High Score reveals jam-packed full conference program

Leading international experts join home-grown heroes of games audio

Ten scholarships up for grabs, including two for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators/publishers

High Score has unveiled its full program ahead of the not-to-be-missed games audio conference at the LCI Melbourne/Naarm on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October.

This year’s event, which is part of Melbourne International Games Week, boasts over 20 individual events, from panels and presentations to masterclasses and workshops covering all aspects of games music.

Presented by APRA AMCOS, in partnership with the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, and sponsored by Music Australia and FMOD, High Score’s two-day program is available to attend in-person or online. In-person tickets are $120 with livestream-only passes just $25.

Minister for Creative Industries, Colin Brooks, said: “Victoria is the music capital of Australia and has a thriving digital games industry. The Victorian Government is proud to back High Score, which brings these together to showcase the best local and international talent and create more opportunities for our digital games musicians, composers and sound artists.”

Key highlights of this year’s program include:

Leading international experts

Joining previously announced keynote speaker, Richard Lapington from Remedy Entertainment (Alan Wake 2), additional international guests just announced include Sonia Coronado, LA-based senior music designer from Sony PlayStation (God of War: Ragnarok and Helldivers 2); Finland-based Australian Brooke Maggs (Control and The Gardens Between) who is the narrative lead for Remedy Entertainment's Max Payne remake; and Byron Webb from Aotearoa who will breaking down his use of traditional Māori instrumentation on the game Toroa: Skylines.

Spotlighting local success

In addition to Aussie closing keynote speakers, Montaigne and Yon Hall (Stray Gods), NT-based and AGDA-nominated Larrikin Studios (Diets & Deities) will be discussing the unique process of obtaining cultural consent for their game; Naarm-based Michael Theiler will bust open the creepy FMOD session for survival horror game Sons of the Forest; and High Score's notorious Speedruns will return, where five local composers and sound designers get just five minutes to fully explain their most important industry tip.

Artificial Intelligence

Presenter Rad Yeo (Good Game Spawn Point), APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston, composer John Oestmann, lecturer Dr Sam Whiting and designer/lecturer Dr Susannah Emery will discuss the controversial and everchanging realities of AI for creatives, with a deep dive into the state of play for game audio.

Practical advice for ALL levels

Experienced game audio freelancers, including Belinda Coomes and Matt Schenkel, will be joined by accountant Luke Henry and Arts Law CEO Dr Louise Buckingham to give practical advice and answer questions for all levels of careers. There’ll also be perspectives from inside and outside the gaming community with speakers including psychologists Ash King from Support Act and Carly Dober, along with Bryon Scullin, sound artist and co-founder of MESS.

Meet up opportunities

Each day between panels, attendees will get the opportunity to meet and ask questions of the speakers, plus there’ll be a focused workshop on how to network and make impactful connections. All attendees and speakers are invited to the Saturday night mixer event at nearby rock'n'roll bar, Lulie Tavern, presented by VMDO.

This year’s co-curators are creative director, composer and sound designer, Amy McNickle, and musician, broadcaster and composer, Tim Shiel.

Shiel explains: “This year’s High Score is going to be one of our best yet, with some of the world's most inspired game audio experts flying in to share their knowledge, plus our local community's most active composers and sound designers.

“High Score is not just about what you can learn or about being inspired creatively, it's about the people in the room coming together as peers, as potential colleagues, as friends old and new. At its best, it’s a place where game audio workers - present and future - can come together and start brewing up positive outcomes not just for themselves, but for the broader community they are a part of. "

This year’s High Score scholarship program has also been announced, giving music creators and music publishers living outside of metropolitan Melbourne the chance to apply to attend the conference, thanks to Music Australia.

The scholarships include travel, accommodation and entry, with ten up for grabs, including two for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators. Scholarship applications are open now until 10am (AEST) on Monday 9 September.

High Score is where Australia’s game audio community gathers to learn, network and celebrate the use of music and sound in video games. It’s open to music and sound creators of all levels, as well as games industry who want to explore the important role that music and audio play in game design and experience.

For more information, to book or apply for a scholarship, visit: apraamcos.com.au/HighScore24