The Emman behind The Summoners Orchestra

Riot·Aug 18, 2016·3 votes·32,291 views

Header photo by Jeanine Hill Photography

In the most recent episode of Live/Play, one of NA’s own, Emman, showed off a piece he composed and conducted for SummonersCon!

Read on to learn about him, his work, and what he’s been up to since the con!

What have you been up to since SummonersCon?

Since SummonersCon, I've been putting together plans for taking The Summoners Orchestra to Mexico for a performance at Gamacon. We will be performing video game music alongside youth symphonies there. The ensemble will be conducted by guest conductors/composers (some still TBA).

TSO will be the opening performance, and we will be performing some LoL pieces for sure. I have also been invited to speak on a PAX West panel with other conductors/directors of video game ensembles from around the world.

I've been continually working with the La Verne Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra based out of the University of La Verne. After the success of our last video game concert, we are currently in the process of planning some kind of video game music festival every year. This would take place during the spring. Unfortunately, that's as much as I know about that right now. I'm still working out details with that director.

Can we hear The Summoners Orchestra in action?

Where can we listen to more of your stuff?

My music can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Loudr.

I've participated in the two Final Fantasy albums that the Materia Collective has put together.

I'm also currently in the process of scoring the game VentureVerse.

What’s next for you?

I'm currently leaving my job working at Disneyland in order to continue to pursue a career making music. "Jumping into the deep end" as everyone seems to refer to it. I'm simultaneously terrified and excited :P

Good luck, Emman! Don’t forget to check out his work using the links above and tell us about your favorite League-inspired works of art (music or otherwise) in the comments below!

79 Comments

CavemanteroAug 19, 20169 votes

I hate the music scene in America. True artistic musicians get paid like Paupers and trash gets thrown at the public on the radio and they get millions.

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

Even in the Classical world, music had its ups and downs. Some schools glorify John Cage. People paid to listen to 4'33"............. seriously. :P

I get you though. We can learn a lot from the music we don't like, and the trash we hear can guide us to things that we want to hear.

aCAxopOMcLAug 22, 20162 votes

hey man but john cage 4'33" has a lot of theoretical value that cant really just be dumbed down to 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence. the piece is a framework that gets you to listen to the world around you despite where you are. in a concert hall it can get so silence that you hear the air ducts and your own heart beat. i wouldnt classify it as classical trash if you havent really studied the piece and john cages view on music theory as a whole:/

chinesebaloniAug 23, 20161 votes

lol first time I heard someone trying to justify 4'33".

Though it's still ludicrous in my ears...

RiotRiot GunlapAug 23, 20162 votes

And it's totally justified. It's art, and that's Cage's perspective on music. Cage has a very holistic view of music, and its evident in all the instruments he made, and compositions he created.

Giant squash with water rolling around inside it making inconsistent sounds that couldn't be controlled; a bunch of random things he used to perform "Water Walk" on a game show, etc.

I get it. I do. But how some people classify rap and all that, I do the same about Cage. Not a fan, though it is definitely considered music and art.

To be honest, I feel that same about minimalism and Philip Glass xD

chinesebaloniAug 23, 20161 votes

What determines the worth of music? The number of followers, its intellectual might, or something else?

pokeman0809Aug 18, 20163 votes

Where does it start playing summoner's rift music?

Doc StaticAug 19, 20165 votes

In the second video, 12:38 is around the time the orchestra starts.

Kurt The DurpAug 18, 20163 votes

This was a really cool video.

NightShade8Aug 19, 20163 votes

Dont Forget Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick Yorick

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

The hype is real.

Hai lm ThreshAug 18, 20162 votes

Fascinating ._. [zombie-brand-clap]

adjothAug 18, 20162 votes

Emman, keep being awesome.

RiotRiot GunlapAug 21, 20161 votes

[slayer-jinx-catface]

GanondorfsAGonifAug 18, 20162 votes

This stuff is amazing

Wishin I could play with em

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

We should chat! I'll be looking into opening up auditions sometime in the near future again.

Verdant LordAug 19, 20162 votes

what happened around 1:58:07 to 1:58:09? Was it suppose to be like that?

SirDante830Aug 19, 20161 votes

lol something bad must have happened and they needed to cut it out.

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

LOL - if I wanted to cut the bad out, I would have cut other parts out, definitely not that one :P

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

I hated this error. It was bad translation from Twitch to YouTube. I definitely had the full stream on Twitch. I'm actually kind of sad, because I can't find the video anymore. It must have gotten deleted off since it happened a few months ago.

It was probably one of the best moments in that concert, too :(

ICEBREAKRAug 21, 20162 votes

This is art. I don't know how much these people get paid or how much the composer gets paid to make this type of music. But I bet it's less than rappers get paid to make their shit music about money, drugs, and hoes. How the hell has America gone down this deep of a hole. Fuck rap.

Wiz101in2020xdAug 19, 20161 votes

GUNLAP YOU MADE IT GUNLAP MADE IT

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20163 votes

Yaaaaaay, I made a thing!

Wiz101in2020xdAug 20, 20161 votes

Congratz again man. i've been listening to your stuff since your entry for songs of the summoned. The old old Ezreal piece you did a few years back. Good music and wish the best for the future

RiotRiot GunlapAug 21, 20162 votes

WHOA! That was 4 years ago, man! I hope you've heard some of the more recent things, since that piece lacked a lot of technical know-how that I've learned since then :P

lemon tiddiesAug 19, 20161 votes

OMG I love the orchestra. You guys need to keep doing what you're doing, it's fantastic!

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

Believe me! I want us to. We just need to make more opportunities happen :)

I Might Hate YouAug 19, 20161 votes

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much. I knew that it would be good technically and that is would be a good piece in end but I never expected one thing. I was watching the above posted video of Live/Play and I got more and more enthralled. The moment when the orchestra played the first swell, I got chills and not because of my item 3110 . They made this come together. This is something actual. I really hope to see more of Emman and his works!

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

I hope to see more of our works, too! Hopefully we'll have more opportunities to come together for performances. These musicians are amazing, and definitely made this really come together.

kuraiohitsujiAug 19, 20161 votes

I date that first chair Flutist! The Summoner's Orchestra is absolutely amazing!! If you get the chance to hear them live, it's an absolutely amazing experience.

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

I <3 our flutists!

Mystr0Aug 20, 20161 votes

How do I audition? :)

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

Check us out on Facebook for some announcements in the future!

DevLunaAug 20, 20161 votes

[slayer-pantheon-thumbs] Great video, wish you luck Emman!

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

Thanks! I'll need all the luck I can get.

Sometimes... It's NOT all skill. Ezreal

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20161 votes

Hey guys!!! Thanks for coming in and checking this stuff out! It's me, Emman, I promise: Some kind of proof

I'll be answering your questions, so feel free to drop me some! Thank you guys so much for your support. It's so encouraging to see people interested in this kind of music!

Let's have some good conversations!

Emman

RiotRiot GunlapAug 20, 20162 votes

You can follow The Summoners Orchestra here on our Facebook!

TheGodPhoenixAug 20, 20161 votes

How would someone get involved with riot games and their music department? I am a regional and all-state cellist from South Carolina. Is there any way to get in touch with these people?

RiotRiot GunlapAug 21, 20161 votes

I would start here!

BackFromTheAshesAug 20, 20161 votes

All-State Euph here, wishing orchestras took us. FeelsBadMan

RiotRiot GunlapAug 21, 20163 votes

Well... I DID take saxophones in this ensemble, so there's always hope ;)