TwoSet Violin
{{short description|Youtube comedy duo and classical musicians}}
{{pp-blp|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox YouTube personality
| name = TwoSet Violin
| other_names = {{lang-zh|t=雙琴俠|s=双琴侠|first=t,w|labels=no}}
| logo =
| logo_caption = Twoset Logo
| image = TwoSet Violin New York October 2018 003.jpg
| caption = TwoSet Violin ({{nowrap|Brett Yang}} playing the violin while hula hooping, accompanied by {{nowrap|Eddy Chen}} on the piano), {{nowrap|Merkin Concert Hall}}, {{nowrap|New York City}} on {{nowrap|31 October 2018}}.
| birth_date = Brett Yang ({{lang-zh|t=楊博堯|s=杨博尧|first=t,w|labels=no}})
{{Birth date and age|df=yes|1992|3|3}}
Taipei, Taiwan
Eddy Chen ({{lang-zh|t=陳韋丞|s=陈韦丞|first=t,w|labels=no}})
{{Birth date and age|df=yes|1993|3|23}}
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| origin = Brisbane, Australia
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Musician
- YouTuber
}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.twosetviolin.com}}
| channel_handle = TwoSetViolin
| channel_display_name =
| years_active = 2013–2024
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Comedy
- Music
}}
| subscribers = 4.32 million
| views = 1.358 billion
| stats_update = 17 April 2025
| silver_button = yes
| silver_year = 2018
| gold_button = yes
| gold_year = 2019
}}
TwoSet Violin ({{lang-zh|t=雙琴俠|s=双琴侠|first=t,w}}) is a musical comedy duo consisting of Australian violinists and YouTubers Brett Yang ({{lang-zh|t=楊博堯|s=杨博尧|first=t,w|labels=no}} pinyin: Yángbóyáo) and Eddy Chen ({{lang-zh|t=陳韋丞|s=陈韦丞|first=t,w|labels=no}} pinyin: Chénwéichéng).{{Cite news |url=https://www.chinatimes.com/cn/realtimenews/20170829004197-260405?chdtv |title=搞笑也是一种功力！双琴侠 TwoSet Violin首度在台演出 |work=China Times |author=赵静瑜 |date=2017-08-29 |language=zh |access-date=2025-01-14 |archive-date=2021-12-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223030354/https://www.chinatimes.com/cn/realtimenews/20170829004197-260405?chdtv |url-status=live}} Yang and Chen started out posting classical covers of pop music on their YouTube channel but eventually switched focus to musical comedy videos, which gained them more viewership. Yang and Chen eventually also performed in live concerts and tours. On 14 October 2024, the duo posted that they would cease creating content as TwoSet Violin,{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-10-14 |title=TwoSet Violin calls it quits after eleven years |url=https://www.thestrad.com/news/twoset-violin-calls-it-quits-after-eleven-years/18751.article |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=The Strad |language=en}} later releasing the first of six farewell music videos.{{Cite news |last=Hernández |first=Javier |date=5 December 2024 |title=Poking Fun at Classical Music, With Wigs, Hula-Hoops and Puns |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/05/arts/music/twoset-violin-farewell.html |access-date=6 December 2024 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jExn6TXxenM |title=B²TSM - 'I'm Bach' Official MV |date=2024-12-05 |last=TwoSetViolin |access-date=2024-12-06 |via=YouTube}}
Early life and education
Brett Yang was born on 3 March 1992 in Taipei, Taiwan,{{Cite episode |title= Taking a Bow {{!}} Brett Yang + Eddy Chen |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GPbqp0qC4w |access-date=14 November 2023 |series=Australian Story |series-link=Australian Story |network=ABC TV |date=13 November 2023 |time=4m17s |quote=I was born in Taipei, Taiwan}} and Eddy Chen on 23 March 1993 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeemrEAIxQI |title=Geoguessr: Classical Music Edition |date=2 April 2021 |last=TwoSet Violin |time=6m27s |quote=Eddy: Born in Taiwan! I was born in Kaohsiung though |via=YouTube}} Both moved with their families first to New Zealand and then to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, before adolescence.
They met as young teens in an after-school maths group{{Cite interview |interviewer=Elisa Reznicek |title=Australisches Duo TwoSet Violin im Interview |url=https://www.concerti.de/interviews/twoset-violin/ |access-date=24 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024221548/https://www.concerti.de/interviews/twoset-violin/ |archive-date=24 October 2019 |url-status=live |work=Concerti.de |date=23 September 2018 |subject=TwoSet Violin |language=de}} and became acquainted as the youngest members of a youth orchestra and later as students at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in Brisbane.
Early musical careers
In 2012, Yang debuted at Queensland Conservatorium performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. He later worked with various other Australian orchestras, including a performance at the 2014 G20 Brisbane summit.
Chen was a finalist for the 2014 National Young Virtuoso Award in Queensland and played with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
As TwoSet Violin
In 2013, the duo started posting covers of pop music played on the violin on a YouTube channel. Yang said that they had viewed violin virtuosos playing covers that had garnered millions of views on YouTube; the two attempted the same but to minimal reaction. Discovering that Taiwanese-Australian violinist Ray Chen made comedic videos, they shifted their content production in a similar direction, focusing their videos on their lives at conservatory as classical musicians and as students, which led to a dramatic increase in viewership. At the end of 2016, Yang and Chen resigned their places in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra respectively to begin performing live concerts of their own.{{Cite web |title=About – Meet Brett and Eddy |url=https://www.twosetviolin.com/about |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817183410/https://www.twosetviolin.com/about |archive-date=17 August 2020 |access-date=9 August 2020 |website=TwoSet Violin official website}}
The TwoSet Violin YouTube channel received a Silver Play Button in 2018 for surpassing 100 thousand subscribers and a Gold Play Button in 2019 for surpassing 1 million subscribers.References announcing their play buttons from YouTube:
- {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FMmTs2LmmM |title=YouTube Silver Play Button? |date=23 May 2018 |last=TwoSet Violin |access-date=24 April 2019 |via=YouTube}}
- {{cite tweet|author=TwoSet Violin|user=twosetviolin | number=1000414980318027776|title=UNBOXING THE YouTube Silver Play Button!! We love you guys so much Full video https://youtu.be/-FMmTs2LmmM pic.twitter.com/EZa2bvvqbp | date=26 May 2018| access-date=24 April 2019}}
- {{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZOIqEpH3k0|title=1 Million Gold Play Button!|date=20 July 2019|via=YouTube |author=TwoSet Violin }} Classic FM's Kyle Macdonald listed TwoSet Violin as one of the "10 ways the 2010s changed classical music forever".{{Cite news |last=MacDonald |first=Kyle |date=29 December 2019 |title=10 ways the 2010s changed classical music forever |work=Classic FM |url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/2010s-classical-music-decade-review/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202031521/https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/2010s-classical-music-decade-review/ |archive-date=2 February 2020}}
In January 2020, it was announced that the duo would be attending that year's Menuhin Competition, held at Richmond, Virginia, as roving reporters;{{Cite press release |title=Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 Announces Competitors: 44 Violinists Selected from Record- High Applicant Pool; TwoSet Violin, YouTube Superstars and Classical-Music Comedy Duo, Attend Competition as Roving Reporters |date=22 January 2020 |url=https://www.richmondsymphony.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FINAL-Menuhin-2020-Competitor-Press-Release-1-22-2.pdf |access-date=24 March 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206000103/https://www.richmondsymphony.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FINAL-Menuhin-2020-Competitor-Press-Release-1-22-2.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2020 |work=Richmond Symphony Orchestra}}{{Cite web |date=22 January 2020 |title=Candidates Announced for 2020 Menuhin International Violin Competition |url=https://theviolinchannel.com/candidates-announced-for-2020-menuhin-international-violin-competition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206000058/https://theviolinchannel.com/candidates-announced-for-2020-menuhin-international-violin-competition/ |archive-date=6 February 2020 |access-date=6 February 2020 |website=The Violin Channel}} the competition was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |title=Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 |url=https://menuhincompetition.org/competition-2020/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525153609/https://menuhincompetition.org/competition-2020/ |archive-date=25 May 2019 |access-date=23 May 2020 |website=Menuhin Competition}}
On 8 February 2020, TwoSet Violin live-streamed a performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto to celebrate their achievement of two million subscribers. Yang played the solo part while Chen performed an original arrangement of the orchestral component for solo violin.{{Cite news |last=Arnold |first=Eden |date=7 May 2021 |title=Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto: Analysis In Interpretation |work=Bleeding Cool |url=https://bleedingcool.com/pop-culture/tchaikovsky-violin-concerto-analysis-in-interpretation/}}
In December 2020, the duo announced a temporary hiatus from YouTube while Yang addressed some health issues.{{Cite news |date=16 December 2020 |title=Brett Yang of TwoSet Violin to take a break |work=The Strad |publisher=Newsquest Specialist Media |url=https://www.thestrad.com/news/brett-yang-of-twoset-violin-to-take-a-break/11577.article |url-status=live |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216084434/https://www.thestrad.com/news/brett-yang-of-twoset-violin-to-take-a-break/11577.article |archive-date=16 December 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Niles |first=Laurie |date=16 December 2020 |title=TwoSet Violin Takes a Break for Health Reasons |work=Violinist.com |url=https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/202012/28575/ |url-status=live |access-date=23 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216185447/https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/202012/28575/ |archive-date=16 December 2020}} The duo made a slow return to content creation in January 2021.{{Cite news |last=Lebrecht |first=Norman |author-link=Norman Lebrecht |date=14 January 2021 |title=Happy News: TwoSet Violin are back |work=Slipped Disc |url=https://slippedisc.com/2021/01/happy-news-twoset-violin-are-back/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119190837/https://slippedisc.com/2021/01/happy-news-twoset-violin-are-back/ |archive-date=19 January 2021}}
On 30 January 2021, to celebrate their achievement of 3 million YouTube subscribers, TwoSet Violin live-streamed another performance, of Sibelius's Violin Concerto, with Chen playing the solo while Yang performed an arrangement of the orchestral component for solo violin.{{Cite news |last=Mattila |first=Mattias |date=29 January 2021 |title=Sibelius soi ensi yönä internetissä kymmenilletuhansille kuulijoille – asialla on klassisen musiikin Suomessakin vieraillut meemitehdas |language=fi |trans-title=Sibelius will play on the Internet next night to tens of thousands of listeners – a meme factory that has also visited classical music in Finland |work=Yle Uutiset |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11763615 |url-status=live |access-date=1 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202060013/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11763615 |archive-date=2 February 2021}} In May 2021, they posted videos to support the Menuhin Competition.{{Cite news |last=Rabinowitz |first=Chloe |title=Semi-Finalists in Menuhin Competition Announced |work=BroadwayWorld |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Semi-Finalists-in-Menuhin-Competition-Announced-20210506}}{{Cite news |date=18 May 2021 |title=New to YouTube | TwoSet Violin's "Secret Plan to Get Back into the Menuhin Competition" |work=The Violin Channel |url=https://theviolinchannel.com/new-to-youtube-twoset-violins-secret-plan-to-get-back-into-the-menuhin-competition/}}{{Cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Kyle |date=1 May 2021 |title=Watch the world's finest young violinists in a virtual Menuhin Competition for 2021 |work=Classic FM |url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/violin/watch-menuhin-competition-2021-performances/ |access-date=2 May 2022}}
On 7 August 2022, TwoSet Violin released a song featuring a fictional band named B2TSM, in which classical composers Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Mozart are played by the duo in an accompanying music video.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MomYN46jnVs |title=B²TSM - 'Duh Duh Duh Dum' Official MV |date=2022-08-07 |last=TwoSetViolin |access-date=2024-12-05 |via=YouTube}}
On 22 October 2022, TwoSet released a parody of Blackpink's song "Shut Down". Chen impersonated classical composer and violinst Paganini in a song and accompanying music video titled "Sell Out", which imagined how he might have critiqued Shut Down for using a motif from La Campanella.{{Cite news |date=2023-08-08 |title=TwoSet Violin: Where classical music and social media collide |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-66381403 |access-date=2024-12-06 |language=en-GB}}
On 16 November 2022, to celebrate their upcoming 4 million subscribers achievement, TwoSet Violin live-streamed a performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 and Bach's Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, BWV 1043 with support by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at the Victoria Concert Hall.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sso.org.sg/whats-on/twoset-violin-sso-mendelssohn-violin-concerto|title=TwoSet Violin & SSO: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto|work=Singapore Symphony Orchestra | access-date=17 September 2022}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/popularising-classical-music-violin-duo-twoset-s-singapore-concert-tickets-sold-out-within-minutes|title=Popularising classical music: Violin duo TwoSet's Singapore concert tickets sold out within minutes | work=The Straits Times |date=8 October 2022|first=Eddino Abdul |last=Hadi }}{{cite news | url=https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/a-dream-come-true-twoset-violins-4-mil-subs-concert/15740.article | title='A dream come true': TwoSet Violin's '4 Mil Subs' Concert | first=Cecilia | last=Tan | work=The Strad | date=17 November 2022 | access-date=17 November 2022 }} In February 2023, they hosted a music battle at the Star Performing Arts Centre in Singapore with YouTuber bassist Davie504.{{Cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/youtube-stars-twoset-violin-and-davie504-to-stage-music-battle-in-singapore|title=YouTube stars TwoSet Violin and Davie504 to stage 'music battle' in Singapore | first=Eddino Abdul | last=Hadi | date=10 January 2023|work=The Straits Times}}
{{Cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/music-picks-concerts-by-twoset-and-davie504-chok-kerong-and-vanessa-fernandez-and-syafiqah-adha-sallehin|title=Music Picks: Concerts by Twoset and Davie504, Chok Kerong and Vanessa Fernandez, and Syafiqah 'Adha Sallehin | first=Eddino Abdul | last=Hadi | date=16 February 2023 | work=The Straits Times}} In November 2023, the group was featured on Australian Story on ABC TV.{{cite web | last1=Scott | first1=Leisa | last2=Armstrong | first2=Rebecca | title=How YouTube stars Brett and Eddy of TwoSet Violin brought comedy to classical music | website=ABC News | date=13 November 2023 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-13/two-set-violin-brett-yang-eddy-chen-australian-story/102909104 | access-date=22 November 2023}}{{cite web | title=Brett Yang + Eddy Chen | website=ABC News | date=13 November 2023 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-13/taking-a-bow-brett-yang-eddy-chen-australian-story-twoset-violin/103100430 | access-date=22 November 2023| format=video}}
On 14 October 2024, the duo announced that they would stop producing content under the name "TwoSet Violin". Most of their Instagram posts were deleted, and the majority of the videos on their YouTube channel were taken down, leaving only 29 that they considered to be the "crème de la crème".{{Cite news |last=Lim |first=Ruey Yan |date=2024-10-15 |title=Violin duo TwoSet Violin 'ending our chapter' after 11 years |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/music-duo-twoset-violin-ending-our-chapter-after-11-years |access-date=2024-10-16 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}} On 5 December 2024, the channel was rebranded to match the theme of their fictional band "B2TSM", although their channel name stayed the same. A day later, as B2TSM, the first of six farewell music videos was posted to YouTube.
It was later revealed in a livestream that their intent was to temporarily present their channel "like we're just teleporting to B2TSM universe ... for these six videos it's just B2TSM". They believed their fans were no longer watching their old content, so they only left up what they thought were their best pieces of content for newcomers. However, due to backlash from fans, they made the decision to restore all their old videos onto their channel.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqeGASTNkww |title=We answer everything |date=21 December 2024 |last=TwoSet Violin |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |last=CHANNEL |first=THE VIOLIN |date=2024-12-30 |title=TwoSet Violin Says Goodbye With Final Six-Part Video Series |url=https://theviolinchannel.com/twoset-violin-says-goodbye-with-a-final-six-part-video-series/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=World's Leading Classical Music Platform |language=en-US}}
Tours
With KickStarter as their fundraising method along with street performance in Sydney, they raised enough money to go on a worldwide tour in 2017 to 11 cities in 10 countries in Asia and Europe, including Taipei, Helsinki, and Frankfurt.{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Violin World Tour |url=https://www.musiikkitalo.fi/en/content/twoset-violin-world-tour |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019004535/https://www.musiikkitalo.fi/en/content/twoset-violin-world-tour |archive-date=19 October 2018 |access-date=18 October 2018 |website=Helsinki Music Centre}}{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Violin World Tour Frankfurt – 14 October 2018 |url=https://www.evensi.de/twoset-violin-world-tour-frankfurt-saalbau-gallus/263405367 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018201722/https://www.evensi.de/twoset-violin-world-tour-frankfurt-saalbau-gallus/263405367 |archive-date=18 October 2018 |access-date=18 October 2018 |via=Evensi}} In 2018, they performed in several places in the United States including New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Violin World Tour – Wednesday,October 31 2018, 7 pm |url=https://www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/twoset-violin-world-tour/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411002906/https://www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/twoset-violin-world-tour/ |archive-date=11 April 2019 |access-date=18 October 2018 |website=Kaufman Music Center}}{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Violin World Tour San Francisco, San Francisco CA – Nov 17, 2018 – 7:30 PM |date=17 November 2018 |url=https://www.415area.com/california/san-francisco/events/317733/twoset-violin-world-tour-san-francisco.htm |via=415area.com}}{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Violin World Tour Los Angeles |url=https://www.colburnschool.edu/calendar/events/twoset-violin-world-tour-los-angeles/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411002909/https://www.colburnschool.edu/calendar/events/twoset-violin-world-tour-los-angeles/ |archive-date=11 April 2019 |access-date=18 October 2018 |website=Colburn School}}
In October 2019, TwoSet announced another world tour where they planned to visit multiple locations in Oceania, Europe, Asia and North America.{{Cite tweet |number=1181215897584721922 |user=TwoSetViolin |title=We've just released our world tour lineup! Visit http://twosetviolin.com/worldtour to see if we're coming to your city! Where else should we go? 👀 |author=TwoSet Violin |date=7 October 2019}} However, the tour was postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a virtual world tour event was held instead on 28 December 2021.{{Cite interview |interviewer=Laurie Niles |title=Exclusive Interview with TwoSet Violin: Announcing 2021 Virtual World Tour |url=https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20219/28923/ |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=Violinist.com |date=24 September 2021 |subject=TwoSet Violin}}{{Cite news |last=Arnold |first=Eden |date=11 January 2022 |title=TwoSet Violin Takes Classical Music Education Virtual with World Tour |work=Bleeding Cool |url=https://bleedingcool.com/tv/twoset-violin-takes-classical-music-education-virtual-with-world-tour/}}
On 16 November 2022, they announced an upcoming world tour for 2023–24. On 1 April 2023, they released their official world tour announcement on their YouTube channel, including a list of 29 cities that they will be touring, and dates to be announced subsequently.{{cite web |url=https://worldtour.twosetviolin.com/ |title=TwoSet Violin World Tour |author= |date= 1 April 2023 |website=TwoSet Violin|access-date=2 April 2023}}{{cite web | url=https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/not-to-be-missed-twoset-violins-world-tour/16712.article | title=The Strad - 'Not to be missed' - TwoSet Violin's World Tour }}{{Cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/tv/twoset-violin-share-world-tour-announcement-video-27-cities-confirmed/|title=TwoSet Violin Share World Tour Announcement Video; 27 Cities Confirmed|first=Eden|last=Arnold|date=4 April 2023|website=bleedingcool.com}}
Videos and themes
In 2017, TwoSet Violin made a comedic reference to Ling Ling, a fictional violinist who "practices 40 hours a day". In an interview with Yle Uutiset, they described Ling Ling as the final boss of a video game: the Chuck Norris of violinists. Chen said they improvised the character from their comedy sketch video concerning a teenage violin student's tiger mom comparing the student to her friend's child.{{Cite web |last=Matilla |first=Mattias |date=11 October 2018 |title=Tämän kaksikon sketsejä on katsottu somessa jo satoja miljoonia kertoja – meemien ja klassisen musiikin yhdistelmä osoittautui hittireseptiksi |trans-title=This duo's sketches have been watched hundreds of millions of times in Finland – the combination of memes and classical music turned out to be a hit recipe |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10442353 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110040501/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10442353 |archive-date=10 November 2018 |access-date=10 November 2018 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}} In 2018, they released a series of videos called the Ling Ling Workout. In these challenges, the duo play classical pieces (or contemporary music) with handicaps such as playing at double speed, with scordatura, while dancing or hula hooping, with hand positions reversed, or while upside down. Prominent violinists such as Ray Chen, Ziyu He, and Hilary Hahn have also attempted the challenge on their channel.{{Cite news |last=Kim |first=Alina |title=TwoSet Violin Perfects Their Practice |work=Chicago Maroon |url=https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2018/11/29/twoset-violin-perfects-practice/ |url-status=live |access-date=22 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223030227/https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2018/11/30/twoset-violin-perfects-practice/ |archive-date=23 December 2018}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.thestrad.com/video/hilary-hahn-does-the-ling-ling-workout/8468.article |title=Hilary Hahn does the Ling Ling Workout (video) |date=17 December 2018 |via=The Strad}}{{Cite news |last=Parker |first=Liz |date=24 October 2018 |title=Niccolò Paganini, perhaps violin's first rock star, was born on October 27 |work=The New Classical FM |publisher=Zoomer Media |location=Canada |url=http://www.classicalfm.ca/station-blog/2018/10/24/niccolo-paganini-perhaps-violins-first-rock-star-born-october-27/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021182117/http://classicalfm.ca/station-blog/2018/10/24/niccolo-paganini-perhaps-violins-first-rock-star-born-october-27/ |archive-date=21 October 2019}}
In July 2018, they released a series of videos in which they performed classical music using rubber chickens. Recurring themes include violin charades,{{Cite web |last=Johari |first=Aarefa |date=1 January 2019 |title=New Year smiles: Want to play like a world-class musician without actually being one? Watch this |url=https://scroll.in/article/907459/new-year-smiles-want-to-play-like-a-world-class-musician-without-actually-being-one-watch-this |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709164710/https://scroll.in/article/907459/new-year-smiles-want-to-play-like-a-world-class-musician-without-actually-being-one-watch-this |archive-date=9 July 2019 |access-date=9 July 2019 |website=Scroll.in}} trying out various instruments, and viola jokes.{{Cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Kyle |date=18 November 2020 |title=19 memes to prove musicians have a warped sense of humour |work=Classic FM |url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/humour/memes-prove-musicians-warped-sense-of-humour/}}
Another popular video series consists of reviews of film and TV show scenes that feature violin playing, in which Yang and Chen critique egregiously fake performances.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Kyle |date=3 January 2019 |title=Actors being roasted by two professional violinists is hilariously brutal |url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/humour/high-strung-twoset-roast/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721075832/https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/humour/high-strung-twoset-roast/ |archive-date=21 July 2019 |access-date=21 July 2019 |website=Classic FM}}{{Cite news |last=Benzon |first=Bill |date=3 February 2020 |title=TwoSet Violin, The Best Thing In Music Education Since Sliced Bread |work=3 Quarks Daily |url=https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2020/02/twoset-violin-the-best-thing-in-music-education-since-sliced-bread.html}} On April Fools' Day 2019, they claimed they discovered a new Double Violin Concerto by J.S. Bach.{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Elizabeth |date=1 April 2019 |title=These are the best musical April Fools of 2019 |work=Classic FM |url=https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/best-musical-april-fools-2019/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721075832/https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/best-musical-april-fools-2019/ |archive-date=21 July 2019}}
In September 2018, TwoSet Violin uploaded a reaction video to a BBC News story titled "Fastest Violinist in the World", in which they challenged violinist Ben Lee's Guinness World Record claim of playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" for what they perceived to be significant inaccuracy. They satirically timed themselves purposefully playing random fast notes before declaring they had broken the world record.
TwoSet Violin, in addition with their usual content, has also posted music and films mainly composed by themselves and Jordon He. In October of 2020, they released a video titled "Prelude", a short piece composed and played by TwoSet Violin and He. In June 2022, they posted "FANTASIA", a short film written by the duo, that contained several pieces composed by themselves and He, consisting of the previously mentioned 'Prelude', as well as three new pieces: 'Scherzo', 'Adagio', and 'Rhapsody'. The film also includes a guest appearance of Chloe Chua.{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Violin Release Stunning Short Film, "Fantasia" |url=https://popnerdlounge.com/read/twoset-violin-fantasia |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=Pop Nerd Lounge |date=3 June 2022 |language=en-US}}{{importance-inline|date=November 2022}}{{better source needed|date=November 2022}}
Other ventures
TwoSet has a clothing line called TwoSet Apparel.{{Cite news |last=Goh |first=Bryan |date=27 April 2021 |title=Inside TwoSet Apparel, the Streetwear Line by The Duo behind TwoSet Violin |work=Men's Folio |url=https://www.mens-folio.com/87488/twoset-apparel-streetwear-line-twoset-violin/}}{{Cite news |last=Paget |first=Clive |date=13 May 2021 |title=The Planets align as TwoSet Violin launches fashion range |work=Limelight |url=https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/the-planets-align-as-twoset-violin-launches-a-fashion-range-for-musos/ |url-access=subscription}}
TwoSet has a podcast called TwoSet Talks.{{Cite web |title=TwoSet Talks |url=https://www.youtube.com/@TwoSetTalks |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=YouTube |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist|refs=
{{Cite news |last=Ball |first=Meghna |date=13 April 2017 |title=Brisbane YouTubers Twoset Violin and their global quest to preserve classical music |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-14/brisbane-youtubers-twoset-violin-raise-money-world-tour/8443132 |url-status=live |access-date=18 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430041010/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-14/brisbane-youtubers-twoset-violin-raise-money-world-tour/8443132 |archive-date=30 April 2018}}
{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Charlotte |date=28 February 2022 |title=Who are TwoSet Violin? All you need to know about the YouTube stars |work=BBC Music Magazine |url=https://www.classical-music.com/features/artists/who-are-twoset-violin-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-youtube-stars/ |access-date=2 May 2022}}
{{Cite news |date=25 March 2017 |title=TwoSet Violin are launching a crowdfunded world tour |work=Classic FM (UK) |url=https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/humour/twoset-violin-tour-crowdfunding/ |url-status=live |access-date=18 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506090345/http://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/humour/twoset-violin-tour-crowdfunding/ |archive-date=6 May 2018}}
{{Cite web |last=Alton |first=Jenna |date=16 August 2018 |title=The Clean Cut: Classical musician creates impressive version of Pachelbel's Canon using rubber chickens |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900028386/the-clean-cut-classical-musician-creates-impressive-version-of-pachelbels-canon-using-rubber-chickens.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019042502/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900028386/the-clean-cut-classical-musician-creates-impressive-version-of-pachelbels-canon-using-rubber-chickens.html |archive-date=19 October 2018 |access-date=18 October 2018 |website=Deseret News}}
{{Cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Chris |date=1 August 2018 |title=Wacky World of Rubber: Making music with rubber chickens |url=http://www.rubbernews.com/article/20180801/NEWS/180809994/wacky-world-of-rubber-making-music-with-rubber-chickens |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009123758/http://www.rubbernews.com/article/20180801/NEWS/180809994/wacky-world-of-rubber-making-music-with-rubber-chickens |archive-date=9 October 2018 |access-date=18 October 2018 |website=Rubber & Plastics News |publisher=Crain Communications}}
{{Cite news |last=Rochester |first=Marc |date=9 October 2017 |title=Classical music meets comedy |work=The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/classical-music-meets-comedy |url-status=live |access-date=18 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411002907/https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/classical-music-meets-comedy |archive-date=11 April 2019}}
{{Cite news |last=Sergi |first=Justin |date=12 October 2016 |title=Twoset Violin Offer A Guide to Understanding Conservatory Friends |work=WQXR |url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/twoset-violin-guide-understanding-music-conservatory-friends/ |url-status=live |access-date=18 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411002911/https://www.wqxr.org/story/twoset-violin-guide-understanding-music-conservatory-friends/ |archive-date=11 April 2019}}
}}
External links
{{Commons category|TwoSet Violin}}
- {{Official website|twosetviolin.com}}
- [https://www.b2tsmofficial.com Official website of fictional band B2TSM, created by TwoSet Violin]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Australian comedy musicians
Category:Australian classical violinists
Category:Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University alumni
Category:Musicians from Brisbane
Category:Australian musical duos
Category:21st-century Australian male musicians
Category:21st-century Australian musicians
Category:YouTube channels launched in 2013
Category:21st-century violinists
Category:Sydney Symphony Orchestra people
Category:Male classical violinists
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)