mizuta , who composed the majority of the soundtrack, and Kumi Tanioka ; Uematsu was responsible for only eleven tracks. In 2002, fellow Square colleagues Kenichiro Fukui and Tsuyoshi Sekito asked Uematsu to join them in forming
9976-508: The series, Final Fantasy Legend II he was assisted by Kenji Ito . In late 1994, Uematsu was asked to finish the soundtrack for Chrono Trigger after Yasunori Mitsuda contracted peptic ulcers . In 1996, he co-composed the soundtrack to Front Mission: Gun Hazard , and created the entire score for Dynami Tracer . He also created music for three of the games in the Hanjuku Hero series. Outside of video games, he has composed
10092-502: The songs "Estuans Interius", " O Fortuna ", "Veni, Veni, Venias" and "Ave Formosissima". In turn, Uematsu has had a major influence on video game music and beyond the video game industry as well. For example, " Liberi Fatali " from Final Fantasy VIII was played during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens during the women's synchronized swimming event. From the same game, " Eyes on Me ", featuring Chinese pop singer Faye Wong , sold
10208-494: The soundtrack to Final Fantasy IX is more carefree and upbeat. His Final Fantasy music has been described as being able to convey the true emotion of a scene; an example is "Aerith's Theme" from Final Fantasy VII . In an interview with the Nichi Bei Times , Uematsu said "I don't really self-consciously compose music for Japan or for the world, but I do think there is something in my more melancholy pieces that has
10324-606: The southwest by the town of Dedham and small portions of Needham and Canton , and to the southeast by the town of Milton , and the city of Quincy . The Charles River separates Boston's Allston-Brighton , Fenway-Kenmore and Back Bay neighborhoods from Watertown and Cambridge, and most of Boston from its own Charlestown neighborhood. The Neponset River forms the boundary between Boston's southern neighborhoods and Quincy and Milton . The Mystic River separates Charlestown from Chelsea and Everett, and Chelsea Creek and Boston Harbor separate East Boston from Downtown ,
10440-509: The temperature dipped down to −10 °F (−23 °C); this was the lowest temperature reading in the city since 1957. In addition, several decades may pass between 100 °F (38 °C) readings; the last such reading occurred on July 24, 2022. The city's average window for freezing temperatures is November 9 through April 5. Official temperature records have ranged from −18 °F (−28 °C) on February 9, 1934, up to 104 °F (40 °C) on July 4, 1911. The record cold daily maximum
10556-612: The top in the nation for environmental sustainability and new investment. Isaac Johnson , in one of his last official acts as the leader of the Charlestown community before he died on September 30, 1630, named the then-new settlement across the river "Boston". The settlement's name came from Johnson's hometown of Boston, Lincolnshire , from which he, his wife (namesake of the Arbella ) and John Cotton (grandfather of Cotton Mather ) had emigrated to New England . The name of
10672-467: The winter of 2011–12 saw only 9.3 in (23.6 cm) of accumulating snow, but the previous winter, the corresponding figure was 81.0 in (2.06 m). The city's coastal location on the North Atlantic makes the city very prone to nor'easters , which can produce large amounts of snow and rain. Fog is fairly common, particularly in spring and early summer. Due to its coastal location,
10788-608: The world in events such as Brasil Game Show held at São Paulo , Thailand Game Show at Bangkok and Level Up KL in Kuala Lumpur. Due to the pandemic COVID-19 which struck the world, Video Games Orchestra has taken the first step and performed their first ever show online performing directly to fans all over the world. The most notable work of Video Games Orchestra has been their ~Live At Symphony Hall~ which would see VGO return to Boston Symphony Hall after their success with Distant Worlds. The show held at Boston Symphony Hall, which
10904-488: The world. On May 7, 2009, Independent Game Conference hosted VGO as its closing event and was held at Fenway Center in Boston. This concert featured the VGO chamber group outfit for the first time in a very intimate acoustic setting. The group was asked to perform at Anime Boston as the opening act for the main musical guest, Kalafina and Yuki Kajiura . The concert was held at Hynes Convention Center Auditorium on May 23, 2009. VGO featured its chamber group along with
11020-736: Was admired for its rarefied literary life and generous artistic patronage . Members of old Boston families—eventually dubbed the Boston Brahmins —came to be regarded as the nation's social and cultural elites. They are often associated with the American upper class , Harvard University , and the Episcopal Church . Boston was a prominent port of the Atlantic slave trade in the New England Colonies , but
11136-643: Was also the keyboardist in The Black Mages in the 2000s, which played various hard rock versions of his Final Fantasy compositions. He has since performed with the Earthbound Papas , which he formed as the successor to The Black Mages in 2011. Uematsu has made several listings in Britain's Classic FM Hall of Fame , with the station referring to him as the Beethoven of game music. Uematsu
11252-557: Was attended by music industry legends such as Alan Silvestri and Howard Shore. The show was a monumental success, and gained VGO nationwide coverage and high praise from the music communities. The group spent the rest of the year touring conventions and video game festivals, including making their first appearance at PAX Prime in Seattle on January 13, 2011. Announced in November 2011, VGO was selected to perform for Distant Worlds for
11368-458: Was born in Kōchi, Kōchi , Japan. A self-taught musician, he began to play the piano when he was twelve years old, and did not take any formal piano lessons. He has an older sister who also played the piano. After graduating from Kanagawa University with a degree in English, Uematsu played the keyboard in several amateur bands and composed music for television commercials. When Uematsu was working at
11484-549: Was commissioned in 2007, with updates released in 2011, 2014, and 2019. This plan includes the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance, which requires the city's larger buildings to disclose their yearly energy and water use statistics and to partake in an energy assessment every five years. A separate initiative, Resilient Boston Harbor, lays out neighborhood-specific recommendations for coastal resilience . In 2013, Mayor Thomas Menino introduced
11600-480: Was created uniquely for U-CON, held at the UCONN Student Union on February 16, featuring all new arrangements of many of their most popular songs from their repertoire. In March 2013, VGO once again headlined PAX East. On June 12 at E3, Square Enix, Video Game Orchestra and Masashi Hamauzu jointly announced their partnership for the game Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII . VGO producer Shota Nakama
11716-468: Was founded in Boston in 1635. Boston was the largest town in the Thirteen Colonies until Philadelphia outgrew it in the mid-18th century. Boston's oceanfront location made it a lively port , and the then-town primarily engaged in shipping and fishing during its colonial days. Boston was a primary stop on a Caribbean trade route and imported large amounts of molasses, which led to
11832-490: Was held at Church of the Covenant of Boston on November 2, 2008, which also saw the addition of a full rock band and choir. Video Games Orchestra comprises a group of musicians, both young and established talents from local communities, as well as talents from around the world. Featuring a rock band consisting of drums, two guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion, violin soloist and one/two vocalist led by Shota Nakama. The band
11948-433: Was limited to small-scale raids and skirmishes. The narrow Boston Neck, which at that time was only about a hundred feet wide, impeded Washington's ability to invade Boston, and a long stalemate ensued. A young officer, Rufus Putnam , came up with a plan to make portable fortifications out of wood that could be erected on the frozen ground under cover of darkness. Putnam supervised this effort, which successfully installed both
12064-636: Was originally offered the job of creating the full score, but Hitoshi Sakimoto was eventually assigned as the main composer instead. Uematsu was also initially going to create the theme song for Final Fantasy XIII (2010). However, after being assigned the task of creating the entire score of Final Fantasy XIV , Uematsu decided to hand the job over to Hamauzu. Uematsu also works closely with Sakaguchi's development studio Mistwalker , and has composed for Blue Dragon (2006), Lost Odyssey (2007), Away: Shuffle Dungeon (2008); The Last Story (2011); and Terra Battle (2014). He also wrote music for
12180-457: Was originally to be Sakaguchi's last contribution for Square, Final Fantasy . Final Fantasy 's popularity sparked Uematsu's career in video game music, and he would go on to compose music for over 30 titles, most prominently the subsequent games in the Final Fantasy series. He scored the first installment in the SaGa series, The Final Fantasy Legend , in 1989. For the second game in
12296-543: Was performed in Los Angeles at the Gibson Amphitheatre ; the concert was conducted by Arnie Roth . Uematsu's Final Fantasy music was presented in the concert Voices – Music from Final Fantasy , which took place on February 18, 2006, at the Pacifico Yokohama convention center. Star guests included Emiko Shiratori , Rikki , Izumi Masuda, and Angela Aki . The concert focused on the songs from
12412-531: Was performed live by an orchestra outside Japan. The concert saw a large amount of international media and attention, including being featured on the Japanese television network NHK for their El Mundo program, as well as a large interview in Asahi Shimbun . Building on their success from ~Live At Symphony Hall~, VGO embarked on their first international tour, doing a 4 show tour in China. The tour marked
12528-555: Was performed live for the first time at the first event of the 2003 Symphonic Game Music Concert in Leipzig , Germany. Other events of the Symphonic Game Music Concerts featuring Final Fantasy music were held in 2004, 2006, and 2007. The concert in 2004 featured a world premiere of Those Who Fight from Final Fantasy VII . Japanese pianist Seiji Honda was invited to perform the arrangement together with
12644-515: Was quickly sold out, featured music from famous games the most notable being Chrono Trigger and God of War amongst other noteworthy titles. The concert saw a large amount of international media and attention, including being featured on the Japanese television network NHK for their El Mundo program, as well as a large interview in Asahi Shimbun. At the same time, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to fund an official live recording album, which
12760-566: Was released in Spring of 2013. Setting the goal amount at $ 30,000, the campaign would in the end go past the projected end sum and raise over $ 37,000. The music of Video Games Orchestra Live at Symphony Hall can be found on Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music among other streaming services and sites Video Games Orchestra frequently interacts with fans all over the world and makes announcements on their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. VGO's VGOonline YouTube Channel has been active from 2012 with videos of their live shows. Boston Boston
12876-614: Was reversed in 2013 when it was resold to Boston businessman John W. Henry . In 2016, it was announced General Electric would be moving its corporate headquarters from Connecticut to the Seaport District in Boston, joining many other companies in this rapidly developing neighborhood. The city also saw the completion of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, known as the Big Dig , in 2007 after many delays and cost overruns. On April 15, 2013, two Chechen Islamist brothers detonated
12992-469: Was sold out and became a landmark for Berklee College of Music by being the first concert of its kind that the school participated in. In attendance were four of America's most prolific video game composers, Jack Wall, Gerard Marino, Duncan Watt, and Keith Zizza with Wall conducting his own compositions with the VGO. It received heavy promotion and the orchestra was featured on NECN News, Boston Globe, and numerous other papers, radio stations, and websites around
13108-535: Was soon overtaken by Salem, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island . Boston eventually became a center of the American abolitionist movement . The city reacted largely negatively to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 , contributing to President Franklin Pierce 's attempt to make an example of Boston after Anthony Burns 's attempt to escape to freedom. In 1822, the citizens of Boston voted to change
13224-543: Was supported by the mayor and a coalition of business leaders and local philanthropists, but was eventually dropped due to public opposition. The USOC then selected Los Angeles to be the American candidate with Los Angeles ultimately securing the right to host the 2028 Summer Olympics . Nevertheless, Boston is one of eleven U.S. cities which will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup , with games taking place at Gillette Stadium . The geographical center of Boston
13340-492: Was tasked to orchestrate Hamauzu's compositions for the game, and the orchestrated performances were recorded in VGO's studios in Boston, MA. In 2016, Video Games Orchestra performed the official Capcom live starting with Oita to Kumamoto then Fukuoka ending in Okinawa. Following that, the group by a local interviewed by a local TV programme which was broadcast all over Japan. During this year, Video Games Orchestra performed at
13456-661: Was voted into the number 16 position in the annual Classic FM (UK) "Hall of Fame" top 300 chart. This was accompanied by " Dancing Mad " and " To Zanarkand ". It was the first time that a piece of music written for a video game had appeared in the chart. In 2013, music from the Final Fantasy series received even greater support and was voted into the third position on the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Uematsu and his Final Fantasy music subsequently appeared at number seven in 2014, number nine in 2015, and number 17 in 2016. In September 2018, Uematsu announced that he would take
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