Help Support The KickStarter : Ifukube And Godzilla: A Musical Celebration

A live symphonic concert celebrating the connection between composer Akira Ifukube and Godzilla.

OVERVIEW:

Have you ever wanted to hear and EXPERIENCE the music of Godzilla films live in concert? If so, this is the project to be a part of.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Godzilla. Additionally it is the centennial of the man who is known as being THE quintessential Godzilla music composer, Akira Ifukube. With the new interpretation of Godzilla hitting theaters nationwide on May 16th this year courtesy of Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures, Godzilla’s fans have a great reason to celebrate. And with the 100th birthday of Mr. Ifukube, fans can be a part of an event unlike any that has been done since a small group of fans got together and staged the first Godzilla convention ever. The time to celebrate the monster and the man is NOW.

Akira Ifukube (1914-2006) was one of Japan's most famous classical composers. His most known works, however, are his wonderful scores for Tokusatsu (special effects) films for Toho (a genre also referred to as Daikaiju Eiga in Japan). While Mr. Ifukube worked with greats like Akira Kurosawa, it is his collaborations with director Ishiro Honda which gave birth to some of the most recognizable music in cinematic history. Credited as being one of Godzilla’s founding fathers, the musical scores to these inventive but often misunderstood films have become an integral part of what makes them unique. Enhanced by Mr. Ifukube’s unforgettable and dynamic themes, the Godzilla series has brought wonder and awe to audiences worldwide for sixty years.

For decades now, fans have been celebrating their love of the Godzilla character through fanzines, conventions, and film screenings. The longest running and most successful convention has undoubtedly been G-FEST. It is a wonderful show that is fun for people and fans of all ages. Since the mid-1990s, it has been the absolute epicenter for western fans of the genre to come together and meet special guests from Japan, attend movie screenings, and enjoy like-minded company. For more information about G-FEST please visit www.g-fan.com.

Never once, however, has there been a live concert dedicated solely to Mr. Ifukube's music performed in North America. That is what makes this opportunity so momentous and there is no better place to have it than in conjunction with G-FEST on the weekend of July 11-13th, 2014. This concert has the full approval of Toho Music and will be licensed through ASCAP (American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers). That is why "Ifukube and Godzilla: A Musical Celebration" needs your help.

The job of reconstructing the music of Akira Ifukube is that of composer and co-producer John DeSentis. John has an intimate knowledge and understanding of Mr. Ifukube's style (Ifukube being one of John's everlasting influences) and has once before provided his music for an orchestra to perform. In 2007 The Austin Wind Symphony, now known as The Cinematic Symphony, asked John to arrange a suite of music from Akira Ifukube's legendary score to KING KONG VS. GODZILLA for their annual "Creature Features" concert program. This was a rare treat at the time because Mr. Ifukube's score to that film was almost entirely excised in the American release. John promises that every Godzilla film scored by Mr. Ifukube will be represented in this concert.

For more information and to support the project head to KickStarter here.