Scores of potential

Collaboration struck a chord between music students in Meadows School of the Arts and game development students at SMU Guildhall.

Conjury Revell Team and Light of Alariya game covers

Scores of potential

Collaboration struck a chord between music students in Meadows School of the Arts and video game development students at SMU Guildhall.

For more than a decade, undergraduate students from Meadows School of the Arts have been composing and recording music and voiceover for games designed and produced by graduate students at SMU Guildhall. This time, though, that perfect harmony was amplified thanks to a $2,500 Engaged Learning grant, which enabled 32 musicians plus a composer to take part in the first live orchestra recording session in the history of this collaboration. Three ensembles gathered across two days to record the pieces.

For more than a decade, undergraduate students from Meadows School of the Arts have been composing and recording music and voiceover for games designed and produced by graduate students at SMU Guildhall. This time, though, that perfect harmony was amplified thanks to a $2,500 Engaged Learning grant, which enabled 32 musicians plus a composer to take part in the first live orchestra recording session in the history of this collaboration. Three ensembles gathered across two days to record the pieces.

A group photo of the Conjury Revell Team
Conjury Revell team
Light of Alariya
Light of Alariya team

“Even students at major film and game programs across the country rarely have the opportunity to record live musicians for their soundtracks, and this is a great highlight of the opportunities at SMU,” says Rob Frank, associate professor of composition and theory and director of electronic music.

The recordings, which took place last fall, resulted in music for two Guildhall games: Conjury Revell and Light of Alariya. Both games were created as capstone projects by Guildhall graduate cohorts. The final products launched this spring and are available to play for free on Steam.

Conjury Revell Team and Light of Alariya game covers

We’re doing something unusual, certainly special, and something that certainly no other game school is doing.

Steve Stringer, deputy director of Game Lab, professor of practice, production and teams, and Guildhall project lead

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