Indie Symphony II: Concert Program

On behalf of Orchestra Victoria, it’s my absolute pleasure to welcome you to Indie Symphony II at Hamer Hall.

This project has been in development since the success of Indie Symphony in 2023, and we are thrilled to share it with you tonight. Video games have become an integral part of contemporary storytelling, culture, and creativity—and their music is a huge part of that power. This evening, Orchestra Victoria brings to life the sweeping, bold, and beautiful scores from a new selection of independent games, both Australian and international, in a performance that celebrates artistry across media and generations.

We are deeply grateful to our ongoing government supporters—Creative Australia and Creative Victoria—as well as to VicScreen, whose support has been instrumental in bringing this performance to life. I also want to sincerely thank our generous philanthropic community. Your continued belief in the work of Orchestra Victoria is both humbling and vital.

At its core, Indie Symphony II is a celebration of collaboration—between composers, orchestrators, developers, musicians, and visual artists. As Orchestra Victoria is primarily an opera and ballet orchestra, our musicians are deeply experienced in fusing music with storytelling and visual expression. Tonight, those skills come alive in a new context: the vast worlds and emotional landscapes of games like UNDERTALE, Hades II, Darkest Dungeon, ABZÛ, Baldur’s Gate 3, and more.

We are honoured to feature music by extraordinary composers Lena Raine, Jessica Curry, Austin Wintory, Darren Korb, Kevin Penkin, Christopher Larkin, Clark Aboud, Daniel Golding, Stuart Chatwood, Borislav Slavov, Narayana Johnson, and Thomas Brunet. These musical stories have been orchestrated for the concert hall by talented artists including Jessica Wells and Austin Wintory—creating the evocative arrangements you will hear tonight.

A heartfelt thank you to our special guest artists this evening: ARIA Award-winning singer Montaigne, soprano Justine Anderson, the Concordis Chamber Choir, The Vocal Consort, and our guest host, Meena Shamaly. And of course, my deepest thanks to the dedicated company members of Orchestra Victoria for their commitment and creativity in delivering this ambitious concert.
Whether you're a long-time gamer, a music lover, or simply curious, we hope Indie Symphony II transports you, challenges you, and moves you.

Enjoy the performance!

Warmly,
Jacinta Ewers
Chief Executive Officer
Orchestra Victoria

Dear Friends,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Orchestra Victoria's Indie Symphony II—a celebration of creativity, nostalgia, and the electric energy of video game music reimagined for the concert stage. After the overwhelming response to our sold-out Indie Symphony, we are thrilled to return to Hamer Hall with an even more ambitious program, showcasing our love for music born in pixels!

This performance is more than a concert—it's a journey across worlds. From the haunting dungeons of Darkest Dungeon and the neon-tinged serenity of ABZÛ, to the chaotic charm of Untitled Goose Game and the transcendent realms of Baldur’s Gate 3, Indie Symphony II invites you to feel, remember, and rediscover the soundtracks that have defined a generation of gamers and storytellers alike.

What makes this evening particularly special is the extraordinary work of our Australian composers and orchestrators whose fresh interpretations breathe new life into these scores. Their work bridges the digital and the orchestral worlds, forging a vibrant connection between screen and stage. We are joined by over 60 musicians from Orchestra Victoria, the exceptional Concordis Chamber Choir, the Vocal Consort from The Australian Boys Choir, special guest appearances from composers Austin Wintory and Dan Golding, two stunning soloists in ARIA Award-winning artist Montaigne and soprano Justine Anderson, all brought together under the baton of Vanessa Scammell and host Meena Shamaly.

Whether you come as a lifelong gamer or a lover of orchestral music, we hope tonight’s performance allows you to be transported to another world of curiosity and imagination. Thank you for joining us on this epic second chapter!

Jessica Gethin
Artistic Advisor
Orchestra Victoria