NC State Chorale Performs in Special Touring Show

Twenty members of the NC State Chorale participated in a “legendary” performance this past weekend in Durham and Norfolk, VA. They joined the act The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses at two tour stops. The show celebrates thirty years of the popular video game by bringing its soundtrack to life. With direct approval from the Zelda franchise producer Eiji Aonuma and Nintendo composer and sound director Koji Kondo, the concert has toured across the world – from Durham, NC to Dublin, Ireland.

The director of the Chorale, Dr. Nathan Leaf, was contacted by a local music contractor, who used to be an adjunct teacher within the Music Department at NC State and was in search of a choir- an usual addition to a touring show. The music itself was also unusual, said Dr. Leaf. “The choral part to this show is one element in a large, orchestral texture, like the violin section, or the brass… Stylistically, it’s pretty different than most of the music we regularly sing, with lots of dramatic, quick changes of mood and atmosphere.”

The group performed in Durham on Friday night and then traveled by van to Norfolk, VA on Saturday. “Doing this project was a whole lot of fun, for the students and for me,”  said Dr. Leaf, “I did have a Nintendo when I was a kid in the 80s and I spent many hours playing the original Legend of Zelda game with my friends… It was also a great educational opportunity for the students, to be in a fully professional, fast-paced performance environment where there is very little time for rehearsal and everyone is expected to be able to perform at a high level from the very beginning.”