Recently, as it was premiered at this past New York Comic Con, one of my favorite musicians on YouTube, Sonya Belousova (PlayerPiano), and Crystal Dynamics teamed together to debut the latest video from PlayerPiano at the show which showcases the amazingly talented musician debut her latest composition medley featuring the music from the iconic Tomb Raider franchise.
The Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Medley, by Sonya Belousova (directed by Tom Grey) was shown to the crowd in attendance to a thunderous applause from the fans. Blending some of the most iconic pieces of music from the storied franchise into an emotional and almost epic musical performance that really brought the story of Lara Croft and the franchise as a whole to vivid reality. It brought to life the emotions that these games have managed to illicit from everyone who has played the game the sense of wonder and amazement as if they were once again reliving those memories and instances for the first time.
One of the reasons why I like musicians like Sonya Belousova on YouTube, those dedicated to bring new life to timeless video game themes, is that they showcase that these are not simply throwaway pieces tacked on to a game. These are true works of musical art meant to bring these games closer to the minds and hearts of the people who play theme. From the MIDI files of old to the fully arranged orchestral compositions of today’s modern game, musical artist like Belousova breathe new life and their own spin on classics the gaming community is so fond of.
The Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Medley is just the latest video and composition by Sonya Belousova on her PlayerPiano YouTube channel that I have enjoyed. Over the past two years, since the PlayerPiano channel first appeared on YouTube back in mid-2014, I have enjoyed a majority of the videos that have been posted. (The “On The Spot” videos just don’t quite catch my attention, though they still showcase the musical talent of Sonya Belousova.) But of her videos on the PlayerPiano YouTube channel the following five videos are my favorite compositions that Sonya Belousova has presented to her viewers.
5. Super Mario Bros Medley – Sonya Belousova (directed by Tom Grey)
4. Doctor Who Theme – Sonya Belousova (directed by Tom Grey)
3. Bohemian Rhapsody – Sonya Belousova (directed by Tom Grey)
2. Game of Thrones Theme – Sonya Belousova (directed by Tom Grey)
1. Star Wars Ultimate Medley – Sonya Belousova (directed by Tom Grey)
To follow Sonya Belousova (PlayerPiano) on social media, check out the following links:
