Want to expose your tamariki to classical music?
Get them playing video games.
That's the pathway taken by young Northland composer David Mason.
Speaking with RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump, Mason says he loved the soundtracks of his favourite video games so much, he wanted to start writing his own.
David Mason Photo: Supplied
Now, he's getting offers of work from game makers all around the world.
His most successful score so far has been for the New Zealand-made game, Dredge, which he describes as a sci-fi, horror, alien world, fishing trip. The soundtrack has gained over 1,000,000 views on Spotify and YouTube.
Photo: Black Salt Games
However, those who don't plug into the virtual world for adventure and entertainment are also getting a chance to hear Mason's music, with the Auckland-based ensemble Aotango performing it in its current three-centre North Island tour for International Tango Day.
And if you think music has to be for the stage or concert hall to really count as classical, listen to this piece Mason wrote for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the 2020 NZ Composer Sessions recordings (it's inspired by some of his favourite video game scores, by the way).
