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Nobuo Uematsu Returns to Concert Tour in 2019, But Composing Work Still on Hold

Game music composer Nobuo Uematsu announced on his blog on Monday that he will resume attending concerts in 2019, but the time frame for his return to composing is still undecided. He posted the following message in Japanese and English:

Hello, this is Nobuo Uematsu. It has been a while since I last updated my blog. And I'm sorry to make you all worry. The timing to start composing again is still undecided, but from next year, I'm planning to attend domestic concerts little by little. Thank you.

Uematsu announced in September that he is on hiatus from his work for the rest of the year in order to rest and recuperate from an unspecified illness. He commented that his fatigue has made it "mentally and physically difficult" to continue working, and that he will return once he has made a full recovery. The composer noted that he "cannot commit to a method or time frame" for his return.

Uematsu cancelled his October 7 "Game o Irodoru Orchestra" concert with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa due to his "continuing poor health."

The concert at the Ishikawa Ongakudō hall would have been the first orchestral concert covering the breadth of Uematsu's game collaborations with game director Hironobu Sakaguchi. The two have worked together on various game franchises including Final Fantasy, Blue Dragon, and Terra Battle. Uematsu also scored the Chrono Trigger game (with primary composer Yasunori Mitsuda), the Blue Dragon anime, the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children film, Ah! My Goddess: The Movie, and Guin Saga.

Uematsu appeared at Otakon in Washington, D.C. in August for two Final Fantasy concerts.

Source: Sources: Nobuo Uematsu's official blog via Hachima Kikō