2020 might be the promised year for fans of Evangelion, but in the meantime, how does a bit of live music sound? It has just been announced that the fantastic Evangelion Wind Symphony will be performing once more this year, only this time the performers have packed their bags for a nationwide tour.
The symphony will be performing selected pieces from the original Evangelion soundtrack as well as some newer pieces from the Rebuild movie soundtracks, both by the eminent Shiro Sagisu. These pieces will no doubt be largely drawn from the previously released album of Evangelion music arranged for wind orchestra in 2008 by Masamichi Amano, but I wouldn’t discount some new arrangements. You can get a taste of just how the music sounds in the announcement trailer below:
The Evangelion Wind Symphony was performed for the first time in Tokyo last year, but this time organizers Kyodo Tokyo are making sure that more people get a chance to see it as the tour will be coming to Aichi, Osaka as well as Tokyo – meaning that it’ll be visiting three of the biggest metropolises in Japan. The symphony will open on May 2, May 4 and May 10 in the three cities respectively.
Of course, which symphony you end up going to will mostly likely largely depend on where you live, but it’s worth keeping in mind that some of the performances will be a little different. This is because Takahashi Yoko – who sang the original version of the legendary Cruel Angel’s Thesis – will be joining the orchestra for the Aichi and Osaka shows, meanwhile the Tokyo show will feature the American-born legendary trumpeter Eric Miyashiro, who is perhaps best known in the anime sphere for his iconic work in the arrangement of the new Detective Conan theme.
I know that Evangelion fans can barely wait until next year for the new Rebuild movie, but perhaps this concert can tide you over in the meantime. Tickets are open for pre-sales now until March 21, with regular tickets going on sale nationwide on April 20. Check out the official website for more information.