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TwoSet Violin returns with a ‘proper’ farewell for their fans

TwoSet Violin has made their official farewell to their community, on December 4, they uploaded a teaser for a music video titled B²TSM – ‘I’m Bach’ which was uploaded the next day.

The New York Times then published an article with the TwoSet Violin talking about this project they had launched. The violinists Eddy Chen and Brett Yang confirmed in the interview that they were finished with TwoSet Violin, although they clarified that they would likely continue to work together.

“We’ve said all that we wanted to say,” Yang said. “It felt like I had 50-kilo weights on my shoulders for the last 11 years, just trying to please people and be the best that we can.”

The demands of creating more than 100 videos each year has worn them out and they were growing tired of the scrutiny with their YouTube channel having 4.3 million subscribers. Chen and Yang felt like they were under a microscope when reading comments on their works, criticism of their personalities, music and style stung them.

“Sometimes social media becomes this question of, ‘Who’s the next person for us to all hate on?’” Chen said. “We needed a break.”

While on a vacation in Japan, the two found themselves stuck to their desks working, which was when they reached a mutual decision that it was time to move on.

“It’s exciting to question yourself and challenge yourself sometimes,” Chen said, “and not just do things purely out of inertia.”

As part of their farewell and final gift to fans, Chen and Yang are releasing six videos in which they play members of a band of composers called B²TSM, the former considering it as their “blood, sweat and tears.” The band’s name stands for Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Mozart, all classical musicians

“We’re showing what TwoSet has meant to us through our art, in the same way a composer shares how they feel through their music,” Chen said. “To us that feels very meaningful.”

In October, they removed most of their more than 1,500 videos from YouTube, preserving only 29 which in their view were the crème de la crème.

In their farewell post, they wrote: “We’ve all grown up together and it’s kinda surreal that we’re ending our chapter here. Thank you for all the laughs, the genuine encounters in real life and all the special moments we’ve had with you online and offline.” Which brought varying reactions from their community.

During those times Chen and Yang unplugged from social media and stayed silent. With friends even checking on them to ask if they were ok and fans published investigations and commentary on their sudden farewell.

The duo said they did not want to post a cliche video explaining their decision, and resolved instead to make the B²TSM videos as their send-off.

“I would much rather give all of you our best in these music videos than give you a nice, kind, seems-authentic video,” Yang said. “I’d rather let your dreams and fantasies run free.”

For the B²TSM videos, they have uploaded 2 music videos already, which were lavishly produced, the duo filmed in Hong Kong, Thailand and Austria. They produced “Papa Wolfgang Style,” a Mozart-themed video, at the Eckartsau palace. They also filmed at Vienna’s storied Musikverein concert hall.

Chen and Yang said in the interview that they did not know what would come next, though they suggested it was possible they would perform again as B²TSM, which they introduced in 2022.

“It would be stupid to throw this all away,” Yang said, “after all the ups and downs we’ve been through together.”

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

And to their fans who were disappointed by their decision, they offered a simple response.

“Go practice,” Yang said. “There are no excuses anymore.”

 

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