😏"Fortunately the standard was exceptionally low this year. so we'd like you to stay as our star students - I'm sure we could do something with one of you" -- Erin to Ben, quietly aside: "Didin't you say Hannah needed a page turner"? "Oh yes, let's keep the handsome one". 😂
This looks good for Curtis but Brett and Eddie are both exceptional players that I think people sometimes forget. Brett and Eddie would have approached them but Curtis probably jumped at the chance
Regardless of how they're playing, I think it's a little bit more than just "a fun video". 1.2M views is quite something. Even if Curtis doesn't need any promotion, I'm sure relevance and therefore promotion of classical music is in their general interest and TwoSet does more for promotion of classical music than many a virtuoso.
but if Curtis is really the best music school, Juilliard, Berklee? it is mainly marketing...same with all the Ivy League schools...they have to find people who pay these ridiculous tuition...there are world class musicians who went to universities in Europe in Germany ...without any tuition...e.g. Anne Sophie Mutter, Julia Fischer etc. etc. ...German cars, mp3, Biontech vaccine etc. etc. are/were developed by engineers who studiey at German universities...no tuition...if stupid people want to pay 6figure sums ...in the end it is not about quality but networking
@@debbiegilbert5393 no - it is lower but not free „100% of enrolled undergraduate students have received grants or scholarship aid and the average grant amount is $14,111. After receiving the financial aid, the net price is $13,834 including tuition, fees, books & supplies costs, and living costs. Its undergraduate tuition and fees are much lower than the average amount of similar schools' tuition ($38,862 - Private (not-for-profit) School of art, music, and design).“
@@tillm2481 Just to be clear, there is no tuition costs since it is full tuition scholarships for everyone who is accepted. The cited cost though sounds about right for someone who would lives on campus and gets an average amount of aid.
The Curtis audition is NUTS man, only 27 students of all the participants got accepted last year; Not only is the requirement for the PRE-SCEENING harder than most actual in person auditions (1 movement of concerto, one mvmt of a Mozart concerto, 1 Bach Sonata or Partita and one Paganini caprice). The full audition is just complete insanity, having to not just learn but perfect and memorize a Full Violin Concerto A full Mozart Concerto (within the style which is extremely hard to do) A full complete Bach Sonata/Partita and to top it all off A Paganini caprice. Doing this all before the age of 18 is something that only the most talented if talents can do, so they have a level of respect from me like no others.
@@timeoftheend9516 This "school", the Curtis Institute of Music, is one of the top private conservatories in the world, with an extremely low acceptance rate. I highly doubt they require TwoSet Violin to advertise them to those who wish to pursue music, as it very much is the Gold Standard of music conservatories, along with the Julliard School, Berklee College of Music etc. Let's just consider this a friendly collaboration.
@@timeoftheend9516 I highly doubt Curtis needs any advertisement, it's already renowned as the best music school in the world. It's a free Institute with already way too many applicants every year, it would be a waste of time and money...
This is an ad for Curtis. And it's darned effective. This is what happens when genuinely dedicated and capable musicians meet remarkable instructors. Great video.
@@bassistheplace246 it probably isn't an ad in the sense that curtis payed twoset to come, more in the sense that twoset was really positive about curtis without curtis telling them to be
@@bassistheplace246 I didn’t mean it quite so literally… I meant that’s essentially the effect, because it was so well presented and the instructors were so effective.
I love how Brett chose Mendelssohn to audition because he wants advice from Curtis teachers so he can hopefully nail it for the 4mil Mendelssohn live stream. Edit: Thanks for the likes
That female teacher is amazing, such clear instruction and changes that IMMEDIATELY made Brett's sound improved so much. I can see how good of a school Curtis is. When they already have immensely talented students paired with efficient instruction it makes sense the level of musician they produce. Edit: Both instructors just make their violins sing, and its beautiful to watch and hear.
Yes, that's why some instructors are world famous and very good students will cross oceans to take their lessons. In the last century, Nadia Boulanger and Alfred Cortot(piano) in Paris were such instructors. Check out videos on Nadia Boulanger. The number of world famous musicians of all horizons and music styles who were her students is mind blowing, from Aaron Copland to Quincy Jones, Philip Glass and Astor Piazzola.
Living in Minnesota, was shocked to see Erin Keefe in the video. Fortunate to have heard her for years as the concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra.
@@januarygirl2630 That's okay! If you're ever interested in taking a closer look into classical music I suggest starting with chamber music--it's much less intense than what Twoset usually plays.
As a teacher myself I gotta shout out to those amazing teachers! Both were really quick at picking up errors and pinpointing the source of the errors; they both gave very clear instructions despite having very different teaching styles and managed to push but still encourage their students. I guess you’d have to be that good to teach some of the world’s best students, but damn those students are privileged (if I may say that) to receive education at this level and quality. Also imagine how hard it would be trying to land a teaching job at Curtis… The CVs you’d need to have, the test-teach auditions you’d have to give, and the written exams you’d have to nail… My teacher ass hurts just imagining how competitive it would be, that’s basically the Ling Ling Olympics for music teachers…
The two teachers in the video both graduated from Curtis themselves. Of course, they've also had a great career as performers before coming back to teach at the Institute, but it may help to have "connections"...
So true. When I was starting my musical journey, I always thought that all music teachers are equally good because you have be good to be a teacher, right? Now that I have had the priviledge to study with some amazing teachers at my music school (not Curtis though), I have started to realize what the great teachers do that the average don't. The great ones let you know very clearly what is wrong, but in a way that doesn't discourage the young musician, and they know about the subject so much that they give you enough details so that the root of the problem becomes apparent. The average teacher just tells you "that didn't sound so good, try again", and isn't able to dissect your mistakes with such detail as the great teacher.
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia connections or not doesnt matter if you're a good fucking teacher. idk why u automatically gotta go back to having connections or not?
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia Erin Keefe is currently the concert master of the Minnesota Orchestra, and is also very approachable. My daughter had the opportunity to briefly interact with her following a community orchestra concert, in which Ms. Keefe was a part. She answered my daughter's questions and encouraged her to keep playing. She also agreed to having her picture taken with my daughter. When my daughter saw Ms. Keefe on this video, you can be sure she was pretty excited.
Hilary Hahn trained at the Curtis Institute of Music under the instruction of Jascha Brodsky. She fulfilled the requirements for her bachelor's degree at 16, but stayed at Curtis taking graduate courses until she was 19 to avoid the burnout that often happens with prodigies.
As a former pianist who left the music world for a job in engineering, I ugly cried in this video... it brought back the memory of constantly being told you're not good enough, but that's the reality of studying music seriously. Thank you guys for all the light hearted content that makes me feel good about classical music again. It really means so much you have no idea. Edit: wow this might be my most liked comment on yt yet. Yea I hear what y’all are saying. Well, a bit of context, I started piano at the age of four and spent no joke like more than a decade being a deeply and hopelessly depressed child/teen because I would get belittled by my piano teacher pretty much on a weekly basis for not being good enough (yeah the teaching style was very much toxic and shaming driven ) all while trying to pursue straight As at school. It was just a lot. I just couldn’t take it anymore, not as a profession. My love for music is strong, but my mental and physical health took a toll, I just couldn’t sustain it at a high level anymore, something’s gotta give. Then I found engineering which is quite fun, in a way it’s the opposite because i got instant gratification whenever i cracked a problem, vs. piano is a constant, nonstop, hard grind for perfection. But perfection doesn’t exist does it? If there’s anything I learned from my past, I’d say, I feel much better when I want to improve because i love the craft, not because I’m trying to be a ling ling to my parents my teacher or whoever the f i need to impress🥺 and I sincerely, wouldn’t wish my childhood on my worst enemy. Took years to heal from the trauma, and yes, trauma, I still have nightmares about getting yelled at by my teacher or my mom till this day. That’s PTSD for ya baby 😂
Weak, the greatest most passionate humans in existence fell multiple times and HARD, but it wasn't a reason to stay on the floor, we'll reach complete evolution once we understand that you can achieve anything in our reality, I don't know in which second life you're going to become a pianist but I really hope you do what you love and remember that there are good days, bad days, and even sometimes weeks that feel like HELL, those weeks are the ones you need to fully understand how privileged you are of having room to keep growing and learning new things. The reality is that if you're not good enough you keep going, if you don't love the thought of one day reaching perfection or becoming the best then maybe you didn't have it, because as much talent as someone can have, willpower and mentality are essential to the best.
I was teaching violin 25 years, this year I stopped and doing something else right now. But music is still my passion. Totally understand what you are saying. Music is hard, you have to "suffer" a lot if you know what I mean to get yourself playing better and better.
As an engineering I hear that I am not good enough a couple times a day from my boss, as many many other engineers get to hear. Depending on the field you're in, but combine that with being underpaid as well. In the end it's about what is important to YOU, don't let other people tell you "you're not good enough". Which is on itself an extremely vague definition to begin with and heavily depends on context. As for music myself, I think there is way to much emphasis in becoming "the best" instead enjoying the music. It makes me literally a thousand times happier to see someone enjoying his life on maximum level even when his playing skills are poor at best, than someone who can play absolutely flawless but has a ton of resentment with it. In some cases I don't enjoy watching and listening to that last one at all. As for practicing, work smarter, not harder. Also keep in mind, if you want to do this on a professional level, all the advantages but mostly disadvantages like any other regular profession come with it. Let's not glorify or romanticize it.
I really love TwoSet. They always joke about bad playing violin but when they play seriously, we can see how dedicated they are to their instrument. Thank you for these efforts and for making classical music relevant to this generation! Hope we will be able to watch you guys play seriously more ;)
Check out Miss Coussin Rouge for 165 vids of Twoset playing seriously, and many more excellent twoset playlists - so organised! You can find her in these comments (Hi MCR!).
Yeah when I started guitar lessons after many years of learning alone I was corrected on small things and details that improved my playing hugely in a tiny amount of time.
Those were the most constructive feedbacks i have ever heard. It´s is not about you make it or not. They literally made you realize the weak and strong points in your technique.
Agreed. Very, very useful teachings. I have had teachers and conductors who were like "PLAY IT BETTER!" Even then I knew that was the most useless instruction ever. (Fortunately, I had a lot of good teachers and conductors, too!)
i can see how honorable it would be to be praised by these adjudicators, but also how important it is to receive criticism from them. Brett and Eddy played so much better after their one on one sessions. Truly shows the kind of talent needed to be in a school like this.
My cousin is a Curtis Alum. I never really knew what that meant until now, except that he rejected Julliard to attend Curtis instead. Whenever he was home for the holidays we used to play ping pong a lot at family gatherings. One year, he was suddenly exponentially better than previously and said, "I play a lot with friends at school" and now I see why! It's so funny years later now seeing this ping pong table as a "feature" of the school.
I am a Queensland Conservatorium Alum, the same as Brett and Eddy, and I remember we also had a ping pong table at school and some of them got really better playing it! 😂
No matter what even if we have years of practice we are still learning as humans. There is always something It’s not failure or not knowing it’s improving
I feel that these teachers don't get nearly enough recognition. It's thanks to people like them that we're able to enjoy the performances of all the great soloists today. They are able to pinpoint what needs to be worked on very quickly and give the right advice to the student in front of them. That's an incredible talent ! Their daily job is to transform raw stones into diamonds. We all admire the diamonds, let's for once show love to the diamond makers... 😊💞💞💞
absolutely not related to your topic, sorry, but where could I text you privately ^^'' I commented on one of your videos, but you haven't seen it? I'm not sure, I promise I don't mean to be creepy x-x
@@temporarydye3648 There is only one video on my channel, of Brett and Eddy playing the accompaniment part for the "Play with us" challenge, and there isn't any comment from you in the comment section. Are you sure you're not mixing me up with someone else ?
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia Yeah! : 0 I'm sure, I looked at it again, my comment is still there.. strange. But a while back I commented on one of TwoSet's videos and you reached out to me and reccomended me some of your playlists. But I'd also love to talk to you privately too, like discord maybe, if you're okay with it. Once I add you, you can delete your comment so you don't get stalked or anything ^^''
Yes, this is so true! And the diamond makers are of course gems in themselves. I am a fan of Zakhar Bron, who cut the diamonds Repin, Vengerov and Shoji.
Curtis is one of those highly prestigious places where it's a real honor to receive praise from their adjudicators, but equally it's a real honor to get demolished by them simply because they're so good at their craft and respect the music so deeply. Their comments are invaluable.
Brett's violin sounded good in the audition but after the tips his violin was singing heavenly. It is amazing how I few tips can change a piece that much, the piece feel more emotional. Same with Eddy. That's amazing!
It's the same for when I watch Piano Masterclasses. I watched one with Lang Lang (who also went to Curtis) where he was getting instructed by Daniel Freaking Barenboim on how to play Beethoven and it transformed even his playing
Dude...I'm not music expert, but those tips from the instructors were insanely precise and seemed to make an instant huge difference. It's freaky how an expert player can incorporate such expert feedback instantaneously and make major improvement in seconds.
I like how the male instructor kept pushing by saying 'more, even more, again' it shows that he can see the potential and ability that his students could achieve.
Confessions of a graduate from a music conservatory. I love your video Brett and Eddie. You captured the audition day mood perfectly. Ben and Erin were literally giving off those auditioner vibes that drive you crazy). It's giving me flashbacks of my audition- some good; many I have chosen to forget! The truth is that many people who go through Music Uni, aspiring to be a performer, peak in their final year, only to find nothing for them after graduation. The main music paths are either private tutoring, community orchestra, or freelancing together with casual work (at best). Some move into classroom music or start a music school business. Others have done amazing things in primary and high schools with their band programs. And for a number of music graduates, their dream in life is working to build the next generation OR build local musical communities- whether it is tutoring, conducting school bands, or doing gigues and community orchestras- and that is perfectly good, respectable and extremely important. However, for a significant portion of music graduates, myself included, they have had to give up their musical journey, to focus on building new careers because of the lack of work and money in music and the arts. I love my job as a high school language teacher, but I still wonder from time to time whether something miraculous and life changing could still happen to me. As a child, I dreamed of performing my clarinet in the main concert hall at the Sydney Opera House...and to this day some part of me still wishes for that to happen. But when I watched this video, I felt heartened. It is inspiring to see you two have a conviction that performing and promoting classical musical is not just a hobby- but a craft you love, a cause worth pursuing; and a career to build your lives upon. And not only do you have that conviction; you act upon it. You continue to demonstrate a willingness to learn, develop, and push your limits to find out how good you can be- even after tertiary study! It seriously deserves respect, because many graduates could only dream that they could do that. To be honest, seeing you makes that belief that I can properly return to music and become better than I was at my peak, just that little more real.
@@cookiemonster-pd1qk I am a high school language and history teacher. I have considered classroom music, but many schools today focus on contemporary modern music, instead of classical. In junio high school, since the majority of kids outwardly express disinterest in classical music, many learning programs do not include classical. In senior high school, not many students take music- the majority take the music course suited towards modern/contemporary. Fewer people take the subject which focuses on classical/modern classical [and usually only runs in high socio-economic schools]. I previously was a private music tutor.
@@walli6388 Thought of it. But you know, things happen in life- expectations and priorities change and you find yourselves making decisions that will guarantee stable income.
I don't know why, but it's funny for me that they both said that the starting dynamics was mezzo-piano and both were wrong. It reminds me of the time when they played scissors paper rock A HUGE amount of times (more than 12?) and showed the same every time. For me it's another proof that Eddy and Brett share one brain, like real friends! AND IT'S ICONIC!🥰
Playing solo music for an audience is always vulnerable. I would compare it to acting a love scene onstage. Now, imagine you are doing that specifically to have someone criticize your performance. Classical training is not for the faint of heart
Art in general is really scary in that way. I used to draw comics at art school and even if that sounds way less serious than classical music at Curtis, it still hurts when a teacher sighs and tells you 'it's just not good...'
This is so true. I love how they weren't afraid to just _try_ as musicians. They could've just settled with making other types of videos that are also entertaining for viewers, but this is gold!
The only thing I can boast is making it to the finals at Curtis when I was 16 on piano. The trauma of not getting in auditioning at 18 and 19 still haunts me!
I thought so too. And the changes were instant. Which is also telling of how good Brett is as a violinist and a musician. But damn, she knew exactly what to fix and gave him precise explanation on how to do that
sorry but are you guys dumb, or just actors? this was a promotion video for the school. twoset violion are WAY beyond this quality. They doing concerts. It was all a show, a charade, showcasing the dorms and school.
@@noface3641Mmm, I think it was too specific, too minute. Why not give more long-term advice that would be actually helpful for you to be better and actually be able to make Curtis next audition?
@@Checkmate1138i assume because broad-advice will just get you along to something acceptable, they seem to want to really sharpen and file down until you're as close to perfection as humanly possible, or find an inhuman monster.
Finally a video of Twoset playing seriously!! I thought it's gonna be a Menuhin competition video again but not really, love it!! And you guys are just awesome!! With jet lag and cold weather, you are still able to play so well in front of others!! May Ling Ling be with you!! Lots of love and respect!!
It is 'jet lag', easy to remember and it makes sense; lag just like in internet, like in online videogames. Lag. The jet just means you flew somewhere far - people from the USA call a big plane "a jet".
The real Curtis auditions were the friends we made along the way. These teachers are so good. The eye for details that are so minute but that make a HUGE IMPACT in your playing. What impressed me the most was how responsive both of you were to the instruction and feedback. It shows that both of you have so much potential and how open minded you are. Never be afraid of doing poorly. Before we succeed, we must fail. I mean look at our past missile tests.
WOW this is magical! Even with just a single phrase, Ms. Keefe improves the music from brett from nice to AmAZiNg! That's really what a master would present! Also, I"m super amazed by how Bretts and Eddy can instantly adjust to the instruction and produce such differences! They're truely professional.
When the teachers started instructing, with very clear instructions and encouraging words, even a non-orchestra musician like me...my mind was just blown. I felt chills, like wow it makes so much sense why these teachers are among the best in music education. It felt like I was swept by their expertise.
Looks like Brett really incorporated the lesson here about the Mendelssohn. I wonder who else he got feedback from? Such a great performance in the 4M live!
@@p0dkk39 Well yeah but he did have tens of thousands of people watching live in concert and online and isn't a robot so it's understandable especially if you've never played on such a large scale with you as the center of attention there's bound to be mistakes but personally I'm glad when people make mistakes because it shows no one is perfect and shows the hard work that they've put in to improving
i really like benjamin's point about giving the composers the respect they deserve by poring over every detail of their compositions, every detail that they cared so much to craft
I'm not a musician, but I did study other stuff, like drawing and painting. The advice the teachers gave, it hit close to home. It's that very specific little thing that you never notice your whole life until someone point it out and it just completely changes the game. Understandable how the school can produce all those crazy graduate.
Not only that, but it was such targeted and immediately actionable advice. I think a good example was when Ben told Eddy to use the "middle of the stroke" at the beginning as well.
Watch his masterclass with Vengerov - he's the same there, just really good at applying the feedback to his playing immediately.
2 ปีที่แล้ว +323
Wow! Is that Benjamin Beilman? I was a public juror for the 2010 international violin contest in Montreal (CMIM). I was totally rooting for him, and he won back then! Super cool to see him here.
They got schooled soo much. Just means that that the school is not name and history only. They really teach much better even to someone that already went to school for years
I am so happy that the school they chose was Curtis, and not other flashier schools more known to the public. Everyone who graduates from Curtis wins jobs after just a bachelor's. But also everyone who gets into Curtis are already at the level to win jobs.
@@demi3115 to be the best you can possibly be. To improve for the sake of art. To get even more prestigious jobs than you would without the additional training
@@Skittl1321 someone getting into Curtis' isn't going to be nearly as good as someone graduating from Curtis. You improve exponentially, so the original comment about people being able to receive jobs isn't correct. At least, you won't be getting the job over tbe Curtis grad because you wouldn't be as good as them
❤️ You guys improved exponentially for every second of teaching! I hope you guys have the opportunity to work regularly with private mentors and teachers outside of your usual TH-cam schedule so that it’s not just up to yourselves to evolve. I got so many feels watching this 🙏🏼
@@hamwhacker Why settle with "good enough" when you have the ability to be outstanding if you just put the effort in and allow yourself to learn something new?
@@vindoodles7346 Why are you starting to lecture me lol? When I say “good enough” I mean TwoSet meet the entrance criteria both in terms of their current standard and their ability to develop. Surely with a little bit of intelligence you can see that I can also see that in the video. Both players improved instantaneously during their lessons. It was impressive.
So much credit to Brett and Eddy for putting themselves out there, especially for the “lesson” part. It can’t have been easy to deliberately set themselves up for critique for an audience. And kudos to the teachers for agreeing to do it. The rest was obviously scripted and acted but the lessons were musical gold. So many insights and practical advice within such a short time, with immediate audible effect. No matter where you are in your musical education or career, you can still learn something, and Brett and Eddy set a fantastic example to the world for continuous self improvement in the love and pursuit of music. I love watching music master classes, they’re some of my favourite things to watch on TH-cam. Teaching and learning are a magical process and it’s a wonderful privilege to watch it take place.
@@aalegalfocus The sequence seems to be scripted. I.e. the part they whisper to each other, the instructions after audition, and etc. But the playing and the teaching seem to be authentic and improvised. I wonder if they always provide feedback to the people being auditioned?
This is insane, the lessons they gave you, I don't study music, but all the thought that goes into it, and how they articulate to you exactly that they look for and how to improve, BUT not exactly telling you what to do, they want you to figure it out on your own and your own style.. this is really awesome to watch
I am so impressed by the level of details and quality of the class she gave him. He got noticeably better with every suggestion and correction. I can see why this is a world class music school.
I'm very impressed by how good you are as students. Brett especially was able to translate exactly what the teacher said to direct improvements while playing. Usually, I'm impressed by a teacher's ability, but you guys impressed me by your learning ability. Very nice job!
Wholeheartedly agree with your comment. It reminded me of his Masterclass with Maxim Vengerov. Brett is very good at getting feedback and immediately applying it to his playing. I know he's a professional with 25 years of experience, but it still amazes me.
I hope TwoSet realizes how much they inspire people with videos like this. I wanted to learn the Violin for 10 years but only they gave me the push to finally do it and book lessons this year. On my 3rd month now and I absolutely love it and practice daily! Even as a beginner, there is so much to take away from their videos by just watching them play. These masterclass lessons were excellent to watch. Gotta go practice now 🎻
Whoa... and yet another one... You're the 233rd person to say similar! If I include myself it's 234! I'm 6 months in... finding it super challenging but super fun! May you get to the wherever you want to aspire to!
I am a beginner music student but I appreciate that the adjudicators agreed to be filmed. This is an excellent video to encourage musicians and beginners. Thank you.
What i love about twoset is that you're SO motivated to show people the world of classical music, and EVERYONE YOU WORK WITH is too! These people could be stuffy, stuck up, self-important jerks who are completely inaccessible and just said no to you coming along, but they let you explore the whole school, they played along with the jokes the entire time, they took time out of their schedules to give you lessons. That's incredibly generous and just shows that while the world of classical music seems so exclusionary, so many people in that space want to get others involved in classical, show everyone that it can be fun, and honestly just have a good time messing around. From Chloe Chua to Hilary Hahn to the Curtis faculty to you two, musicians just want to get everyone involved!
I agree with your point but to be fair Curtis probably wasn't doing this just out of the benevolence of their hearts. You gotta understand, this is like free advertising to over a million musically-interested people. Not that Curtis doesn't have enough applicants already, just that this adds to their recognition and prestige.
@@augustinemcdermott8955 Oh yeah, i'm sure you're right. But they could have just got Hannah to give B&E the tour and talk through the admissions process or whatever, but instead two of the faculty spent their day helping them act out dumb skits and giving them each a lesson. The school for sure is getting something out of it, but Benjamin and Erin were just being generous and having fun. Even if they were like ordered to do it, they were enthusiastic and kind.
NO ! a friend musician Risked taking our heroes under her wing. i'd say IT IS 50 - 50 SHE GOT REPRIMANDED. the were physically pointed OUT. by the teachers. what luxury kicking out prospective students that Clearly Demonstrated Intant Response...
In my experience, and I've met a few top-name musicians in my time, the very best musicians are some of the most humble, encouraging, and down-to-earth people you can meet. Larry Combs and Phil Smith come to mind immediately.
She is giving such amazing feedback, not only making him do it but allowing him to comprehend and think of the reason he is doing it. In such a short amount of time, his skill improved drastically. Loved the video, you are doing great service to the music world not only from the learners' side but also from the institution's. An instrument may be just an instrument, but an instrument like the violin needs a human to sing its soul. You have the right mindset and skills to appreciate and learn, and the difference is plain. It was inspirational to see what can really be achieved
I’m not a musician but I am a teacher and I’m so impressed by how nice the teachers were. It’s obvious they know their craft and seem very understanding and have great communication skill. They used Brett’s and Eddie’s knowledge to make them aware and get better from there. The improvements were obvious from a non-musician standpoint, I’m in all honestly sooooo speechless Sorry they got rejected 😂😂
i think it's awesome how the auditors actually gave you a mini lessons just off the basis of your auditions, kinda like a "whether they get in or not let's give them a few pointers to think about so they can be the best musicians they can be"
I have incredibly terrible ears, but like whenever the teacher played a piece, it always surprised me how much... I'll be frank, much more emotional and vibrant (if that makes sense) the piece sounded. And then it surprises me at how much Brett or Eddy improves after their advice. its truly incredible!
This is the thing about classical music, the skill ceiling is astronomical. Brett and Eddy are both good violinists. Are they good enough to get into Curtis? Nope, not even close (and that’s fine!)
That's the most amazing thing about a masterclass. You are just 15 words away from revising and revitalizing your sound. I'm not a violin player but i heard the difference. it's not a binary thing - 'you're in or you're out.' there is something to gain from every experience and the path to self improvement is long with many obstacles.
the difference between me playing piano for people and getting a "that was nice" and getting a "wow, more!" was incorporating dynamics to try and tell an emotional story with the piece. think about hearing someone just play "Fur Elise" fast and technically correct, then go hear the version at the beginning of Inglorious Basterds. same music, different tempo, dynamic, and emotion - and one clearly stands out
@@geewilikers9780I’m always really impressed when ray Chen shows his playing as a kid vs now. Definitely shows you don’t have to start as a prodigy. And just because you aren’t good enough now doesn’t mean you can’t be later.
when you come from a place like Australia, as an aspiring classical artist it is *really* inspiring to walk into a building like that where incredible classical music history is oozing literally everywhere - the foyer, concert/rehearsal spaces, hallways, teaching/practice rooms - fills you with such overwhelming feelings of belonging to a distinguished legacy. I can totally relate to those almost breathless 'wow!' moments, as I had exactly the same thing when I was lucky enough to go to the Royal College of Music in London. It's really incredible and something that stays with you forever. I remember one time being totally in awe when I went to the library at the RCM one time asking about a Mozart piece, and they casually brought out the ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT BY MOZART for me to study... that is just a tiny tip of the iceberg of how momentous and breathtaking and inspiring it is to be in a place like that to study. The sense of validation and value of music and its pursuit is particularly overwhelming, especially coming from a country like Australia which doesn't place much value on arts and culture (for several decades now).
As a European, I sometimes forget how lucky we are when it comes to arts and culture in general. In my city we have easy access to centuries-old buildings and historical treasures, so I'm kinda used to it. It's very interesting to have the input of someone from another area of the globe like you. ☺
Wow indeed! I'm impressed that RCM had an original Mozart manuscript, but 100 times more impressed that they actually let you study it. I'm assuming you couldn't take it out of the room, but still...
It's all relative, I guess. India doesn't even have a conservatory. You can take private lessons from a teacher who may or may not love their job, and may or may not have teaching and performing qualifications and experience. Exams are conducted by ABRSM or Trinity examiners who fly in and out. India is one of the world's biggest markets for these boards, but there's no serious system of music education. There is no student orchestra even in the national capital, and no practice spaces. As far as I'm aware the whole country (1.3 billion people) has only one professional orchestra, i.e. where musicians are paid - the Symphony Orchestra of India in Mumbai
As a complete non musician the two lessons were such eye openers. Made me wonder if teaching shouldn't be part of the selection - to see how candidates respond to it.
Yes I hoped they were about to get in and the tie breaker was if they could take direction and they proved they could. Your playing was beautiful. Sometimes I think it is better for us non-musical listeners that we don't notice the little things musicians notice as we enjoy without distraction. On the same topic though I have heard singers on TH-cam that I really didn't like and the professional will say how perfect their pitch was. I would not know if the singer was on pitch...I suppose I just didn't like that pitch. I enjoyed this video very much.
Actually in wide parts of Europe there's two parts to the audition process: Getting in at all and then getting a spot in the class of a professor. You have to be approved for the school by either a selection or all of the professors for your instrument and the head of the department and then someone has to actually have a spot for you and has to be willing to work with you one on one for for 2-4 years on a weekly basis. So usually you travel around to meet teachers, visit their masterclasses to work with them and maybe even play in a studio setting to get o know the other students. I myself was somewhat of a late bloomer and just barely got approved by the committee. Since I had worked with my teacher 3 months, 1 month and 1 hour before the exam he could track how I responded to his teaching and how fast I could incorporate new input into my playing. Also we had a good dynamic of me being ambitious enough without needing too much outside push and him being annoyed with people who only worked when told to or criticised explicitly. It's not part of the official application process, but it sure helps get through several years together without major fall-outs, lol. Still sometimes in touch with him 4 years after graduation. :)
Amazing to see how my old school has changed since I graduated from Curtis in 1985. I still love that school so much. It looks better than ever. No dorms when I was there! I owe my entire career to having studied at "The Curtis."
it's so crazy to see how brett and eddy improve in just a few short minutes with a short lesson from the adjudicators, and they're already so impressive before that
As a teacher, I can say that it's not that difficult for a good student, who is already at a high level, to show improvement after a minutes-long lesson - for a few minutes. The real test is, will they retain and consolidate that good advice through practice, to make a permanent difference? That's what I would hope for from Twoset - I guess we'll find out at 4m subs!
That woman teacher (erin), is on some next level teaching skills. He improved immediately. I thought most violinist knew the bow striking and stroking stuff that she said. I am starting to see that the brain and dissecting information is the difference in many of the human performance. There are a select few that are way detail oriented and they are usually the rockstars within technical fields. Very interesting.
It's really striking how much their playing improved just in those few minute lessons. The teachers are really great and I'm glad Twoset got this oppurtunity! (Is it weird that i was kinda hoping tht they wud get in, despite knowing it was acting? 🤣Lol)
7:21 When Brett played that part for the second time I actually got chills. It's like the piece was being transformed in that short time. What a great feedback and what a fast learning speed.
This is one of the bravest things you guys have ever done on your channel. To let your viewers watch you in a lesson. It's not only what it reveals about your playing, it shows us what is important in the interpretation of the pieces you chose and shows me, at least, that your technical ability isn't in question, so much as the limits of your exploration of technique and your interpretation of the music. Which is completely understandable for talented, hardworking musicians like the two of you. And I'm under the impression that, even for the very best musicians, the musicality and emotional expression one brings to any piece of music is always deepening with experience and maturity. A fantastic video! Thank you so much for putting yourselves out there.
I don't even play the violin, I play the piano. But what the female teacher said made perfect sense. She's just amazing. A few pointers made such a big difference!
I love how different the two teaching approaches are, but both get very good results. The first teachers is more physical/functional in her adjustments, the second teacher offers more of the respond-as-an-artist-from-the-inside-out approach. It just goes to show that there are many good ways to do things, not just one correct way. Beautiful teaching.
I actually nearly cried listening to the playing and lessons! Edit: It might sound weird but I am touched by the amount of details that one should acknowledge in a few bars of music, and the fact that Brett and Eddy are still practicing and learning and making their music better.
They're still in their 20's, IIRC. When it comes to mastering an instrument, that's still a baby, really. This channel focuses a lot on prodigies (often as a means of self-deprecation and an allusion to the fictional kid your mom compares you to in order to shame you as motivation) but even then... the sad truth about prodigies is that the vast majority of them hit a wall early and cease to improve. I guess what I'm saying is... as accomplished as they are, their journey is far from over.
Thoroughly impressed with the lessons. Don’t even play violin but I can understand and sorta get what they’re teaching and why it’d improve your playing. Curious what the top players get recommended to do though. Probably a lot of very minor corrections. Also the ending 💀”You can leave”💀💀💀
Generally when learning a new instrument, all feedback you get is just about basic technique. Things like “hold your instrument this way”, “make sure to move your hands/fingers this way”, etc. Once you reach a more intermediate level, the feedback changes to be more about advanced technique or style. “Practice your bowing on this passage”, “look out for the dynamics in this passage”, “try shifting here instead of there”, etc. Once you reach a very high level of skill, your technique should be pretty much dialed in at that point, but you may just need direction on how to apply that technique, and you may need help with interpretation of a piece. Advice at this point is rarely about the raw mechanics of playing the instrument, and more about interpretation. “Try using a different tone color here”, “try being more free/more rigid with the tempo here”, “how can you bring out the multiple voices in this particular phrase?”, things like that
@@elissahunt ~ oh, but to be booted out so unceremoniously, with hunched shoulders, and to have it be the last part of the piece with no laughter afterwards . . . so sad.
@@jessenguyen3012 You are spot on. At a high level it's about giving the performer context about performing the piece, how to ~interpret it~ like the history behind the piece and how you're trying to deliver it to a listener.
everyone's been saying it, and im gonna say it as well. the playing totally sounds different, it improved so much! i especially heard it with brett and im not a music student or whatever. its so much better, i agreed with the teacher, it kinda sounded the same but when they started playing after comments were given, i got goosebumps 😭❤️
yeah... it really made me wonder why they wouldn't seek to incorporate lessons or masterclasses into their practice regularly, though.. is it hard to find teachers at their level? did they have enough lessons for a lifetime?
@@MK-ro4ff I think teachers at this level are both hard to find, and pretty expensive. Remember that video where Eddy spent thousands of dollars on flying to Europe for lessons with renowned teachers (pre Twoset days), and didn't even always get good advice? That's why a Curtis education is such an immense privilege.
This of course is Brett and Eddy showing empathy to all those who can't make it to these exclusive schools. If they were trying to audition for real with these pieces, there's no way that they wouldn't know the dynamics, the accents, and the general feeling the composer wanted to convey, all without a bit of hesitation. They would not only practice but work with a coach on all these details they got taught after the fact. All this to show us what it would take, and still it would be a long shot, considering the competition.
Not to mention with the teachers teaching them.. Showing what those who wanna join where to improve... I luckily got in art school but honest to god... Practicing before entering, i dunno what to practice and work on As im older id say lineweight and forms are one of the important things i shouldve worked on...
You can hear the exact same kind of “mistakes” in their past performances on this channel (e.g Eddy’s 3M Sibelius). Unless you’re telling me that they also weren’t trying for real for those performances. It’s just extremely difficult if you don’t practice and perform constantly and live in a supporting environment that restlessly pushes you to improve.
@@vt4979 I agree. I just meant that this was them showing us how difficult it gets for those who dedicate their life to music at a high level. And yes they do make mistakes, but if they were actually auditioning for such an important occasion for real, I'm sure they would've put more time and effort into preparing those specific pieces.
I don't really agree with this. I think that even a majority of violinists would struggle to say off the top of their head some basic facts about most works they play. Time signature, key signature, starting dynamics and certainly articulation etc and more complicated information. You learn it when you are learning the piece with the music in front of you and then you tend to forget about it. Just like one can drive a route every day and not remember where every traffic sign is and what it says.
I have to say, if the lessons are always like that at Curtis, it's really nice. Hard and challenging, but respectful and reinforcing. I wish more teachers were like that - challening you, but not making you feel like crap for your mistakes 😅
The teachers were amazing, but also Brett and Eddy were clearly at a caliber to take their very subtle and detailed notes and implement them on the fly. It is wonderful to see a great teacher improving a great student!
@@thecuttinggardener361 that is harsh, so much preparation, at least they could give some constructive criticism. Do you get to listen to other candidates' performance? Though I guess everyone has met before in competitions, I doubt they'll invite a nobody for audition.
If these are real instructions that they got, a real lesson (not scripted), then...dude...Those are wonderful teachers...I'm clueless when it comes to playing instruments and even I noticed the improvement. No wonder the school is top. 👏👏👏👏
@@TheEscapistDreamer i strongly doubt it, the input they got was mostly on bowing, which isn’t rlly smth you can grip just by looking at a piece and practicing
I don't think the teachers have time to memorize a script but more to your question I think twoset would be really embarrassed to not try their best in front of Curtis teachers..... At least I would be...
I think the day in general was kinda scripted (although, if they had gotten the opportunity to study at Curtis, I'm sure they would've at least considered it) but the lessons seemed very legit!
I used to work at Curtis from '08-'12 (back when Ben Beilman and TwoSet favorite Ray Chen were still students), and it's amazing to see some of the changes that have been made to 1726 since then, such as the removal of the partition going up to the stairs and moving the guard desk from next to that partition to by the front door. Every time I see the current rehearsal space in Lenfest it's still amazing that the orchestra used to rehearse in Field Concert Hall regularly (I remember watching Eschenbach rehearse the Curtis Symphony on Turangalila Symphony with several members of the percussion section sitting in the little balcony near me). What Curtis has done with its facilities in the past fifteen is remarkable, and with the Philadelphia Orchestra (students got free tickets at the time -- I broke my staff ID to make it look like a student ID to take advantage of this) just a few blocks down the street, you could spend the majority of your time as a Curtis student at this one four-block stretch of Locust Street (from Broad Street to Rittenhouse Square).
The difference I could hear in the playing as the teachers critiqued you was insane! The attention to detail of the teachers and your guys' drive to improve your playing continuously is super inspiring.
![Curtis Students vs Ray Chen [Extreme Sightreading Challenge]](/img/n.gif)
Thanks for visiting Curtis! We enjoyed having you here.
Btw, audition information for the 2023-24 school year will be announced in the fall.
Thank you for having them too.
We appreciate this vid a lot!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This should be pinned
Go back and audition
They want you back!
Audition again, guys.
“Unfortunately the standard was exceptionally high this year” said every audition results email ever 💀
People are just getting better :)
It’s just that you’re bad at playing ;)
Lord that hit hard
As one door closes, another one opens.
😏"Fortunately the standard was exceptionally low this year. so we'd like you to stay as our star students - I'm sure we could do something with one of you" -- Erin to Ben, quietly aside: "Didin't you say Hannah needed a page turner"? "Oh yes, let's keep the handsome one". 😂
Thank you Brett and Eddy for having me!!! It was so fun to show you guys around at Curtis :):)
So cool to see you, Hannah. I was waiting so excited since I saw your insta stories!
Hannah, I watched your performance at the Menuhin competition on TH-cam, you’re absolutely fabulous!
What does it take to become a teacher at a school like this? Did they both have solo careers as well? (Enjoyed your Menuhin performance btw)
Hey Hannah, It warms my heart to see a fellow Hong Konger succeed! Wishing you the best :)
Hannah do you remember grace cheung from hong kong is her little sister
It's says a lot about y'all that Curtis would let you do this. They aren't going to waste time on people who don't play well, even for a fun video
This looks good for Curtis but Brett and Eddie are both exceptional players that I think people sometimes forget. Brett and Eddie would have approached them but Curtis probably jumped at the chance
@@Arrica101 It's Eddy not Eddie btw
Regardless of how they're playing, I think it's a little bit more than just "a fun video". 1.2M views is quite something. Even if Curtis doesn't need any promotion, I'm sure relevance and therefore promotion of classical music is in their general interest and TwoSet does more for promotion of classical music than many a virtuoso.
@@Arrica101 they are not exceptional players, just normal players who took the time to learn to their levels.
@@naborlz which is exceptional
Twoset getting amazing opportunities to film with prestigious schools, competitions and people truly proves how far they’ve come
but if Curtis is really the best music school, Juilliard, Berklee? it is mainly marketing...same with all the Ivy League schools...they have to find people who pay these ridiculous tuition...there are world class musicians who went to universities in Europe in Germany ...without any tuition...e.g. Anne Sophie Mutter, Julia Fischer etc. etc. ...German cars, mp3, Biontech vaccine etc. etc. are/were developed by engineers who studiey at German universities...no tuition...if stupid people want to pay 6figure sums ...in the end it is not about quality but networking
Curtis is free to those accepted
agreed!
@@debbiegilbert5393 no - it is lower but not free „100% of enrolled undergraduate students have received grants or scholarship aid and the average grant amount is $14,111. After receiving the financial aid, the net price is $13,834 including tuition, fees, books & supplies costs, and living costs. Its undergraduate tuition and fees are much lower than the average amount of similar schools' tuition ($38,862 - Private (not-for-profit) School of art, music, and design).“
@@tillm2481 Just to be clear, there is no tuition costs since it is full tuition scholarships for everyone who is accepted. The cited cost though sounds about right for someone who would lives on campus and gets an average amount of aid.
As soon as the teacher started instructing you my PTSD just went on crazy 😂 🙏🏻👑 mad respect man
Hello Steven :)
Last part was very emotional damage indeed
war flashbacks
Omg Steven
emotional damage be like:
The Curtis audition is NUTS man, only 27 students of all the participants got accepted last year; Not only is the requirement for the PRE-SCEENING harder than most actual in person auditions (1 movement of concerto, one mvmt of a Mozart concerto, 1 Bach Sonata or Partita and one Paganini caprice). The full audition is just complete insanity, having to not just learn but perfect and memorize a
Full Violin Concerto
A full Mozart Concerto (within the style which is extremely hard to do)
A full complete Bach Sonata/Partita
and to top it all off
A Paganini caprice.
Doing this all before the age of 18 is something that only the most talented if talents can do, so they have a level of respect from me like no others.
as a curtis reject (✨✨✨) i gotta say the application requirements are insane to the point that they almost function as one of two prescreen rounds lol
Ahhh my percussion teacher went to Curtis. I never knew how exceptional that was until now-
@@skedaddle6004 your percussion teacher was "mom's friend's kid"
@@smolzeg7446 not sure what the means?
Prodigies man, prodigies
When Ben said "and now in time?" every music student felt it in their souls 🤣
Lol. Yep.
Not a music student or musician but could feel how they got wrecked, not on purpose, just the power of music.
so hard to play softly but quickly lol
UGH yeah when your teacher asks you to do 3 new things at once in the matter of one minute. xD
TRUE!!
huge props for the audicators to agree to be filmed and for eddie and brett for providing us with some amazing content 🙌
It was cool of them, no?
Nice Mew pfp, shes best girl ;)
It's an advertisement to promote this schools... they should even pay twoset for showing this school to the world
@@timeoftheend9516 This "school", the Curtis Institute of Music, is one of the top private conservatories in the world, with an extremely low acceptance rate. I highly doubt they require TwoSet Violin to advertise them to those who wish to pursue music, as it very much is the Gold Standard of music conservatories, along with the Julliard School, Berklee College of Music etc.
Let's just consider this a friendly collaboration.
@@timeoftheend9516 I highly doubt Curtis needs any advertisement, it's already renowned as the best music school in the world. It's a free Institute with already way too many applicants every year, it would be a waste of time and money...
Those teachers were extremely good. Their feedback was so specific and well said, that really speaks to the quality of that institution.
and at no point did i feel defensive on their behalf, or like it was unfair, it sounded very fair and specific. Such good instructors!
This is an ad for Curtis. And it's darned effective. This is what happens when genuinely dedicated and capable musicians meet remarkable instructors. Great video.
They don’t need it. Which makes their willingness to do it even more impressive.
It should’ve been disclosed in that case
@@bassistheplace246 it probably isn't an ad in the sense that curtis payed twoset to come, more in the sense that twoset was really positive about curtis without curtis telling them to be
@@bassistheplace246 I didn’t mean it quite so literally… I meant that’s essentially the effect, because it was so well presented and the instructors were so effective.
@@bassistheplace246 He wasn't saying this was literally an ad, but rather this video acts like an ad.
I love how Brett chose Mendelssohn to audition because he wants advice from Curtis teachers so he can hopefully nail it for the 4mil Mendelssohn live stream.
Edit: Thanks for the likes
Can't wait!
He slayed Mendelssohn at the 4 MIL live stream! ❤🔥
This aged very well indeed
@@angelmccoy4884 i like how he practiced the beginning the most, but during the concert the only part he rushed was the beginning.
That female teacher is amazing, such clear instruction and changes that IMMEDIATELY made Brett's sound improved so much. I can see how good of a school Curtis is. When they already have immensely talented students paired with efficient instruction it makes sense the level of musician they produce. Edit: Both instructors just make their violins sing, and its beautiful to watch and hear.
yeah its a game changer, a good and bad teacher is the difference from ling ling to Ben Lee, respectively
Yes, that's why some instructors are world famous and very good students will cross oceans to take their lessons. In the last century, Nadia Boulanger and Alfred Cortot(piano) in Paris were such instructors. Check out videos on Nadia Boulanger. The number of world famous musicians of all horizons and music styles who were her students is mind blowing, from Aaron Copland to Quincy Jones, Philip Glass and Astor Piazzola.
Living in Minnesota, was shocked to see Erin Keefe in the video. Fortunate to have heard her for years as the concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra.
@@januarygirl2630 That's okay! If you're ever interested in taking a closer look into classical music I suggest starting with chamber music--it's much less intense than what Twoset usually plays.
@@caseyclausen2627 Yoo, no wonder she seemed so familiar.
As a teacher myself I gotta shout out to those amazing teachers! Both were really quick at picking up errors and pinpointing the source of the errors; they both gave very clear instructions despite having very different teaching styles and managed to push but still encourage their students.
I guess you’d have to be that good to teach some of the world’s best students, but damn those students are privileged (if I may say that) to receive education at this level and quality.
Also imagine how hard it would be trying to land a teaching job at Curtis… The CVs you’d need to have, the test-teach auditions you’d have to give, and the written exams you’d have to nail… My teacher ass hurts just imagining how competitive it would be, that’s basically the Ling Ling Olympics for music teachers…
The two teachers in the video both graduated from Curtis themselves. Of course, they've also had a great career as performers before coming back to teach at the Institute, but it may help to have "connections"...
amount of skill you have to master before you teach others, man... that was insane to watch
So true. When I was starting my musical journey, I always thought that all music teachers are equally good because you have be good to be a teacher, right? Now that I have had the priviledge to study with some amazing teachers at my music school (not Curtis though), I have started to realize what the great teachers do that the average don't. The great ones let you know very clearly what is wrong, but in a way that doesn't discourage the young musician, and they know about the subject so much that they give you enough details so that the root of the problem becomes apparent. The average teacher just tells you "that didn't sound so good, try again", and isn't able to dissect your mistakes with such detail as the great teacher.
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia connections or not doesnt matter if you're a good fucking teacher. idk why u automatically gotta go back to having connections or not?
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia Erin Keefe is currently the concert master of the Minnesota Orchestra, and is also very approachable. My daughter had the opportunity to briefly interact with her following a community orchestra concert, in which Ms. Keefe was a part. She answered my daughter's questions and encouraged her to keep playing. She also agreed to having her picture taken with my daughter. When my daughter saw Ms. Keefe on this video, you can be sure she was pretty excited.
Let’s admire the fact that they got Curtis School of Music to be on a youtube video. These two are doing a great job! Keep it up guys!
If a channel has millions of views and followers, things are very different. Plus that's free advertising for the school. Win win situation there.
@@ayuu. + they have friends among their former students. I guess..
Surely you mean we should admire Curtis to have the opportunity to be in a TwoSet video??
@@ayuu. Curtis doesn't really need advertising.
Hilary Hahn trained at the Curtis Institute of Music under the instruction of Jascha Brodsky. She fulfilled the requirements for her bachelor's degree at 16, but stayed at Curtis taking graduate courses until she was 19 to avoid the burnout that often happens with prodigies.
As a former pianist who left the music world for a job in engineering, I ugly cried in this video... it brought back the memory of constantly being told you're not good enough, but that's the reality of studying music seriously. Thank you guys for all the light hearted content that makes me feel good about classical music again. It really means so much you have no idea.
Edit: wow this might be my most liked comment on yt yet. Yea I hear what y’all are saying. Well, a bit of context, I started piano at the age of four and spent no joke like more than a decade being a deeply and hopelessly depressed child/teen because I would get belittled by my piano teacher pretty much on a weekly basis for not being good enough (yeah the teaching style was very much toxic and shaming driven ) all while trying to pursue straight As at school. It was just a lot. I just couldn’t take it anymore, not as a profession. My love for music is strong, but my mental and physical health took a toll, I just couldn’t sustain it at a high level anymore, something’s gotta give. Then I found engineering which is quite fun, in a way it’s the opposite because i got instant gratification whenever i cracked a problem, vs. piano is a constant, nonstop, hard grind for perfection. But perfection doesn’t exist does it? If there’s anything I learned from my past, I’d say, I feel much better when I want to improve because i love the craft, not because I’m trying to be a ling ling to my parents my teacher or whoever the f i need to impress🥺 and I sincerely, wouldn’t wish my childhood on my worst enemy. Took years to heal from the trauma, and yes, trauma, I still have nightmares about getting yelled at by my teacher or my mom till this day. That’s PTSD for ya baby 😂
I suppose that's part of how we get better. They pick at the things we do wrong so we don't spend any more time practicing them.
Weak, the greatest most passionate humans in existence fell multiple times and HARD, but it wasn't a reason to stay on the floor, we'll reach complete evolution once we understand that you can achieve anything in our reality, I don't know in which second life you're going to become a pianist but I really hope you do what you love and remember that there are good days, bad days, and even sometimes weeks that feel like HELL, those weeks are the ones you need to fully understand how privileged you are of having room to keep growing and learning new things. The reality is that if you're not good enough you keep going, if you don't love the thought of one day reaching perfection or becoming the best then maybe you didn't have it, because as much talent as someone can have, willpower and mentality are essential to the best.
I was teaching violin 25 years, this year I stopped and doing something else right now. But music is still my passion. Totally understand what you are saying. Music is hard, you have to "suffer" a lot if you know what I mean to get yourself playing better and better.
As an engineering I hear that I am not good enough a couple times a day from my boss, as many many other engineers get to hear. Depending on the field you're in, but combine that with being underpaid as well.
In the end it's about what is important to YOU, don't let other people tell you "you're not good enough".
Which is on itself an extremely vague definition to begin with and heavily depends on context.
As for music myself, I think there is way to much emphasis in becoming "the best" instead enjoying the music.
It makes me literally a thousand times happier to see someone enjoying his life on maximum level even when his playing skills are poor at best, than someone who can play absolutely flawless but has a ton of resentment with it.
In some cases I don't enjoy watching and listening to that last one at all.
As for practicing, work smarter, not harder.
Also keep in mind, if you want to do this on a professional level, all the advantages but mostly disadvantages like any other regular profession come with it. Let's not glorify or romanticize it.
Just because you can always be better doesn't mean you're not good enough. You're just never quite as good as you could be. Lol.
I really love TwoSet. They always joke about bad playing violin but when they play seriously, we can see how dedicated they are to their instrument. Thank you for these efforts and for making classical music relevant to this generation! Hope we will be able to watch you guys play seriously more ;)
I totally agree with what you said! It's so heartening to see how much they love playing and are always looking to improve!
Check out Miss Coussin Rouge for 165 vids of Twoset playing seriously, and many more excellent twoset playlists - so organised! You can find her in these comments (Hi MCR!).
@@londongael Thank you! I saw her on a TwoSet comment section.
Love these guys. So inspiring and making classical fun for me again.
It's is insane how these few pieces of advice made such a massive difference. Incredible!
Exactly what I thought
They adjusted instantly too! Shows how much potential they have! They would rrl benefir from going to Curtis)
Yeah when I started guitar lessons after many years of learning alone I was corrected on small things and details that improved my playing hugely in a tiny amount of time.
Didn't hear any difference
SO TRUEE, mad respect to the teacher!
Those were the most constructive feedbacks i have ever heard. It´s is not about you make it or not. They literally made you realize the weak and strong points in your technique.
I have never seen such mature, professional, can-actually-teach teachers, ever. As a person musically inclined I’m floored.
@@jesuslovesyou2616 we do not care.
Agreed. Very, very useful teachings. I have had teachers and conductors who were like "PLAY IT BETTER!" Even then I knew that was the most useless instruction ever. (Fortunately, I had a lot of good teachers and conductors, too!)
@@xlovleyx1543 what did he say
@@hah-no. "floored"'s the word!
i can see how honorable it would be to be praised by these adjudicators, but also how important it is to receive criticism from them. Brett and Eddy played so much better after their one on one sessions. Truly shows the kind of talent needed to be in a school like this.
My cousin is a Curtis Alum. I never really knew what that meant until now, except that he rejected Julliard to attend Curtis instead. Whenever he was home for the holidays we used to play ping pong a lot at family gatherings. One year, he was suddenly exponentially better than previously and said, "I play a lot with friends at school" and now I see why! It's so funny years later now seeing this ping pong table as a "feature" of the school.
Yo I went to Curtis with him he def whooped me at ping pong lmao.
haha wow that's amazing
I am a Queensland Conservatorium Alum, the same as Brett and Eddy, and I remember we also had a ping pong table at school and some of them got really better playing it! 😂
looks like he didn't only practice his instrument but his ping pong skills too xD
Jesus Christ died for your ssinsssssssss
When the adjudicator told Brett to change his finger positioning for better intonation, wow... 20 years of muscle memory to overcome!
Better now than never!!
so true
Lol
No matter what even if we have years of practice we are still learning as humans. There is always something
It’s not failure or not knowing it’s improving
Now that you actually mentioned it, damn--it's like trying to unlearn and relearn something you've mastered in over a decade!
I feel that these teachers don't get nearly enough recognition. It's thanks to people like them that we're able to enjoy the performances of all the great soloists today. They are able to pinpoint what needs to be worked on very quickly and give the right advice to the student in front of them. That's an incredible talent !
Their daily job is to transform raw stones into diamonds. We all admire the diamonds, let's for once show love to the diamond makers... 😊💞💞💞
Unfortunately, teachers never get the recognition they deserve
absolutely not related to your topic, sorry, but where could I text you privately ^^'' I commented on one of your videos, but you haven't seen it? I'm not sure, I promise I don't mean to be creepy x-x
@@temporarydye3648 There is only one video on my channel, of Brett and Eddy playing the accompaniment part for the "Play with us" challenge, and there isn't any comment from you in the comment section.
Are you sure you're not mixing me up with someone else ?
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia Yeah! : 0 I'm sure, I looked at it again, my comment is still there.. strange. But a while back I commented on one of TwoSet's videos and you reached out to me and reccomended me some of your playlists. But I'd also love to talk to you privately too, like discord maybe, if you're okay with it. Once I add you, you can delete your comment so you don't get stalked or anything ^^''
Yes, this is so true! And the diamond makers are of course gems in themselves. I am a fan of Zakhar Bron, who cut the diamonds Repin, Vengerov and Shoji.
The woman professor is an incredible teacher. She improved his sound like 5x in just 2 minutes.
👍
she's the concertmaster with MN Orchestra. Heard her many times here but never heard her expertise articulated like this, really cool! :)
Curtis is one of those highly prestigious places where it's a real honor to receive praise from their adjudicators, but equally it's a real honor to get demolished by them simply because they're so good at their craft and respect the music so deeply. Their comments are invaluable.
Nobody cares. It’s a music school.
Let me know when they can do some quality engineering versus playing on some strings lmfao
@@AJ-zy9jf lol
"That sounded like cold pasta." -Aaron Rosand, former Curtis violin professor.
@@AJ-zy9jf You k bud, Sounds like you're a little frustrated
@@AJ-zy9jf Music literally saves lives everyday. If that's not being useful, I don't know what is...
Brett's violin sounded good in the audition but after the tips his violin was singing heavenly. It is amazing how I few tips can change a piece that much, the piece feel more emotional. Same with Eddy. That's amazing!
its applying those tips every single time that's hard
It's the same for when I watch Piano Masterclasses. I watched one with Lang Lang (who also went to Curtis) where he was getting instructed by Daniel Freaking Barenboim on how to play Beethoven and it transformed even his playing
It was all an act for TH-cam. They deliberately played like crap to start with. Notice they didn't put much effort into studying the piece.
very true! ( more with Brett, he's kinda always been my fav tbh lol)
sadly the teachers were already half deaf..
Dude...I'm not music expert, but those tips from the instructors were insanely precise and seemed to make an instant huge difference. It's freaky how an expert player can incorporate such expert feedback instantaneously and make major improvement in seconds.
that’s what professionals are about. i really admire them for this
how I wished my teachers were like that.
I like how the male instructor kept pushing by saying 'more, even more, again' it shows that he can see the potential and ability that his students could achieve.
Yes!! I felt the same way.
Yeah people on the comments saying how they thought these teachers are brutal. No way, they are very effective and positive.
Confessions of a graduate from a music conservatory.
I love your video Brett and Eddie. You captured the audition day mood perfectly. Ben and Erin were literally giving off those auditioner vibes that drive you crazy). It's giving me flashbacks of my audition- some good; many I have chosen to forget!
The truth is that many people who go through Music Uni, aspiring to be a performer, peak in their final year, only to find nothing for them after graduation. The main music paths are either private tutoring, community orchestra, or freelancing together with casual work (at best). Some move into classroom music or start a music school business. Others have done amazing things in primary and high schools with their band programs. And for a number of music graduates, their dream in life is working to build the next generation OR build local musical communities- whether it is tutoring, conducting school bands, or doing gigues and community orchestras- and that is perfectly good, respectable and extremely important. However, for a significant portion of music graduates, myself included, they have had to give up their musical journey, to focus on building new careers because of the lack of work and money in music and the arts. I love my job as a high school language teacher, but I still wonder from time to time whether something miraculous and life changing could still happen to me. As a child, I dreamed of performing my clarinet in the main concert hall at the Sydney Opera House...and to this day some part of me still wishes for that to happen.
But when I watched this video, I felt heartened. It is inspiring to see you two have a conviction that performing and promoting classical musical is not just a hobby- but a craft you love, a cause worth pursuing; and a career to build your lives upon. And not only do you have that conviction; you act upon it. You continue to demonstrate a willingness to learn, develop, and push your limits to find out how good you can be- even after tertiary study! It seriously deserves respect, because many graduates could only dream that they could do that. To be honest, seeing you makes that belief that I can properly return to music and become better than I was at my peak, just that little more real.
May I ask what career you do now?
You should probably get to Germany.
Yup, I can relate.
@@cookiemonster-pd1qk I am a high school language and history teacher. I have considered classroom music, but many schools today focus on contemporary modern music, instead of classical. In junio high school, since the majority of kids outwardly express disinterest in classical music, many learning programs do not include classical. In senior high school, not many students take music- the majority take the music course suited towards modern/contemporary. Fewer people take the subject which focuses on classical/modern classical [and usually only runs in high socio-economic schools]. I previously was a private music tutor.
@@walli6388 Thought of it. But you know, things happen in life- expectations and priorities change and you find yourselves making decisions that will guarantee stable income.
I don't know why, but it's funny for me that they both said that the starting dynamics was mezzo-piano and both were wrong. It reminds me of the time when they played scissors paper rock A HUGE amount of times (more than 12?) and showed the same every time. For me it's another proof that Eddy and Brett share one brain, like real friends! AND IT'S ICONIC!🥰
Mezzo forte and mezzo piano are both very safe answers when you don't remember the actual dynamics... 😆
They truly are the bubble to the other's tea. 😎👍
Which video was that again? I can’t remember
@@nancydondlinger "Playing all 24 Paganini Caprices in 1 minute?", if I'm not mistaken ☺️
Look what twoset has grown to. They have influenced so many people and became so successful! I look up to them!
okay but did you know it's leviosa and not leviosaaahh
@@alurfest5441 ohhh I see where you’re going
You’re supposed to be studying for the potions test tmr
sorry guys as i ace every test already i am studying youtube 40 hours a day
@@hermionegranger5084 good.
They joke a lot, but they're both genuinely _fantastic_ musicians.
Im not a musician but I imagine those lessons were very vulnerable for you two and applaud you for filming that
Playing solo music for an audience is always vulnerable. I would compare it to acting a love scene onstage. Now, imagine you are doing that specifically to have someone criticize your performance. Classical training is not for the faint of heart
Nice that Brett and Eddy have small egos.
Art in general is really scary in that way. I used to draw comics at art school and even if that sounds way less serious than classical music at Curtis, it still hurts when a teacher sighs and tells you 'it's just not good...'
This is so true. I love how they weren't afraid to just _try_ as musicians. They could've just settled with making other types of videos that are also entertaining for viewers, but this is gold!
yeah no: not if originality is sacrificed to someone else's ego
taking giving lessons should include Respect and Humility both ways.
The instructors are amazing! The tips they gave Brett and Eddy really made a huge difference on how the pieces sound.
absolutely! exactly so....
Both sound same to me. I go listen to some lil uzi now
The difference is huge. I have always missed something when they play, it has sounded death? With the new knowledge they sounded so good!
My ears are lousy at this but I did hear a clear difference.
There was no difference you're just buying into the meme
The amount of attention to details that goes in each passage is astounding. What a precious opportunity to learn with these masters, I'm so jealous!
I know right? The way every single note was analysed and was made sure it was perfect wow such dedication
Imagine finding this impressive. Some people just don't understand music
@@LoL-rs7xy Imagine gatekeeping enjoying classical music. Elitists like you are why it isnt as popular as it could be
And they sound better immediately!
@@LoL-rs7xy and some people don't appreciate it.
The only thing I can boast is making it to the finals at Curtis when I was 16 on piano. The trauma of not getting in auditioning at 18 and 19 still haunts me!
oops means your potential was limited... Just kidding! Means you are the top 97% amongst the top piano players, well done!
You never forget a Curtis audition, I am haunted as well.
She is a bloody good teacher. Managed to put it across in a way even someone who is musically-illiterate can understand
I thought so too. And the changes were instant. Which is also telling of how good Brett is as a violinist and a musician. But damn, she knew exactly what to fix and gave him precise explanation on how to do that
sorry but are you guys dumb, or just actors? this was a promotion video for the school. twoset violion are WAY beyond this quality. They doing concerts. It was all a show, a charade, showcasing the dorms and school.
@@noface3641Mmm, I think it was too specific, too minute. Why not give more long-term advice that would be actually helpful for you to be better and actually be able to make Curtis next audition?
Ive never even touched a violin in my life and I was like "Damn, I understood that"
@@Checkmate1138i assume because broad-advice will just get you along to something acceptable, they seem to want to really sharpen and file down until you're as close to perfection as humanly possible, or find an inhuman monster.
I know TwoSet is all about being funny and crazy, but this video is seriously one of the best. The transformative power of music is shone brightly.
Agreed!! They have great passion for the violin.
The fact that the faculty gave them coaching on screen was the chef's kiss!!!! This was such a great video.
Jesus Christ died for your ssinsssssssss
the end was forced.acted but the teaching lessons was awesome! they can really make an Instrument sound great
Finally a video of Twoset playing seriously!! I thought it's gonna be a Menuhin competition video again but not really, love it!! And you guys are just awesome!! With jet lag and cold weather, you are still able to play so well in front of others!! May Ling Ling be with you!! Lots of love and respect!!
Wait a second. Are they not playing seriously in the Menuhin video?!?
@@adedede1 not really, that video is more like a skit, they are mocking performances on talent shows.
@@WeilunP yeah, I was joking 😂
@@adedede1 oh yes of course, sorry I was watching the video while replying and didn't think much lol
It is 'jet lag', easy to remember and it makes sense; lag just like in internet, like in online videogames. Lag. The jet just means you flew somewhere far - people from the USA call a big plane "a jet".
The real Curtis auditions were the friends we made along the way. These teachers are so good. The eye for details that are so minute but that make a HUGE IMPACT in your playing. What impressed me the most was how responsive both of you were to the instruction and feedback. It shows that both of you have so much potential and how open minded you are. Never be afraid of doing poorly. Before we succeed, we must fail. I mean look at our past missile tests.
Wow, A free lesson from Erin Keefe, the concert master of our own Minnesota Orchestra! Thanks so much for posting this.
Oh, I was wondering why her name and face were so familiar! So fun.
Honestly it was amazing!!! funny how advice makes a great difference
Yes! Minnesota represent!
WOW this is magical! Even with just a single phrase, Ms. Keefe improves the music from brett from nice to AmAZiNg! That's really what a master would present! Also, I"m super amazed by how Bretts and Eddy can instantly adjust to the instruction and produce such differences! They're truely professional.
yeah, and all while on camera, too👍
When the teachers started instructing, with very clear instructions and encouraging words, even a non-orchestra musician like me...my mind was just blown. I felt chills, like wow it makes so much sense why these teachers are among the best in music education. It felt like I was swept by their expertise.
Yes! They taught in clear instructions, and gave constructive advice. Brett and Eddy improved so much in barely 5 minutes, it's honestly so impressive
Looks like Brett really incorporated the lesson here about the Mendelssohn. I wonder who else he got feedback from? Such a great performance in the 4M live!
this was before 4m
@@goofiest-ahh They meant that he had improved in the 4m live since this video
He could still be more in tune though
@@p0dkk39 Well yeah but he did have tens of thousands of people watching live in concert and online and isn't a robot so it's understandable especially if you've never played on such a large scale with you as the center of attention there's bound to be mistakes but personally I'm glad when people make mistakes because it shows no one is perfect and shows the hard work that they've put in to improving
@@p0dkk39 even professional soloists play out of tune too so what’s your point?
i really like benjamin's point about giving the composers the respect they deserve by poring over every detail of their compositions, every detail that they cared so much to craft
Jesus Christ died for your ssinsssssssss
What's ben's full name I'd love to hear more of him pls. :)
nvm its in his intro im so embarasssseddd
@@samaraisnt me too!
and then there was mozart (early mozart) XD
I'm not a musician, but I did study other stuff, like drawing and painting. The advice the teachers gave, it hit close to home. It's that very specific little thing that you never notice your whole life until someone point it out and it just completely changes the game. Understandable how the school can produce all those crazy graduate.
Not only that, but it was such targeted and immediately actionable advice. I think a good example was when Ben told Eddy to use the "middle of the stroke" at the beginning as well.
Jesus Christ died for your ssinsssssssss
wow I’m amazed at how good Brett is at taking in feedback. He instantly applies them and the results are very noticeable.
Watch his masterclass with Vengerov - he's the same there, just really good at applying the feedback to his playing immediately.
Wow! Is that Benjamin Beilman? I was a public juror for the 2010 international violin contest in Montreal (CMIM). I was totally rooting for him, and he won back then! Super cool to see him here.
He sounds so sharp and looked so effortless in these few seconds.
They got schooled soo much. Just means that that the school is not name and history only. They really teach much better even to someone that already went to school for years
I am so happy that the school they chose was Curtis, and not other flashier schools more known to the public. Everyone who graduates from Curtis wins jobs after just a bachelor's. But also everyone who gets into Curtis are already at the level to win jobs.
So there wouldn't be a point to go in the first place? ;P
@@demi3115 to be the best you can possibly be. To improve for the sake of art. To get even more prestigious jobs than you would without the additional training
@@Skittl1321 someone getting into Curtis' isn't going to be nearly as good as someone graduating from Curtis. You improve exponentially, so the original comment about people being able to receive jobs isn't correct. At least, you won't be getting the job over tbe Curtis grad because you wouldn't be as good as them
P.S. Juilliard has a higher rated violin program...#1 actually and Curtis is only #4...2022
@@Chihuahuauno1 according to which sources
❤️ You guys improved exponentially for every second of teaching! I hope you guys have the opportunity to work regularly with private mentors and teachers outside of your usual TH-cam schedule so that it’s not just up to yourselves to evolve. I got so many feels watching this 🙏🏼
CUCKOO!? Really, are you here?
They should take lessons before the 4M stream so they can improve till then and sound better
I thought they were good enough from what I saw in this video!
@@hamwhacker Why settle with "good enough" when you have the ability to be outstanding if you just put the effort in and allow yourself to learn something new?
@@vindoodles7346 Why are you starting to lecture me lol? When I say “good enough” I mean TwoSet meet the entrance criteria both in terms of their current standard and their ability to develop. Surely with a little bit of intelligence you can see that I can also see that in the video. Both players improved instantaneously during their lessons. It was impressive.
So much credit to Brett and Eddy for putting themselves out there, especially for the “lesson” part. It can’t have been easy to deliberately set themselves up for critique for an audience. And kudos to the teachers for agreeing to do it. The rest was obviously scripted and acted but the lessons were musical gold. So many insights and practical advice within such a short time, with immediate audible effect. No matter where you are in your musical education or career, you can still learn something, and Brett and Eddy set a fantastic example to the world for continuous self improvement in the love and pursuit of music. I love watching music master classes, they’re some of my favourite things to watch on TH-cam. Teaching and learning are a magical process and it’s a wonderful privilege to watch it take place.
Definitely
The teachers whispering to each other was very funny for literally no reason.
Was that rehearsed for the sake of a youtube video?
@@aalegalfocus yes, they were mic'd
@@aalegalfocus The sequence seems to be scripted. I.e. the part they whisper to each other, the instructions after audition, and etc. But the playing and the teaching seem to be authentic and improvised. I wonder if they always provide feedback to the people being auditioned?
So beautiful, I'm crying rn.
Eddy looks like a child who's entering a new school for the first time. Spinning 360 degres, "whoah!" He looks so happy.
This is insane, the lessons they gave you, I don't study music, but all the thought that goes into it, and how they articulate to you exactly that they look for and how to improve, BUT not exactly telling you what to do, they want you to figure it out on your own and your own style.. this is really awesome to watch
I am so impressed by the level of details and quality of the class she gave him. He got noticeably better with every suggestion and correction. I can see why this is a world class music school.
This goes straight on my "best of Twoset" playlist - perfect balance between funny and serious, educational and fun.
I'm very impressed by how good you are as students. Brett especially was able to translate exactly what the teacher said to direct improvements while playing. Usually, I'm impressed by a teacher's ability, but you guys impressed me by your learning ability. Very nice job!
Jesus Christ died for your ssinsssssssss
@@jesuslovesyou2616 k then
@@jesuslovesyou2616 That is true... But how does that amazing fact relate to his comment?
Wholeheartedly agree with your comment. It reminded me of his Masterclass with Maxim Vengerov. Brett is very good at getting feedback and immediately applying it to his playing. I know he's a professional with 25 years of experience, but it still amazes me.
I hope TwoSet realizes how much they inspire people with videos like this. I wanted to learn the Violin for 10 years but only they gave me the push to finally do it and book lessons this year. On my 3rd month now and I absolutely love it and practice daily! Even as a beginner, there is so much to take away from their videos by just watching them play. These masterclass lessons were excellent to watch. Gotta go practice now 🎻
Whoa... and yet another one... You're the 233rd person to say similar! If I include myself it's 234! I'm 6 months in... finding it super challenging but super fun! May you get to the wherever you want to aspire to!
I am a beginner music student but I appreciate that the adjudicators agreed to be filmed. This is an excellent video to encourage musicians and beginners. Thank you.
Brett takes constructive criticism so well! He is so quick to adapt his playing as per the advice! I am beyond impressed by him!
What i love about twoset is that you're SO motivated to show people the world of classical music, and EVERYONE YOU WORK WITH is too! These people could be stuffy, stuck up, self-important jerks who are completely inaccessible and just said no to you coming along, but they let you explore the whole school, they played along with the jokes the entire time, they took time out of their schedules to give you lessons. That's incredibly generous and just shows that while the world of classical music seems so exclusionary, so many people in that space want to get others involved in classical, show everyone that it can be fun, and honestly just have a good time messing around. From Chloe Chua to Hilary Hahn to the Curtis faculty to you two, musicians just want to get everyone involved!
I agree with your point but to be fair Curtis probably wasn't doing this just out of the benevolence of their hearts. You gotta understand, this is like free advertising to over a million musically-interested people. Not that Curtis doesn't have enough applicants already, just that this adds to their recognition and prestige.
@@augustinemcdermott8955 Oh yeah, i'm sure you're right. But they could have just got Hannah to give B&E the tour and talk through the admissions process or whatever, but instead two of the faculty spent their day helping them act out dumb skits and giving them each a lesson. The school for sure is getting something out of it, but Benjamin and Erin were just being generous and having fun. Even if they were like ordered to do it, they were enthusiastic and kind.
NO ! a friend musician Risked taking our heroes under her wing. i'd say IT IS 50 - 50 SHE GOT REPRIMANDED. the were physically pointed OUT. by the teachers. what luxury kicking out prospective students that Clearly Demonstrated Intant Response...
@@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491 Wow that's crazy. You would think Curtis would be grateful for the attention.
In my experience, and I've met a few top-name musicians in my time, the very best musicians are some of the most humble, encouraging, and down-to-earth people you can meet. Larry Combs and Phil Smith come to mind immediately.
That hushed "OH my god.." at 13:35 hahaha. Imagine heading to practice a quartet and passing Brett and Eddy on the stairs to your practice room 😂
She is giving such amazing feedback, not only making him do it but allowing him to comprehend and think of the reason he is doing it. In such a short amount of time, his skill improved drastically. Loved the video, you are doing great service to the music world not only from the learners' side but also from the institution's. An instrument may be just an instrument, but an instrument like the violin needs a human to sing its soul. You have the right mindset and skills to appreciate and learn, and the difference is plain. It was inspirational to see what can really be achieved
I’m not a musician but I am a teacher and I’m so impressed by how nice the teachers were. It’s obvious they know their craft and seem very understanding and have great communication skill. They used Brett’s and Eddie’s knowledge to make them aware and get better from there. The improvements were obvious from a non-musician standpoint, I’m in all honestly sooooo speechless
Sorry they got rejected 😂😂
It's easy to be a nice teacher when all your students actually want to learn and will beat out others to do so.
i think it's awesome how the auditors actually gave you a mini lessons just off the basis of your auditions, kinda like a "whether they get in or not let's give them a few pointers to think about so they can be the best musicians they can be"
I have incredibly terrible ears, but like whenever the teacher played a piece, it always surprised me how much... I'll be frank, much more emotional and vibrant (if that makes sense) the piece sounded. And then it surprises me at how much Brett or Eddy improves after their advice. its truly incredible!
This is the thing about classical music, the skill ceiling is astronomical. Brett and Eddy are both good violinists. Are they good enough to get into Curtis? Nope, not even close (and that’s fine!)
That's the most amazing thing about a masterclass. You are just 15 words away from revising and revitalizing your sound. I'm not a violin player but i heard the difference. it's not a binary thing - 'you're in or you're out.' there is something to gain from every experience and the path to self improvement is long with many obstacles.
the difference between me playing piano for people and getting a "that was nice" and getting a "wow, more!" was incorporating dynamics to try and tell an emotional story with the piece. think about hearing someone just play "Fur Elise" fast and technically correct, then go hear the version at the beginning of Inglorious Basterds. same music, different tempo, dynamic, and emotion - and one clearly stands out
@@geewilikers9780I’m always really impressed when ray Chen shows his playing as a kid vs now. Definitely shows you don’t have to start as a prodigy. And just because you aren’t good enough now doesn’t mean you can’t be later.
This is actually amazing, because I could literally hear Brett getting better during his lesson. What an amazing opportunity!
when you come from a place like Australia, as an aspiring classical artist it is *really* inspiring to walk into a building like that where incredible classical music history is oozing literally everywhere - the foyer, concert/rehearsal spaces, hallways, teaching/practice rooms - fills you with such overwhelming feelings of belonging to a distinguished legacy. I can totally relate to those almost breathless 'wow!' moments, as I had exactly the same thing when I was lucky enough to go to the Royal College of Music in London. It's really incredible and something that stays with you forever. I remember one time being totally in awe when I went to the library at the RCM one time asking about a Mozart piece, and they casually brought out the ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT BY MOZART for me to study... that is just a tiny tip of the iceberg of how momentous and breathtaking and inspiring it is to be in a place like that to study. The sense of validation and value of music and its pursuit is particularly overwhelming, especially coming from a country like Australia which doesn't place much value on arts and culture (for several decades now).
As a European, I sometimes forget how lucky we are when it comes to arts and culture in general. In my city we have easy access to centuries-old buildings and historical treasures, so I'm kinda used to it.
It's very interesting to have the input of someone from another area of the globe like you. ☺
Wow indeed! I'm impressed that RCM had an original Mozart manuscript, but 100 times more impressed that they actually let you study it. I'm assuming you couldn't take it out of the room, but still...
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia Old World is the best!
@@Lodinn Sadly they destroyed other old worlds and their culture and made them 'new worlds'
It's all relative, I guess. India doesn't even have a conservatory. You can take private lessons from a teacher who may or may not love their job, and may or may not have teaching and performing qualifications and experience. Exams are conducted by ABRSM or Trinity examiners who fly in and out. India is one of the world's biggest markets for these boards, but there's no serious system of music education. There is no student orchestra even in the national capital, and no practice spaces. As far as I'm aware the whole country (1.3 billion people) has only one professional orchestra, i.e. where musicians are paid - the Symphony Orchestra of India in Mumbai
I just had my audition there about a month ago, I didn’t get in but was in the final 3! Amazing you guys get to film in these amazing places!
Will you apply again next year?
Congratulations on being top 3! Very impressive.
How is it possible to be in the final 3 and still not get in? Isn`t that a ridiculously high criteria?
@@Nejiglenna only 1 spot available, and that one player is there until they earn there degree so up to 4 years between players.
I love how they just mentioned about Tuba and I read this comment. Hope you try again next time!
As a complete non musician the two lessons were such eye openers.
Made me wonder if teaching shouldn't be part of the selection - to see how candidates respond to it.
I auditioned for a conservatory in the Netherlands quite recently and they actually did. It was really cool.
Excellent idea! Even if you don't get in, you get a masterclass out of it.
Yes I hoped they were about to get in and the tie breaker was if they could take direction and they proved they could. Your playing was beautiful. Sometimes I think it is better for us non-musical listeners that we don't notice the little things musicians notice as we enjoy without distraction. On the same topic though I have heard singers on TH-cam that I really didn't like and the professional will say how perfect their pitch was. I would not know if the singer was on pitch...I suppose I just didn't like that pitch. I enjoyed this video very much.
absolutely! You can have hella talent and skill but if you aren't TEACHABLE, your time in school is wasted.
Actually in wide parts of Europe there's two parts to the audition process: Getting in at all and then getting a spot in the class of a professor. You have to be approved for the school by either a selection or all of the professors for your instrument and the head of the department and then someone has to actually have a spot for you and has to be willing to work with you one on one for for 2-4 years on a weekly basis. So usually you travel around to meet teachers, visit their masterclasses to work with them and maybe even play in a studio setting to get o know the other students. I myself was somewhat of a late bloomer and just barely got approved by the committee. Since I had worked with my teacher 3 months, 1 month and 1 hour before the exam he could track how I responded to his teaching and how fast I could incorporate new input into my playing. Also we had a good dynamic of me being ambitious enough without needing too much outside push and him being annoyed with people who only worked when told to or criticised explicitly. It's not part of the official application process, but it sure helps get through several years together without major fall-outs, lol. Still sometimes in touch with him 4 years after graduation. :)
amazing. That teacher. Her observations. Her instructions. And Brett's response. WOW WOW WOW to see how great teachers and great students work.
Amazing to see how my old school has changed since I graduated from Curtis in 1985. I still love that school so much. It looks better than ever. No dorms when I was there! I owe my entire career to having studied at "The Curtis."
So you're a pro musician then ?
@@SharkSalesman90 he's the principal bassoonist for chicago symphony and faculty for northwestern....ya he is pro lol
@@alexanderhan4755 wait how did you know that?
@@SharkSalesman90 Based on the username?
Oh David McGill is someone famous
it's so crazy to see how brett and eddy improve in just a few short minutes with a short lesson from the adjudicators, and they're already so impressive before that
As a teacher, I can say that it's not that difficult for a good student, who is already at a high level, to show improvement after a minutes-long lesson - for a few minutes. The real test is, will they retain and consolidate that good advice through practice, to make a permanent difference? That's what I would hope for from Twoset - I guess we'll find out at 4m subs!
My gosh, the teachers are so young, I'm impressed !! That's crazy how they achieved to get where they are so early in life 👏🏼👏🏼
Exactly my thoughts
That woman teacher (erin), is on some next level teaching skills. He improved immediately. I thought most violinist knew the bow striking and stroking stuff that she said. I am starting to see that the brain and dissecting information is the difference in many of the human performance. There are a select few that are way detail oriented and they are usually the rockstars within technical fields. Very interesting.
It's really striking how much their playing improved just in those few minute lessons. The teachers are really great and I'm glad Twoset got this oppurtunity! (Is it weird that i was kinda hoping tht they wud get in, despite knowing it was acting? 🤣Lol)
Same !!!!!!
Nope. I was hoping the same. Well it was acting. But I hope for them to have a lot of oportunity to take great lessons in another way.
Yeah, me too. So sad at the end.
Bretts playing improved so much throughout the lesson, it was actually impressive the music he could make after the tips she gave him.
7:21 When Brett played that part for the second time I actually got chills. It's like the piece was being transformed in that short time. What a great feedback and what a fast learning speed.
This is one of the bravest things you guys have ever done on your channel. To let your viewers watch you in a lesson. It's not only what it reveals about your playing, it shows us what is important in the interpretation of the pieces you chose and shows me, at least, that your technical ability isn't in question, so much as the limits of your exploration of technique and your interpretation of the music. Which is completely understandable for talented, hardworking musicians like the two of you. And I'm under the impression that, even for the very best musicians, the musicality and emotional expression one brings to any piece of music is always deepening with experience and maturity. A fantastic video! Thank you so much for putting yourselves out there.
I don't even play the violin, I play the piano. But what the female teacher said made perfect sense. She's just amazing. A few pointers made such a big difference!
I love how different the two teaching approaches are, but both get very good results. The first teachers is more physical/functional in her adjustments, the second teacher offers more of the respond-as-an-artist-from-the-inside-out approach. It just goes to show that there are many good ways to do things, not just one correct way. Beautiful teaching.
I'm impressed at how well Brett responded to the quick lesson. One could hear immediate betterment of the phrases and expression. Way to go!
I graduated from Curtis. Class of 1979. Your walking through those doors brought back many incredible memories.
I actually nearly cried listening to the playing and lessons!
Edit:
It might sound weird but I am touched by the amount of details that one should acknowledge in a few bars of music, and the fact that Brett and Eddy are still practicing and learning and making their music better.
They're still in their 20's, IIRC. When it comes to mastering an instrument, that's still a baby, really. This channel focuses a lot on prodigies (often as a means of self-deprecation and an allusion to the fictional kid your mom compares you to in order to shame you as motivation) but even then... the sad truth about prodigies is that the vast majority of them hit a wall early and cease to improve. I guess what I'm saying is... as accomplished as they are, their journey is far from over.
Thoroughly impressed with the lessons. Don’t even play violin but I can understand and sorta get what they’re teaching and why it’d improve your playing.
Curious what the top players get recommended to do though. Probably a lot of very minor corrections.
Also the ending 💀”You can leave”💀💀💀
ohh, that ending was so sad 😭
@@YxG713 Yeah. Even though we all knew it was coming, it was still heartbreaking.
Generally when learning a new instrument, all feedback you get is just about basic technique. Things like “hold your instrument this way”, “make sure to move your hands/fingers this way”, etc. Once you reach a more intermediate level, the feedback changes to be more about advanced technique or style. “Practice your bowing on this passage”, “look out for the dynamics in this passage”, “try shifting here instead of there”, etc. Once you reach a very high level of skill, your technique should be pretty much dialed in at that point, but you may just need direction on how to apply that technique, and you may need help with interpretation of a piece. Advice at this point is rarely about the raw mechanics of playing the instrument, and more about interpretation. “Try using a different tone color here”, “try being more free/more rigid with the tempo here”, “how can you bring out the multiple voices in this particular phrase?”, things like that
@@elissahunt ~ oh, but to be booted out so unceremoniously, with hunched shoulders, and to have it be the last part of the piece with no laughter afterwards . . . so sad.
@@jessenguyen3012 You are spot on. At a high level it's about giving the performer context about performing the piece, how to ~interpret it~ like the history behind the piece and how you're trying to deliver it to a listener.
everyone's been saying it, and im gonna say it as well. the playing totally sounds different, it improved so much! i especially heard it with brett and im not a music student or whatever. its so much better, i agreed with the teacher, it kinda sounded the same but when they started playing after comments were given, i got goosebumps 😭❤️
yeah... it really made me wonder why they wouldn't seek to incorporate lessons or masterclasses into their practice regularly, though.. is it hard to find teachers at their level? did they have enough lessons for a lifetime?
@@MK-ro4ff I think teachers at this level are both hard to find, and pretty expensive. Remember that video where Eddy spent thousands of dollars on flying to Europe for lessons with renowned teachers (pre Twoset days), and didn't even always get good advice? That's why a Curtis education is such an immense privilege.
I love how coachable and teachable you both are. I'm in medicine and it doesn't matter how long you're in any field you can always learn and improve
so true, such an obstacle
i like how eddy was so secretive about his sibelius 3 mil and wouldnt play for us and here bretts just dropping the entire first passage lmaoo
Haha truu not sure which builds up more hype but I'm excited anyway!
ye
This of course is Brett and Eddy showing empathy to all those who can't make it to these exclusive schools. If they were trying to audition for real with these pieces, there's no way that they wouldn't know the dynamics, the accents, and the general feeling the composer wanted to convey, all without a bit of hesitation. They would not only practice but work with a coach on all these details they got taught after the fact. All this to show us what it would take, and still it would be a long shot, considering the competition.
Teachers: You can leave.
Cameraman: *Don't mind me, I'm just recording*
Not to mention with the teachers teaching them.. Showing what those who wanna join where to improve... I luckily got in art school but honest to god... Practicing before entering, i dunno what to practice and work on
As im older id say lineweight and forms are one of the important things i shouldve worked on...
You can hear the exact same kind of “mistakes” in their past performances on this channel (e.g Eddy’s 3M Sibelius). Unless you’re telling me that they also weren’t trying for real for those performances. It’s just extremely difficult if you don’t practice and perform constantly and live in a supporting environment that restlessly pushes you to improve.
@@vt4979 I agree. I just meant that this was them showing us how difficult it gets for those who dedicate their life to music at a high level. And yes they do make mistakes, but if they were actually auditioning for such an important occasion for real, I'm sure they would've put more time and effort into preparing those specific pieces.
I don't really agree with this. I think that even a majority of violinists would struggle to say off the top of their head some basic facts about most works they play. Time signature, key signature, starting dynamics and certainly articulation etc and more complicated information. You learn it when you are learning the piece with the music in front of you and then you tend to forget about it. Just like one can drive a route every day and not remember where every traffic sign is and what it says.
I have to say, if the lessons are always like that at Curtis, it's really nice. Hard and challenging, but respectful and reinforcing. I wish more teachers were like that - challening you, but not making you feel like crap for your mistakes 😅
Shout out to Curtis for embracing a modern glimpse into their conservatory. Wildly entertaining!
The teachers were amazing, but also Brett and Eddy were clearly at a caliber to take their very subtle and detailed notes and implement them on the fly. It is wonderful to see a great teacher improving a great student!
My audition at Curtis was definitely my most nerve wracking audition. Didn’t get in, but just being asked to audition was cool.
did they give feed back at the end?
@@LisaL. nope. Just yes you’re in or no thank you.
@@thecuttinggardener361 that is harsh, so much preparation, at least they could give some constructive criticism. Do you get to listen to other candidates' performance? Though I guess everyone has met before in competitions, I doubt they'll invite a nobody for audition.
I was asked to audition, but my parents wouldn’t let me. I still feel the resentment 30+ years later!
@@angelal1607 I would too! Why wouldn’t they let you?
The instructional part was absolutely fascinating. I'm not joking. I wouldn't think I'd be glued to my screen watching this but I was.
You're both the best... They are the best of the best. The school looks so cool
If these are real instructions that they got, a real lesson (not scripted), then...dude...Those are wonderful teachers...I'm clueless when it comes to playing instruments and even I noticed the improvement. No wonder the school is top. 👏👏👏👏
You can't really "script" violin playing so easily. It's not like professional wrestling or something 😆
@@larryphotography lol, I just meant they could be playing bad on purpose or something. 😂
@@TheEscapistDreamer i strongly doubt it, the input they got was mostly on bowing, which isn’t rlly smth you can grip just by looking at a piece and practicing
I don't think the teachers have time to memorize a script but more to your question I think twoset would be really embarrassed to not try their best in front of Curtis teachers..... At least I would be...
I think the day in general was kinda scripted (although, if they had gotten the opportunity to study at Curtis, I'm sure they would've at least considered it) but the lessons seemed very legit!
I used to work at Curtis from '08-'12 (back when Ben Beilman and TwoSet favorite Ray Chen were still students), and it's amazing to see some of the changes that have been made to 1726 since then, such as the removal of the partition going up to the stairs and moving the guard desk from next to that partition to by the front door. Every time I see the current rehearsal space in Lenfest it's still amazing that the orchestra used to rehearse in Field Concert Hall regularly (I remember watching Eschenbach rehearse the Curtis Symphony on Turangalila Symphony with several members of the percussion section sitting in the little balcony near me). What Curtis has done with its facilities in the past fifteen is remarkable, and with the Philadelphia Orchestra (students got free tickets at the time -- I broke my staff ID to make it look like a student ID to take advantage of this) just a few blocks down the street, you could spend the majority of your time as a Curtis student at this one four-block stretch of Locust Street (from Broad Street to Rittenhouse Square).
If I may ask, what was your job when you were working at Curtis ?
@@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia Two main functions: working in the library at the A/V Desk and designing all of the programs for all of the performances.
The difference I could hear in the playing as the teachers critiqued you was insane! The attention to detail of the teachers and your guys' drive to improve your playing continuously is super inspiring.
Those are EXCELLENT instructors. Both Brett and Eddy, who already play very well, got instantly better following those notes. Well done