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Press release:

The ETHEReal String Project
Enjoy intimate strings and piano performances of music from Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect, and more with ambitious live album.

Logansport, Indiana – March 23, 2016 – Composer and arranger Josh Barron and the ETHEReal String Orchestra are pleased to present their groundbreaking orchestral arrangement album paying tribute to the beloved soundtracks of Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, and more with The ETHEReal String Project. What started as a live collaboration over YouTube has grown and matured into a breathtakingly beautiful compilation of some of the best music from several renowned RPGs with a couple other surprises. The ETHEReal String Project is fully licensed and is available now on LOUDR:

The ETHEReal String Project on LOUDR
The ETHEReal String Project on iTunes
The ETHEReal String Project on Spotify

“The inspiration for this project stems from productions like Symphonic Fantasies and Final Symphony,” reflects Josh Barron. “I was fascinated with their robust, colorful orchestrations and felt like the music brought nostalgia to life. With the ETHEReal String Project, I arranged pieces that have never been arranged before and in styles that not only depart from the source, but also pulls one into nostalgia.”

The full track listing for The ETHEReal String Project is as follows:
01. Fang’s Theme (For String Orchestra) [from Final Fantasy XIII]
02. Secunda (For String Quintet and Piano) [from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]
03. Ancient Stones (For String Quintet and Piano) [from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]
04. Trisection (For String Orchestra) [from Final Fantasy Tactics]
05. Eruyt Village (For String Orchestra and Piano) [from Final Fantasy XII]
06. I Was Lost Without You (For String Ensemble and Piano) [from Mass Effect 3]
07. And Thus Fate Became Cruel (For String Orchestra) [from Heroes of Mana]
08. Eternity~Memories of Light and Waves (String Orchestra & Piano) [from Final Fantasy X-2]
09. Honor, Sacrifice, Glory: Variations on Themes from Halo 2 (For String Orchestra)
10. Still Alive (For String Orchestra) [from Mirror’s Edge]
11. Tactical Espionage Suite (For String Orchestra) [from Metal Gear Solid 2]
12. The Forest of Awakening (For String Orchestra and Piano) [Original Composition]
13. Sulyya Springs (For Viola and Piano) [from Final Fantasy XIII]

The track list draws from titles developed both in the East and West alongside an original composition by Josh Barron. Multiple contributions are made by the talented performers and arrangers on the album who each have their own fan following on YouTube, making this a unique collaboration between artists around the globe.

“With enough support from listeners, my next ETHEReal String album will feature arrangements from Yasunori Mitsuda’s career including Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, and even Shadow Hearts Covenant,” notes Barron. “Then it’s on to my Ori and the Blind Forest Symphony and possibly a Final Fantasy XII or Vagrant Story orchestral album, as I believe Hitoshi Sakimoto’s music is best when performed by live musicians.”

About Josh Barron
Josh Barron is a self-taught musician, composer, and arranger who has worked with OneUp Studios, Materia Collective, and various ensembles and YouTube personalities on arrangements and original soundtracks over the past decade.

His biggest project to date is The Ethereal String Project, a live orchestral album featuring arrangements from his favorite games. He has also contributed to MATERIA: Final Fantasy VII Remixed and SUCCESSOR: Final Fantasy VIII Remixed. His future plans include a follow-up to The The ETHEReal String Project titled Continuum ~ The Music of Yasunori Mitsuda.

About The ETHEReal String Orchestra
The ETHEReal String Orchestra is a two-man orchestra consisting of Andrew Steffen on violin, viola, and double bass and Andrew Stern on cello. It is their mission to spread the magic of the string orchestra to videogame music arrangements.

In 2014, they teamed up with composer and arranger Josh Barron to begin work on their debut release, ETHEReal String Project. Since then, The ETHEReal String Orchestra has collaborated as part of the Materia Collective on SUCCESSOR: Final Fantasy VIII Remixed.