In a new adventure for the violinist, Daniel Hope has collaborated with games company HoYoverse to perform music from the highly-anticipated video game Honkai: Star Rail.

Marking the release of the game on 26 April 2023, Hope has recorded the theme music for the fictitious city of Belobog, with an ensemble of musicians. Writing music for a video game was also new for the composer Tan Dun, who described it as a way of channeling the energy of music to reach and appeal to future generations.

’For me, there is something very thrilling in making music on an instrument that is 280 years old for a game that is brand new,’ said Hope of the collaboration, for which he played on a 1742 Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin.

The soundtrack of Honkai: Star Rail is available on Spotify, Apple Music and major music platforms.

What’s your favourite soundtrack from a video game? Let us know in the comments below, or email thestrad@thestrad.com

Best of Technique

In The Best of Technique you’ll discover the top playing tips of the world’s leading string players and teachers. It’s packed full of exercises for students, plus examples from the standard repertoire to show you how to integrate the technique into your playing.

Masterclass

The Strad’s Masterclass series brings together the finest string players with some of the greatest string works ever written. Always one of our most popular sections, Masterclass has been an invaluable aid to aspiring soloists, chamber musicians and string teachers since the 1990s.

Calendars

This year’s calendar celebrates the top instruments played by members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony, Australian String Quartet and some of the country’s greatest soloists.