Classical pop culture. The Seattle Symphony has a guy for that

May 21, 2026 - 21:40

As a classically trained musician, Andrew Joslyn understands the symphony. He grew up playing violin. He also understands pop culture, and therefore, he knows where classical music still thrives in our modern era. Joslyn serves as the Seattle Symphony's bridge between the concert hall and the world of video games, film scores, and popular entertainment. His role is a relatively new one for a major orchestra, but it makes perfect sense in a time when the biggest audiences for orchestral music are often found in movie theaters and gaming conventions.

"It's taken culture a minute to actually give credibility to video game music," Joslyn said. He points out that for years, the work of composers like Koji Kondo and Jeremy Soule was dismissed as mere background noise. Now, sold-out symphony halls are dedicated to performing "The Legend of Zelda" or "Final Fantasy" suites. Joslyn's job is to curate these experiences, arrange the music, and help the orchestra speak the language of a generation raised on controllers and streaming. He sees his work not as dumbing down classical music, but as reminding people that the same emotional power found in a Beethoven symphony is alive and well in a modern score. The symphony, he argues, is not a museum. It is a living, breathing thing that must keep up with the culture it serves.