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This last article covering the KINGDOM HEARTS Orchestra -World of Tres- pamphlet features messages from key staff and comments about the songs performed at the concert!
Read the previous articles featuring interviews between Nomura and Shimomura, Shimomura and Ishimoto, and Shimomura and Sekito.
Thank you for attending KINGDOM HEARTS Orchestra - World of Tres-.
2019 marks a special year with the release of KINGDOM HEARTS III, and in conjunction with this momentous occasion, the KINGDOM HEARTS Orchestra -World Tour- has been greatly renewed from the concerts in 2017 and 2018. Even more beautiful visuals together with the exhilarating music of a full orchestra are in store for you today.
Like the previous two years, we are starting off the tour in Japan, and then traveling across the United States, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Central America, and South America, bringing the wonderful music and visuals of KINGDOM HEARTS to fans all over the world. It is my hope that you will recapture the joy and thrill of KINGDOM HEARTS III during this spectacular concert.
Yoko Shimomura
Composer of the KINGDOM HEARTS series
17 years since the first KINGDOM HEARTS—time seems to have passed in the blink of an eye. I am both humbled and overjoyed that the series has grown to become beloved by people across the world. I would like to thank all of our fans for making this possible.
And now in 2019, we have finally released the much-anticipated new installment. The KINGDOM HEARTS universe continues to expand and grow, so please join me as I immerse myself in this world that we are all so passionate about.
"Dreams are all that we have."
Shinji Hashimoto
Brand Manager of the KINGDOM HEARTS series
The second world tour of the Kingdom Hearts orchestral concert has become a reality! I would like to convey my gratitude to all the people who made it possible. And to all Kingdom Hearts fans around the world, thank you for all your continued support.
The Kingdom Hearts orchestral concert gives you the chance to not only enjoy the glorious music of Kingdom Hearts but stunning visuals as well. I join you in the anticipation of hearing "that song" or perhaps one of the new pieces in Kingdom Hearts III. I can't wait!
I believe all of your have encountered unforgettable moments when you've played Kingdom Hearts games. It is my sincere hope that the concert will likewise be an unforgettable experience for all who attend. Enjoy!
Rie Nishi
Kingdom Hearts Producer
Just as we are taking a breather after the long journey of KINGDOM HEARTS III, this new journey has already begun. It’s my belief that the journey of KINGDOM HEARTS will continue to connect and go on in this way–and into the future.
Tetsuya Nomura
Director of the KINGDOM HEARTS series
Feel the excitement and emotion once again!
Shiro Amano
Comics Artist for the KINGDOM HEARTS comics
My heartfelt congratulations for bringing KINGDOM HEARTS Orchestra -World of Tres- to the world. I was happy to able to contribute by working on the pamphlet for the third straight time. Mr. Nomura always says that the concert is a part of the KINGDOM HEARTS world. So, in that spirit, I hope that people will also see and enjoy the pamphlet as an extension of KINGDOM HEARTS. I personally had a lot of fun with the interviews included in the pamphlet, so I hope that comes across to the people who read them. It is my hope that, together with the fantastic music, the people’s passion for KINGDOM HEARTS grows ever stronger.
Tomoko Kanemaki
Writer/Novelist of the KINGDOM HEARTS novel series and the story of KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days
Composer’s Voice
Dearly Beloved from KINGDOM HEARTS III
Yoko Shimomura: Tetsu-san (Tetsuya Nomura) had asked this piece to be a piano concerto. It turned out to be quite a technical piece for piano. I think many listeners may be surprised and think, “Is this really Dearly Beloved?” The concept was to begin the song completely differently, the bring it home to Dearly Beloved, so I hope that listeners can enjoy that aspect of this version.Music from KINGDOM HEARTS
Yoko Shimomura: The inspiration for this medley was “Sora, and Sora’s story.” I made a point to select songs that were not too steeped in the world of Disney. This was because, say for example, if one selection was the field music for Hercules, that would seem like I am giving that character special treatment. Taking that into account, I always tried to maintain the image of Sora in my mind as I made the selections.Music from Re: Chain Of Memories
Yoko Shimomura: This piece was originally already a medley of songs that were used in opening sequences. I had considered simply using that same medley, but I did not want people wondering, “Why is Re:COM unchanged when all the other medleys are new?” So, I chose these two pieces (Scent of Silence, Castle Oblivion) to create a new medley.Music from KINGDOM HEARTS II
Yoko Shimomura: Just like Music from KINGDOM HEARTS, the concept here was not specialize. So again, no songs from the world of Disney have been selected. Furthermore, in my mind KHII has a heavier tone story-wise than KH, so I made sure the latter half of the medley reflected that. I also included songs from KHII FM (Final Mix).Music from 358/2 Days
Yoko Shimomura: The selection process for this one was particularly difficult for me. To stay in line with the concept of not specializing in any one direction, I usually made a point of not including any character themes either. But in the case of 358/2 Days, I felt a medley would not be complete without Xion’s theme (Musique pour la tristesse de Xion), so despite not wanting to show preferential treatment, it was included.Pretty Pretty Abilities from coded
Yoko Shimomura: coded was a challenge for me, as most of the pieces were not really designed for an orchestra to begin with. Also, when choosing based on popularity, the selections tend to lean toward the heavy and somber side. The KH series can be heavy and somber, but I think there are many bright and fun elements as well. This–coupled with the fear that a concert with too many heavy pieces may be an emotional strain on the audience–was why I chose to put in some fun songs here.Music from Birth by Sleep
Yoko Shimomura: The selections for BbS were actually not very heavy on balance. For the first half, I used pieces such as the world map theme. However, similar to Music from KINGDOM HEARTS II, the first three songs are lighthearted but the two songs in the second half are heavier songs that were taken from KH BbS FM–they’re songs from the Realm of Darkness.Music from Dream Drop Distance
Yoko Shimomura: I actually had a very difficult time with 3D as well. Ultimately, when I thought of what was emblematic of 3D, the answer I came up with was the Dream Eaters. After several discussions with the sound effects person in charge of and familiar with the series, we concluded that including a Dream Eater song might be good, so Dream Eaters was selected. The third song is actually the theme for the Dream Eater boss character. But I felt this wasn’t quite enough, so I also put in Link to All, a cheerful and hopeful song that can be heard in the final parts of the Sora and Riku storylines.[Majestic Wings] Special Commentary
Tsuyoshi Sekito: The alacritous piano arrangement is the centerpiece of this song, and I actually arranged it with Shimomura-san’s playing style in mind. It seemed a little too presumptuous to say in her presence, but this sense of speed and urgency was what I thought her playing style brought to the table. I built the piano track with that in mind, and then added some meat to it.Music of Another Time
Yoko Shimomura: In terms of Union X originals, all we had were an arrangement of Hand in Hand and an arrangement of Dearly Beloved. Unchained X, which came before Union X, had Daybreak Town, but that song was already used in the previous concert. Hand in Hand was also performed in the past, but it was a completely different arrangement, so I selected it this time as the representative song of the title. The song used in the scene on the back cover (with the Master of Masters and his apprentices) is also used in KH III, so I thought it may serve as a good conduit to the latest series installment. Wave of Darkness is another piece that was performed in the past, but there were many people who said it had a lasting impression, so I chose it as the representative song of 0.2.Diabolic Bash
Yoko Shimomura: This is a highly technical medley that requires a great deal of effort from performer, arranger, and listener alike. The selection criteria here was, with the exception of coded, boss battle pieces that I felt were the most memorable, most revisited (in later installments), and most emblematic of each title. A good example is Unforgettable, which has an unmistakably BbS flavor.Yoko Shimomura: We were originally planning a concert exclusively for KH III, with a program like one field battle piece, then a boss battle piece here and a Gummi ship piece there. But Tetsu-san’s request was for the first half of the concert to have no KH III pieces, then for the second half to be all KH III pieces. So, in the end, it became a “Half KH III” concert (laughs). We did it in the order of the story, but it took quite a lot of effort.
Face my Fears -KINGDOM Orchestra Instrumental Version-
Yoko Shimomura: It isn’t one of my compositions , but I really love this song. In the orchestral arrangement, the melody is done by a solo violin, and in this incarnation, that solo violin is the featured sound. I think that it has a different kind of appeal than Don’t Think Twice, and it has a distinctively different feel than any other song that Utada-san has done for us. And now with this orchestral version of the song, I hope that it can gaina new kind of appeal.Symphonic Suite: The Worlds of Tres I
Yoko Shimomura: An arrangement for an older Hercules field theme actually already exists, but I felt that a new arrangement was in order for the new music. Still, there are elements of the older theme that can be heard, so even though it is a new piece it is still unmistakably from the world of Hercules.Tsuyoshi Sekito: I made a point of making the first Gummi Ship song cheerful from start to finish, with no dark elements creeping in. This was because almost no enemies appear in the map where the song is used. The battle theme, on the other hand, is used in a sequence that features a great deal of enemies, so I included a certain degree of tension there.
Yoko Shimomura: The Toy Box field theme and battle theme were performed as an encore during last year’s world tour. The field music is the famous You’ve Got A Friend In Me. The battle music was a new piece that I composed. I hope that the fun and cheerful world of the Toy Box comes across well in the music.
Symphonic Suite: The Worlds of Tres II
Yoko Shimomura: For Rapunzel’s songs, I attempted to use the harp to express the image of flowing golden locks.Tsuyoshi Sekito: My thought process in creating the second Gummi Ship song was to give a sense of speed with an emphasis on the rhythm, while at the same time not creating too much tension.
Yoko Shimomura: I wasn’t sure what direction to take with the Monstropolis field theme and battle theme. In the end, as I am known to create many cheerful compositions, I doubled down by creating songs filled with fun and momentum.
Symphonic Suite: The Worlds of Tres III
Yoko Shimomura: Frozen is an extremely popular film with a world that is crafted to perfection. That is why for these pieces, I endeavored not to tamper with the world of Frozen, but at the same time attempt to show a distinctly Frozen world view within the world of Kingdom Hearts.Symphonic Suite: The Worlds of Tres IV
Takeharu Ishimoto: The generally laid-back feeling of The Carribean field theme fits moving through a vast area, but I put in some few phrases to give it some punch. The feeling of liberation in the music matches the image of a ship sailing through the open seas, but it is a pirate ship after all, so I added some shady elements. I would love for people to remember the intro phrase to this piece. It may be my personal favorite Kingdom Hearts III original piece.Symphonic Suite: The Worlds of Tres V
Takeharu Ishimoto: As so many of the pieces are orchestral, I find creating a more digital sound like in this San Fransokyo field theme quite fun. I’m also fond of electro sound, so I arranged it to be mated well with the field music.Tsuyoshi Sekito: When you actually play the game, you see that the third Gummi Ship is actually used in many different ways. It carries a little more tension than the first and second songs. As for the boss battle theme, I had heard that this was for the final “boss of bosses,” so I wanted to prevent the music from looping within the scene as much as possible. This is why I lengthened the cycle of this song as much as I did.
Yoko Shimomura: This is a piece I wanted to serve as the antithesis of the bright and cheerful aspects of Kingdom Hearts, so I instilled many heavier tones. If you listen to the Keyblade Graveyard part, it’s actually a phrase taken from KH II FM. If the listener can feel a hint of what’s to come at the end of KH III from that phrase, that would be ideal.
Takeharu Ishimoto: For the Final World theme, the Keyblade Graveyard field theme and the Xehanort battle theme, I mixed the original melodies that everyone knows with some new melodies of my own.
Overture to the Decisive Battle
Yoko Shimomura: Almost everything here is an arrangement of a past song. Not only that, all the arrangers are different, and they’ve all taken the songs so far away from my original compositions and made them sound very cool. Ideally, I would have liked for the audience to hear each one individually, but this time I have decided to present them in compilation form–a grand battle medley that portends the end of the Kingdom Hearts saga.Special Commentary
Takeharu Ishimoto: In order to make it the climactic culmination of all Master Xehanort pieces, I used the original choral intro that everyone knows and loves. Gives you goosebumps, doesn’t it?Hikari -KINGDOM Tres Orchestra Instrumental Version-
Yoko Shimomura: As you all know, this song by Hikaru Utada is a fan favorite, so it simply could not be left out, it’s arranged a little differently for KH III.Rhapsody in Tres for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra
Yoko Shimomura: There have been so many medleys up to this point…yet here’s another one (laughs). This is the music for the end credits of the game, so it can’t really be left out. The piece was slightly re-arranged exclusively for the concert, so please enjoy!
