Although, honestly, at first, I worried it might be a terrible idea.
On my very first day at Classical California, I couldn’t help but wonder: would our traditional classical music listeners really be open to a little Mario in the morning? Master Chief on the drive to school? Or maybe a journey through the ages of Myst during The Great Escape?
I grew up in a musically diverse household where Beethoven, Ravel, and Gershwin lived right alongside Leslie Bricusse and John Williams. My parents—and I—never saw a difference between music written for the concert hall and music written for the screen. So when I started formal music training and noticed how many teachers dismissed movie or game music as “less than,” it drove me a little crazy.
My mission became clear: change those opinions.
On October 31, 2023, we launched Classical California’s Arcade—a 24/7 stream that brings together beloved video game scores, hidden indie gems, and classical pieces that have found a new life and new fans in gaming. The idea was simple: to prove there’s no real divide between “classical” and “game” music. Good music is good music. And good music deserves to be heard.
Two years later, Arcade has connected with so many of you in amazing ways. Listeners have discovered the emotional depth of composers like Jessica Curry and Austin Wintory—even if they’ve never picked up a controller. You’ve told me Arcade energizes your workday, sparks conversations with friends and family, and provides a welcome escape from the stresses of daily life. One listener even shared that the stream inspired her to start playing video games for the first time, reconnecting with her stepson through shared adventures on-screen.
In that spirit, I’m so excited to share some of the best new music to hit the gaming scene over the past two years as part of a complete relaunch or the stream you already love. All of your favorites are still there, but there are new stories to tell. You’ll journey to a magical bayou, the delicate and haunted city of Lumiere, the front lines of a battle to defend Super Earth, and through an ancient Chinese legend reborn for the modern era.
Some of your favorite classical artists are also diving in—Ray Chen, Daniil Trifonov, Esther Abrami, and Lang Lang are all celebrating their love of gaming with new recordings. We’ll even explore fresh, modern works that capture that same spirit of adventure and discovery. Oh—and did I mention a selection from the composer who literally created the sound of Godzilla?
Thanks to you, Arcade keeps growing. We’ve hosted the first Arcade Live broadcast, presented talks on game music at the Game Developers Conference and the Association of California Symphony Orchestras, and there’s even more to come in 2026.
Two years have flown by in what feels like a heartbeat. Thank you for joining me on this adventure. I can’t wait to see where the journey takes us next.
Stream Arcade with Jennifer Miller Hammel
Classical California’s Jennifer Miller Hammel takes the controller to enchant you with hours and hours of today and yesterday’s music for interactive games, plus classical pieces used in games or that inspired today’s composers.
