Music from the E3 demo for the cancelled "Star Wars: 1313", recorded at Abbey Road with the London Symphony Orchestra

The Container Fight/Into The Portal

Love Like You (Aivi/Sura/Sugar cover)

This is an arrangement I did for the Materia Collective release, Song Cycle: The History of Video Games.  The album features various singers, pianists, arrangers, and lyricists from Materia Collective bringing together some of game music's most influential tracks.

For this one, I tried to capture the additive feeling of minimalist composers (particularly John Adams), relying on short, repetitive phrases to insert chaos into the very orderly and bouncy Chocobo track, a piece that has been arranged dozens of times and that has appeared in at least 20 different games.  Darby Cupit wrote some incredible lyrics that reflect the stuttery nature of the piece while providing insight into the history of the Chocobo.  Doug Perry and Ben Wallace did a fantastic job of bringing the piece to life on the recording as baritone and pianist respectively.  I'm very proud to present this arrangement to everyone!

Ian Martyn - Arrangement
Darby Cupit - Lyrics
Doug Perry - Baritone Soloist
Ben Wallace - Piano

Song Cycle: The History of Video Games

Lyric de Chocobo (from "Final Fantasy")

From the Materia Collective "SONG CYCLE: The History of Video Games"  here is our vocal and piano rendition of "Cohen's Masterpiece" from the video game "Bioshock"
https://www.materiacollective.com/music/song-cycle-the-history-of-video-games

vocals John Robert Matz
piano arrangement and performance Joel Everett
lyrics and melody Bonnie Bogovich
based on original music by Garry Schyman

SONG CYCLE: Cohen's Masterpiece (from "BioShock")

Have your mind blown by the fantastic original song of 'I Expect You To Die,' a VR escape-the-room puzzle game where you are a super spy.

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N10WWV8

Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Schell_Games_I_Expect_You_to_Die?id=By7ieduwer6wzx7suyrcu35yywm

iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-expect-you-to-die-single/id1195181982?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Spotify
https://play.spotify.com/album/0s7eoBfsWDNsFLnPJ40t5F?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open


Composers: Tim Rosko, Bonnie Bogovich, & Connor Fallon
Lyrics: Connor Fallon & Jared Mason
Lead Singer: Bonnie Bogovich
The Yinzer Singers (choir): Emily Swora, Anna Ciaccio, George Milosh, Tim Rosko
Violin: Garrett Overcash
Trumpet: John Robert Matz
Percussion: Doug Perry
Orchestration: Tim Rosko
Recording, Mixing, & Mastering: Jesse Naus & Red Caiman Media, Pittsburgh, PA

I Expect You To Die Original Song Dec 2016

Agnus Dei

Once upon a time, the bird-like singers lived peacefully in a forest glade.

Then, evil struck. An egg was stolen!!!

The birds bemoaned the loss of one so young.

And then they plotted revenge.

Roles:
Eastern Towhee (sung by Laura Intravia)
Cardinal (sung by Elizabeth Zharoff)
Crow (sung by Annie Rosen)
Rooster (sung by John Robert Matz)
Mourning Dove (sung by Doug Perry)
Peep-ano (played by Elizabeth Zharoff)

Arranged by Elizabeth Zharoff, based on the original theme song by Ari Pulkkinen.

Special thanks to Chris Vaughn, for production and mastering. 

Also thanks to Thomas Kresge, our notation guru, and Sebastian Wolff, the madman who started it all.

Livid Singers (from "Angry Birds")

From the Materia Collective "SONG CYCLE: The History of Video Games" here is our vocal and piano rendition of "Grasswalk" from the video game "Plants Versus Zombies"
https://www.materiacollective.com/music/song-cycle-the-history-of-video-games

vocals Doug Perry
piano arrangement by Sebastian Wolff
piano performance Ben Wallace
lyrics and melody Bonnie Bogovich
based on original music by Laura Shigihara

SONG CYCLE - What A Deal On This Plot! (Plants Vs Zombies)

From the Materia Collective "SONG CYCLE: The History of Video Games" here is our vocal and piano rendition of "Home" from the video game "Fez"
https://www.materiacollective.com/music/song-cycle-the-history-of-video-games

vocals Laura Intravia
piano arrangement and performance Joel Everett
lyrics Bonnie Bogovich
based on original music by Disasterpiece

SONG CYCLE - Home (from "FEZ")

I’m incredibly happy to share the main theme for Ambition: A Minuet in Power with you all!
This piece features the virtuosic oboe of Kristin Naigus (@field-of-reeds), best known for her work on ABZÛ, Tooth & Tail, and the just-released Moss. The main theme sets the stage for the game, raising the curtain and acting as an overture of sorts, foreshadowing the heights of grandeur you might rise to, while nodding to the lines and people you might cross to get there. It’s all wrapped up in a musical form that takes its cues in equal parts from period opera overtures and a Classical-era oboe concerto. 

This piece was an absolute pleasure to write. It allowed me to pull on the sounds and techniques of the late 18th century, taking influence from composers like Mozart, Haydn, and the Chevalier de Saint-Georges himself, Joseph Boulogne. This has been an absolute thrill, and I can’t wait to share more with you. 

Special thanks also to Andrew Steffen, Andrew Stern, Sam Bobinski, and Michael Scott Gebhart (@bassoonify) for bringing the orchestra to life.  

Hope you enjoy this taste of what’s to come for Ambition’s musical score!

Ambition: A Minuet in Power - Main Theme

baby's first string quartet :o

Performed by Vida Strings. They knocked it out of the park and into a different park!

Violin I: Lindi Wang
Violin II: Erika Atchley
Viola: Jacobus Hermsen
Cello: Joyu Lee

The Last Green Place

Chicago-area based composer (for film, videogames, and concert hall), music educator, and voice actor.  I write epic, intimate, emotional, memorable scores for orchestra, band, piano, electronics, and percussion.  Check out my website at www.johnrobertmatz.com, if you like my music, check out my albums for sale at johnrobertmatz.bandcamp.com, and please comment on my stuff!  Inquiries can be directed to JRNMatz (at) Gmail.com