Loved hearing my favorite modern composer played by a full symphony—total feast for the ears and eyes, and the crowd of music lovers was just awesome.
add_circle Pros
- A crew of young, insanely talented musicians who clearly love what they do
- Modern arrangements turn Einaudi’s piano pieces into lush, full‑orchestra soundscapes
- A high‑energy vibe with an enthusiastic crowd that lifts the whole performance
- Stunning visual production – the lighting and stage design perfectly complement the music
- Great value for money given the top‑notch performance and production
- Ticket buying was a breeze and customer support kept me in the loop
- The hall’s acoustic balance let every instrument shine without getting drowned out
remove_circle Cons
- The seats were a bit cramped, so you can’t really stretch out during the longer pieces
- Ticket prices leaned on the higher side for a one‑night show
- The setlist left out a few fan‑favorite Einaudi tracks that many hoped to hear live
- The sound mix sometimes favored the brass, which muffled the delicate piano lines a bit
- The intermission was short, leaving little time for a proper break or snack run
- Some promo materials used confusing abbreviations like "CAGMO" without any explanation
Gallery
Editor's Summary
I caught the CAGMO Orchestra’s Ludovico Einaudi concert and it was a total feast for the ears and eyes. The young players brought a fresh, almost youthful buzz to the familiar piano works, swelling them into full‑blown symphonic moments that felt both intimate and grand. The crowd vibe was electric – you could feel the collective gasp when the strings rose, and the venue’s lighting gave the whole night a cinematic glow, like a movie scene. The acoustic balance let every instrument shine, and the stage design added a visual punch that kept my eyes glued to the performance. It wasn’t cheap, but the experience felt worth every penny, and I left humming the melodies on the way home.
Specifications
Hey everyone, hope you’re having a good day!
I’ve been a fan of Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi forever – you probably know his music from movies like “The Intouchables” or “Black Swan.” When an ad for his concert showed up, I grabbed two tickets on the spot and started figuring out who I’d bring and how to get there. 😄
The CAGMO orchestra completely blew me away. Most of the players are young, insanely talented, and you can tell they love what they do. The show was fantastic, I had a blast, and I’m pumped to share the details.
About the orchestra
This isn’t your typical classical ensemble – they focus on popular music that’s been re‑imagined for a full symphonic sound. The name CAGMO threw me off at first, but it actually stands for Cinema Anime Game Music Orchestra. The blurb below clears things up.
CAGMO is a leading world‑class symphonic orchestra that focuses on modern music arrangements.
Their concert repertoire includes “Symphony of King and Jester,” “The Witcher Symphony,” “Attack on Titan Symphony,” “The Beatles Symphony,” “Game of Thrones Symphony,” and more.
Program “Ludovico Einaudi by Candlelight”
I saw the show on January 31, 2025, at KZ Moscow (inside the Island of Dreams park).
At the entrance of the Moscow concert hall
The next one is set for March 6, 2025, at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music on Povarskaya.
CAGMO presents a concert program inspired by the great composer – “Einaudi Soundtracks by Candlelight,” performed by strings and piano.
Ludovico Einaudi is a renowned Italian composer and pianist, one of the most prominent voices in contemporary classical music, and the mind behind scores for popular films like “The Intouchables,” “Black Swan,” “This Is England,” “Nomadland,” and many others. His moving music became an integral part of the French film “The Intouchables” and won over audiences worldwide. Einaudi’s atmospheric soundtracks added depth to the movies and played a big role in their global acclaim.
The concert ran a little over the advertised 85 minutes. They played 15 pieces from the setlist (available on the orchestra’s site) plus an encore that earned a huge round of applause.
And there was definitely an audience! About 30 musicians took the stage.
Photo during the bows
You can read more about some of the players on the CAGMO website. The group is pretty multinational, which I think is awesome.
How did it sound?
Even though the hall looked simple on the outside, the acoustics were solid. Every corner of the room soaked up the music equally. The strings and piano rang out freely and full‑bodied.
Before the concertBesides the VIP, A and B orchestra seats (where the photo was taken), you could hear and see everything clearly even from the balcony.
Einaudi’s music is genuinely pleasant and uplifting. The setlist mixed lyrical pieces with more energetic ones, so even folks hearing him for the first time could find something that resonated.
How it looked?
It was striking. Candles would have been nice, but the production went all out with color and smoke to amp up the visual impact.
From my seat it was gorgeous, yet I kept picturing the musicians seeing all those colored glows reflected on their music stands instead of a dark audience.
I have to admit, I’d just survived a hectic work week before Friday’s show. So slipping into the dark, warm, cozy hall while the music—my go‑to nighttime soundtrack—filled the air, I started to yawn and nod off in the second half, just like those bored theater‑goers. The light show snapped me back. Seriously.
When the fixtures lit the room at eye level, I was jolted back to reality thinking, “Whoa, am I driving on a highway?”
Audience
It was nice to see couples of all ages, families with kids, and lone Einaudi fans who, like me, just couldn’t miss it. Everyone behaved—no chatting, no rustling, phones off—without any reminders.
Tickets
Ticket prices weren’t cheap: 3,300 RUB for balcony seats up to over 13,000 RUB for VIP orchestra spots. But I tell myself the orchestra is huge, they need good meals—just like the crew behind the scenes.
If I catch another CAGMO concert, say Hans Zimmer, I’ll buy tickets straight from their website. It seems a bit cheaper there.
Bottom line
After the concert I walked out feeling like I’d just done something amazing))) Even though I was mostly just watching, listening, and even dozing a bit. It was such a treat to hear my favorite music performed by talented musicians and to see that a lot of people know and love Einaudi’s pieces. I’d recommend "Ludovico Einaudi by Candlelight" especially to fans of the Italian composer, and for everyone else just check out the repertoire of the CAGMO orchestra – you might find a concert that clicks with you! Plus, the shows aren’t limited to Moscow; they pop up in many Russian cities too.
