The popular video game music website SEMO published the first "Symphonic Fantasies" CD review today:

"Despite the live setting, the album has a top studio quality, given all recordings were approved, edited, and mixed at the WDR Studios and subsequently fine-tuned and mastered at Abbey Road Studios. The album provides a lasting testament to the ambitious creativity of the concert and is a definitive tribute to Square Enix music. [...] Overall Score: 10/10."

The single disc album will be released on September 17, 2010 and is available for pre-order through Amazon.de for 14.95 EUR plus shipping. The MAZ Shop is offering a special deal for people who are living outside of Europe: Shipping is 6 EUR only. The price of the CD is 18.95 EUR.

The concert album "Symphonic Fantasies - music from Square Enix" is going to be released on September 17, 2010 by Decca (Universal Music). This is one week earlier than originally announced. The single disc album is available for pre-order through the Amazon.de shop for 14.95 EUR plus shipping.

The recordings of the concert in Cologne with music from "Kingdom Hearts", "Secret of Mana", "Chrono Trigger", "Chrono Cross" and "Final Fantasy" were supervised and approved by the composers and the arrangers. They were edited and mixed at the WDR Studios and subsequently fine-tuned and mastered at Abbey Road Studios.

The concert album "Symphonic Fantasies - music from Square Enix" is going to be released on September 24, 2010 by Decca (Universal Music). The single disc album is now available for pre-order through the Amazon.de shop for 16.99 EUR plus shipping.

The recordings of the concert in Cologne with music from "Kingdom Hearts", "Secret of Mana", "Chrono Trigger", "Chrono Cross" and "Final Fantasy" were supervised and approved by the composers and the arrangers. They were edited and mixed at the WDR Studios and subsequently fine-tuned and mastered at Abbey Road Studios.

The concert album "Symphonic Fantasies - music from Square Enix" is going to be released in September 2010 by Decca (Universal Music).

The recordings of the concert in Cologne with music from "Kingdom Hearts", "Secret of Mana", "Chrono Trigger", "Chrono Cross" and "Final Fantasy" were supervised and approved by the composers and the arrangers. They were edited and mixed at the WDR Studios and subsequently fine-tuned and mastered at Abbey Road Studios.

The "Symphonic Fantasies" concert was honored by the audience with 20 minutes of frenetic standing ovations. Reflecting its success, WDR Radio Orchestra manager has noted in an interview "What an evening! The atmosphere was indescribable, just magical. After the concert, we received tons of letters and e-mails. The fans demanded a CD with the recording of our concert. I am absolutely excited that Universal Music is going to release the album with the beautiful music now".

The WDR Radio Orchestra will present "Symphonic Legends" on September 23, 2010 at the Philharmonic Hall in Cologne, Germany.

Says orchestra manager Winfried Fechner: "The concert will be directed by Swedish conductor Niklas Willén who is the new chief conductor of the WDR Radio Orchestra. It will be his first concert featuring video game music, and it is going to be a special treat, because Niklas Willén is a sound wizard and at the same time he is one of the biggest fans of video game music! The young pianist Benyamin Nuss will join us again, and of course percussionist Rony Barrak who has been with us since the very first concert in 2008. Additionally we invited the State Choir Latvija from Riga".

Remaining tickets for "Symphonic Legends" are available at www.koelnticket.de (search for: symphonic legends).

"We plan to make video game music an integral part of our performances". Says Winfried Fechner, manager of the WDR Radio Orchestra. The ensemble hopes to continuing performing two video game concerts per season in subsequent years.

Remaining tickets for "Symphonic Legends" on September 23, 2010 are available at KoelnTicket.de (search for: symphonic legends).
Details about the concert program will be revealed soon at the official website (www.symphoniclegends.com).

One month after the start of ticket sales for "Symphonic Legends", 75 percent of the available tickets are already sold. On September 23, 2010 (Thursday), the WDR Radio Orchestra will present the new video game music concert at the Philharmonic Hall in Cologne, Germany.

Remaining tickets for "Symphonic Legends" are available for 16 Euro to 29 Euro at KoelnTicket.de (search for: symphonic legends).
First details about the concert will be revealed in February.

The WDR Radio Orchestra will present "Symphonic Legends" on September 23, 2010 (Thursday) at the Philharmonic Hall in Cologne, Germany.

Says Winfried Fechner, orchestra manager of the WDR Radio Orchestra: "Thanks to the positive feedback on Symphonic Shades and Symphonic Fantasies that was beyond our wildest expectations, I am very happy to announce Symphonic Legends. Symphonic Legends will be our next big video game music concert with outstanding arrangement and performance quality".

Tickets for "Symphonic Legends" will go on sale December 19, 2009, ranging from EUR 6 to EUR 30. Pupils, students up to 35 years, trainees, severely handicapped persons, people who do military service or alternative service and holders of the Cologne Pass get a 50% discount on the regular ticket price by presenting a certificate. Tickets will be available at www.koelnticket.de (search for: symphonic legends).

On September 23, 2010 (Thursday) the WDR Radio Orchestra will present a new concert with music from video games at the Philharmonic Hall in Cologne, Germany.

"We will continue!", Winfried Fechner, manager of the WDR Radio Orchestra announces. "We were overwhelmed with letters and e-mails. The excitement of the fans is phenomenal. The positive feedback on Symphonic Fantasies is beyond our wildest expectations!".
"Now I am extremely glad to say: Yes, we will continue to produce video game music concerts. The next one will take place on September 23, 2010 at the beautiful Philharmonic Hall in Cologne. The WDR Radio Orchestra and I are already much looking forward to it!", he adds.

World premiere for a video game music concert: "Symphonic Fantasies - music from Square Enix" will be broadcast live on radio (WDR4), web radio (audio streaming) and - attention! - by video streaming from the Philharmonic Hall in Cologne, Germany on September 12.

Additional information and links can be found at www.symphonicfantasies.com.