Violinists Eddy Chen and Brett Yang recently arrived in the outskirts of Bangkok, embarking on a playful mission to record hip-hop music videos featuring iconic composers like Beethoven, Bach, and others as if they were alive in the present day.

In one video, Chen, dressed as Beethoven with a gray wig and a red scarf, rapped, “They called me calloused, called me unfeeling. Can’t let them know what I am concealing.”https://wordpress.com/

This was just another day for Chen and Yang, the comedic duo behind TwoSet Violin, known for their humor and lighthearted approach to classical music. With millions of followers, they have brought a refreshing, quirky energy to the traditionally serious world of classical music over the past 11 years. Their unique blend of comedy and music has resonated particularly with younger musicians, helping to shatter the genre’s stuffy image.

Throughout their journey, Chen and Yang have delivered countless hilarious moments, such as performing Pachelbel’s Canon in D with rubber chickens, hosting crazy composer-themed charades, and humorously critiquing actors pretending to play the violin in films. They’ve also crafted skits about show-off musicians, overbearing parents, and high-stakes auditions.

Classical music’s big names have also joined in on the fun. Violinist Hilary Hahn collaborated with the duo to perform Paganini caprices while hula-hooping. Ray Chen played a game with Chen and Yang where they imitated legendary violinists like Jascha Heifetz and Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Now, much to the disappointment of many fans, Chen and Yang, both in their 30s and based in Singapore, have announced that TwoSet Violin is coming to an end. In October, they revealed they were wrapping up their channel, removing most of their videos from the internet, and posted a farewell message on Instagram: “It’s been a wild ride with you all,” which quickly garnered over 330,000 likes.

In an interview, the duo confirmed they were finishing TwoSet Violin but hinted at future collaborations. They cited the increasing pressure of creating over 100 videos per year and the exhaustion that came with their growing platform, which now boasts 4.3 million YouTube subscribers. The constant scrutiny had begun to take a toll.

“We’ve said everything we needed to say,” Yang explained. “For the past 11 years, it felt like there were 50-kilo weights on my shoulders, trying to please everyone and be the best we could.”

Both Chen and Yang, who have always been active in reading comments from their fans, admitted that the intense scrutiny and the harsh feedback at times, particularly about their personalities and music, became overwhelming.

“Sometimes it feels like social media just wants to find the next person to criticize,” Chen said. “We needed a break.”

To mark their departure, they plan to release six final videos as part of a new project featuring themselves as members of a band of composers called B²TSM, inspired by K-pop groups (the name stands for Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Mozart). In their debut video, titled “I’m Bach,” Chen, portraying Bach, expresses his frustration with modern music through a rap.

Chen described the videos as a gift to their fans: “Our blood, sweat, and tears,” he said. “We’re sharing what TwoSet has meant to us through our art, much like a composer expressing their emotions through music. It’s a deeply meaningful way for us to say goodbye.”

Chen and Yang, both originally from Taiwan and raised in Brisbane, Australia, met as teenagers. They were both enrolled in Friday night math classes and played in the Queensland Youth Symphony before pursuing traditional music paths, studying at conservatories and performing in Australian orchestras. However, they felt drawn to social media and began posting violin renditions of pop songs in 2013 under the TwoSet Violin name.

In 2016, they quit their orchestra positions to focus on combining comedy and music, financing their first tour by livestreaming themselves playing violin on the streets of Sydney for donations. After several nights sleeping on benches, they raised enough money to fund their tour.

TwoSet became renowned for jokes about violinists, conductors, and other classical music tropes. Chen and Yang also tackled more serious topics, like the pressures of auditions, discrimination in classical music, and mental health challenges faced by artists.

Their willingness to challenge norms extended to controversy. In 2022, they publicly called out the K-pop group Blackpink for using a portion of Paganini’s music in their hit song “Shut Down,” with Chen parodying Paganini in a video called “Sell Out.”

As their fame grew, they attracted the attention of top violinists, including Hilary Hahn, who met them in 2018 after commenting on one of their posts. Hahn praised TwoSet Violin for capturing the quirks of classical music in a relatable and authentic way.

The TwoSet universe became a fandom in itself, with fans obsessing over inside jokes, heroes like the fictional virtuoso Ling Ling, and the duo’s eccentric challenges. In 2015, they even launched a streetwear line called “the world’s first classical music fashion brand.”

They also created the “Ling Ling Workout,” a series of hilarious and difficult violin challenges, which even included putting violinist Hahn to the test.

During the pandemic lockdowns of 2021, they produced a virtual tour, and in 2023-24, they toured 39 cities, performing at prestigious venues worldwide. At a concert in Berlin, a fan threw a bra on stage.

But the demands of their schedule wore them down. During a trip to Japan earlier this year, they found themselves still tied to their work. It led them to a mutual decision to step away from TwoSet Violin.

“It’s exciting to question yourself and try new things,” Chen said. “It’s time to challenge ourselves, not just keep going out of routine.”

In October, back in Singapore, they removed most of their over 1,500 videos from YouTube, leaving only a select few that they considered their best work, including popular videos like “21 Types of Orchestral Players” and “The World’s FASTEST (and most INACCURATE) VIOLINIST!”

In their farewell message, they expressed gratitude for the journey: “We’ve all grown up together, and it feels surreal to end this chapter. Thank you for all the laughs, the real-life connections, and the special moments.”

Fans reacted passionately, with some upset by their decision and others mourning the end of an era. One fan wrote, “My childhood crumbling before my eyes.”

Chen and Yang have since unplugged from social media, receiving messages of concern from friends and fans. The duo is now working on their B²TSM project, filming in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Austria, with collaborations with the Hong Kong Ballet and shooting at famous venues like Vienna’s Musikverein.

While their future plans remain unclear, they left the door open for possible performances under the B²TSM banner. As Yang put it, “It would be foolish to let all this go after everything we’ve been through.”

Chen agreed: “I’m pretty useless in some areas of life without Brett.”

To their fans, they left one last piece of advice: “Go practice,” Yang said. “There are no excuses anymore.”