Matthew Fried Photos Courtesy of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
As the flutes darted in, hot on the heels of the violins, the orchestra launched into a high speed musical chase. The brass surged forward like a turbo boost, strings weaving past each other. Percussion thundered in like the countdown at the starting line.
At that very moment, the auditorium transformed into a grand prix, attendees zooming down memory lane. This was Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8, as the audience had never heard it before.
That sound marked the beginning of “Let’s Play!” a concert of reimagined video game music from the New Haven Symphony's Orchestra (NHSO) and the musical group DiscoCactus. Held Saturday at the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, the event created a nostalgia-drenched sonic portal to childhood, using joyful, often propulsive and reconfigured electronic music as a way to bring people together.
“It's important for us to explore different genres of music,” said Maestro Chelsea Tipton II, who is celebrating his 11th year as the NHSO’s pops conductor. “Back when I was growing up, music was not a big part of video games … it’s only in the 21st century that music and background music” has really become standard.
“It’s important to color outside the lines of what we do,” he added. “And it also brings in a different type of audience, a new audience,” as well as regular NHSO Pops subscribers.
That was evident from the beginning of the concert, as Tipton took the podium in a glittery purple suit, the members of DiscoCactus in front of the full orchestra. Raising his baton, he took it back to 2014, when Mario Kart 8 made its first appearance on the video game scene.
With a swift flick of his Baton, the orchestra launched into the Super Mario universe, a soundtrack built for speed and excitement. The bright brass and racing rhythms mimicked the heart-pounding urgency of a final lap, while soaring melodies evoked the thrill of drifting around tight corners. Percussion rumbled like engines at the starting line. The music wasn't just background music— it was momentum, competition, and pure exhilaration in symphonic form.
It was the beginning of a musical odyssey through games like Donkey Kong, World of Warcraft, Persona, Minecraft, and Hades among others. At one moment, World of Warcraft's orchestral themes transported the audience to distant realms, with sweeping brass and ethereal strings that echoed the vast scale of the planet Azeroth itself.
In another, the haunting melodies of Hollow Knight created a delicate yet ominous atmosphere, as solo piano and trembling strings captured the game’s melancholic beauty. There was even the warm, blocky nostalgia of Minecraft, emerging in gently plucked strings and shimmering synths. As the sound filled the auditorium, its minimalist harmonies were instantly recognizable to game players young and old.
Before each number, DiscoCactus vibraphonist Doug Perry worked to hype up the audience, challenging them to identify a song with just a few clues. The crowd eagerly rose to the occasion, from older games like Mario Kart to newer ones like Elden Ring. In the second, music rose like a storm, majestic and ominous. The cellos, violas, and bass pulsed in determination, building toward a grand brass fanfare that channeled the darkness of the Lands Between, a fictional continent in the game.
The sound became something larger than life, carrying the weight of forgotten lore and shattered destinies. It was a score that didn't merely accompany the game; it made the Lyman Center tremble with its raw power.
Just when the audience thought the concert had reached its grand finale, Tipton had one more trick up his sleeve: the upbeat, bouncy melody of “Last Surprise” from Persona 5, a Japanese game that launched in 2016. As the unmistakable groove kicked in, DiscoCactus sprang into action, encouraging the crowd to let loose and dance along. The rhythmic bassline pulsed through the hall, and energy shifted from concert etiquette to full-on celebration.
Matthew Fried Photos Courtesy of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
At the center of the stage, vocalist, flutist and EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) player Laura Intravia took command, delivering the song's defiant lyrics with effortless power. Her voice soared over the sharp brass hits and electrifying instrumentation, capturing the rebellious spirit of Persona 5.
As she moved through the verses, her presence was magnetic, gesturing to the crowd and reveling in the music's infectious energy. With every note, Intravia drew the audience deeper into the song's groove, turning the hall into a dance floor where musicians and fans merged into one final thrilling moment.
Audience members like 18-year-old Isay Luna, a graduate of James Hillhouse High School, felt that thrill long after the show had ended. Not only was it his first concert, Luna said; it was also his first time hearing gaming music live.
“I just got the chills from that, I'm not going to lie,” he said during the music to Mario Kart.
“I’m glad my first experience with musical concerts was this,” he added after the show. “I really liked all the songs they played. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know a few of them, but they were still fire.”