Final Symphony Stockholm

On the 19th of June I flew to Stockholm for hearing the concert Final Symphony Stockholm. Two very close friends of mine, Jonne Valtonen and Roger Wanamo have written the arrangements of the Final Fantasy game music for symphony orchestra. The concept has become a hit among gamers all around the world, so they have had concerts with for instance London Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic , WDR Sinfonierchester and now for the third time The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. (Ironically it hasn’t until now been performed in Finland yet, but it will come in September to Tampere and be performed by the Tampere Philharmonic, the very same concert, but I will be in Malmö by then.) Even though they are really good friends of mine I have never before attended a concert their game music arrangements, so I decided that the time had finally come to go and listen, as the concert was so close by (in Stockholm).

Me with Stockholm in the background 19th of June 2014. Photo © Mari Pakarinen

Delicious raw food desserts at Hermans, Stockholm 19th of June 2014.
Photo © Cecilia Damström

Lunch with Mari Pakarinen at Hermans restaurant.
Stockholm 19th of June 2014.
Photo © Cecilia Damström 

Stockholm 19th of June 2014.
Photo © Cecilia Damström

So I bought a cheap Norwegian airways flight to Stockholm, arrived on the 19th of June early in the morning, had lunch with my friend Mari Pakarinen at the vegetarian restaurant Hermans, spent the day with my friends, attended the fantastic concert that was received with standing ovations (and three encores), hang out with my friends and the musicians at the after party and caught at 6.30 AM the boat back to Finland. 

Roger Wanamo and Jonne Valtonen at the concert pre-talk,
Stockholm 19th of June 2014. Photo © Cecilia Damström

Jonne Valtonen, Roger Wanamo and Mari Pakarinen at the Final Fantasy concert
Stockholm 19th of June 2014. Photo © Cecilia Damström