CONFERENCE PAPERS

Here, you’ll find all of my video-game music related presentations, conference paper videos, and concert performances. If you have any questions, or would like to collaborate on anything in the future, feel free to contact me.

For video recordings of my own piano performances, visit the “VIDEO” section of this page.

Last updated February 12, 2024

 

“Musical Storytelling: The Interaction of Main themes and Character Themes in Nobuo Uematsu’s SNES Final Fantasy Soundtracks”

Pre-concert talk given at the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra performance, April 22, 2023.

“I want my old PC: Parody, Nostalgia, and Remedated Memories in the Video Games of Homestar Runner”

Music and the Moving Image, 2023, NYU Steinhardt.

“The Musical Lifestream: Thematic Connections in the music to Final Fantasy VII.”

Pre-concert talk for the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra, Nov. 19 2022.

Music Theory Society of New York State (2021) conference paper.
"Identity Crisis: Trauma, Memory Error, Disassociation, and Associative Themes in Nobuo Uematsu's Final Fantasy Soundtracks.” This paper addresses how Uematsu’s “main themes” within his leitmotivic scores help to highlight specific characters’ traumatic backstories.

“Playing with Musical Meaning: Toward a Theory of Ludic Leitmotifs in Role-Playing Games.” (2022 North American Conference on Video Game Music).

“Heroes, Villains, and the God Complex: Understanding Musical Topics in Video Game Soundtracks.”

Pre-concert talk for the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra, April 16 2022

This paper takes a semiotic examination of the opening to Final Fantasy VI as a satirical parody of Strauss' "Thus Spake Zarathustra," discussing its use as musical narrative foreshadowing.

“Endless Rondo, or Variations on a Theme by Phil Connors: Musical Form and Leitmotif in Groundhog Day”

Music and the Moving Image 2021 (virtual conference)

Music and the Moving Image (May 2020) - "Rethinking the Ideé Fixe and Leitmotif in Role-Playing Video Games: A New Method of Interpretation and Analysis.” This paper addresses the leitmotivic qualities of the “Main Theme” in Final Fantasy VI, specifically as it relates to Emperor Gestahl and Terra.

This presentation discusses how Nobuo Uematsu clouds Cloud Strife's musical identity through compositional obfuscation, reflecting his own in-game identity crisis. A short motive embedded within the game's main theme depicts Cloud's leitmotif and leitharmonie within Final Fantasy VII. This leitmotif is mostly heard in other tracks that refer directly to Cloud's past and trauma.

 
 

Concerts and Performances

“Phantom Forest” from Final Fantasy VI

Wario Blast featuring Bomberman: Piano Suite in 7 movements (arr. Anatone

“Forever Rachel” from Final Fantasy VI (arr. Anatone)

“Chocobo Farm/Farm Boy” from Final Fantasy VII (arr. Anatone)

“Crystal Prelude” from Final Fantasy (arr. Anatone)

Prince George’s Community College Video Game Music Livestream Concert (May 1, 2021)

Prince George’s Community College Video Game Music Live(stream) Concert (April 16, 2022) - (Pre-concert talk at 29:00; 88bit and Rosie Samter at 1:12:32; Purpleschala, Diana and Andrew Dunn at 1:48:54; WMGSO ensembles at 2:45:23)

Zelda: Link’s Awakening, “Ballad of the Wind Fish” (arr. Anatone)