Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

• Foodies can also indulge in the region's first and biggest Michelin Food Festival along with the return of Taste of Abu Dhabi, MENA's 50 Best Restaurants and Abu Dhabi Culinary Season.
• Adding to list of original Experience Abu Dhabi events, the inaugural Saadiyat Nights promises weekly live entertainment on the beach from December through to February 2024.
• Abu Dhabi Calendar's complete events line-up is now available on the Experience Abu Dhabi website , allowing residents and visitors to plan their 'must-see' event schedule for the upcoming season.
• To discover more about upcoming events in Abu Dhabi, please visit: www.visitabudhabi.ae/en/events
  To watch the Abu Dhabi Calendar hero video, please click here .

• “Starfield” is one of the most anticipated video games in recent history.
• Soundtracks for outer space have appeared in many films – “Star Wars,” “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Interstellar,” to name a few.
• As a conductor, musician and educator, I’m excited about games like “Starfield” because they’re drawing people to symphonic music like never before.

Classical music becomes exclusive

• During the time of the Renaissance, around the middle 15th to 16th centuries, there was a shift from music as function to music as art and entertainment.
• Soon, live vocal and instrumental music became a form of popular entertainment, and people clamored for bigger and better sounds.
• A clear divide between popular music and what became known as “classical” music emerged.
• Many argue that the classical music world is no longer accessible to most people – it’s seen as too intimidating and too stuffy, with works that are too long and tickets that are too expensive.

From ‘bleeps and bloops’ to symphonic music

• In a 2021 interview, video game composer and conductor Eimear Noone said, “More young people listen to orchestral music through their game consoles today than have ever listened to orchestral music in the history of music.” She’s probably right.
• There are over 3 billion gamers around the world, and people between the ages of 18 and 25 spend the most time playing video games.
• A 2018 poll conducted by the U.K.‘s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra found that more young people are exposed to classical music through video games than through attending live performances.
• “Thanks to video games,” Boston Globe music writer A.Z.

Getting the recognition it deserves

• Today’s video game music is more interactive and nonlinear than traditional concert hall and film music.
• Like “Starfield,” many modern game titles incorporate symphonic music needed to provide the emotional and atmospheric underpinning of the game experience.
• In 2023, the Grammys recognized “Best Video Game Soundtrack” as an official category for the first time.
• Video game music has come a long way from its first “bleeps and bloops.” Symphonic music will continue to accompany players’ video game journeys, and like “Starfield,” the sky is no longer the limit.

• Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo, Ireland – Room service isn't just for grown-ups at Ashford Castle.
• Travelers can request a Lego butler and pick from a selection of sets, to be delivered on a silver tray to your room.
• Four Seasons in Chicago, U.S. – Here, the Ice Cream Man makes in-room ice cream-delivery dreams possible for the young and young-at-heart.
• Kylin Villa Resort Jeju, South Korea – A room service experience where the camera eats first: This resort sets room service orders on a picturesque floating display in villas with private pools.

• Def Leppard have deconstructed and rebuilt not only some of their most well-known tracks, but also some of their hidden gems as well.
• By and large, they have intertwined the audio from the original tapes and performed them alongside The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, consistently ranked as one of the world's leading orchestras.
• Vocalist Joe Elliott says, "Def Leppard has always enjoyed veering off the expected path - working with the likes of Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Alison Krauss for example.
• So, when the offer to revisit some of our back catalogue with the Royal Philharmonic was presented to us, we all jumped at it.