To celebrate Xbox’s 20th anniversary today, the Sydney Youth Orchestra and Kamilaroi man Paul Glass performed a haunting rendition of the Halo theme.
Filmed in the Royal Botanical Gardens on Gadigal Land, the orchestra played at dusk as the sun set over Sydney Harbour in the background. It was a spectacular scene, made even better by the lights set up among the orchestra to give the performance the epic feel and aesthetic of Halo.
The Halo theme song is a beautiful piece of music, and this live rendition was one of the best we’ve heard. It was made even more special by the inclusion of Kamilaroi man Paul Glass playing the didgeridoo. The song has been given the orchestral treatment dozens of times, but this is the first time First Nations people have been included.
“Australia has always had a deep love for Halo and Xbox, so it’s been great to not only celebrate the 20th anniversary of this brand and iconic franchise, but the upcoming launch of Halo Infinite on December 9,” said Tania Chee, Xbox Business Lead for ANZ.
“As one of the most anticipated releases of the 2021, it’s been great to see an original, authentically Australian take on the series’ iconic music.”
“Sydney Youth Orchestras and Xbox ANZ have been in talks for some time now, and it feels great to finally get the chance to work together on such a momentous occasion for the brand,” said Mia Patoulios, Chief Executive Officer for Sydney Youth Orchestras.
The performance was part of the Xbox Anniversary Celebration and was followed by the news that the Halo Infinite multiplayer is now available on Xbox Game Pass ahead of the game’s December launch. You’ll be able to keep all your progress in the multiplayer when the full game releases, too.
