Hey guys.
So I know recently we've been doing a lot of roasting videos.
But today is going to be slightly different.
Part of the reason we're making this,
is because I think the videos we're about to react to might help...
...inspire you guys as much as it did to us.
[At] The end of the day...
the reason we made this channel,
is to help inspire people to play classical music,
to learn about classical music,
and to pick up an instrument.
So yeah. I hope you guys enjoy watching these videos...
...with us.
You can see the like, the determination on her face.
And then like...
It must be so hard, to...control that bow.
Like that.
The sound is good.
Yeah.
I mean I've noticed she's got like a weighted...
I know, I was thinking, I was like,
"How does she put weight on the bow
if she doesn't have weight in the arms?"
But then I saw the tip.
And she got a guiding post, but still...
I don't know how in...
How on earth she's doing like...
...contact point, or string changes.
String crossings.
Mmm.
Checking. *chuckles*
Ohh. That smile.
But you can see how like...
Like that face, it's just a like...
- It looked like she's really... - It's—it's just...
- ...focused and enjoying it. - Yeah.
- The determination. - Yeah.
It's one of those things where...
You don't realise...
...how lucky you are to have an arm.
- Yeah. - Until you don't have an arm,
you know what I'm saying?
Yeah.
Like...I can guess a lot of you out there who has...
...a functional arm, probably are not practicing right now,
because you can practice anytime you want.
But for someone like this...
whereas to have an arm is such a privilege,
they actually...
Find ways, you know, to appreciate.
- The things that we take for granted. - That we take for granted.
So her name is [Manami] Ito.
So [Manami] doesn't need to play the violin.
- She doesn't have to play the violin. - Yeah.
But out of just sheer determination, she figured out
how to get this mechanical arm that's engineered for her
just to play the violin.
it's incredible too, because you think...
...like as a violinist, how much...
...emphasis we put on the bow hold,
because it is very important.
Yeah.
And she doesn't have any of that.
- But she's still making it...work. - Yeah.
I also actually do research, so...
...about who she is before, and um...
- So turns out she's actually a nurse as well. - Mm-hmm.
- And a Paralympian swimmer. - Mm-hmm.
Whoa!
- Like...well there you go. - Triple!
Paralympian swimmer, nurse and a violinist.
Three like, careers...
- So what are we doing with our lives? - Type of thing.
It's pretty incredible.
Her story, from what I understand, is that she actually...
...learned the violin as a kid at 7,
but she had both arms back then.
And at the age of 20, she got into a car accident,
and she lost the arm. *winces*
*sigh*
And...she was super depressed,
which I guess as a musician you could relate to,
like, if you lose that thing that you loved.
And it's interesting how she picked—
Out of all the things she's learned, with her hands,
she decided to pick violin up.
- Like most people might just give up, but... - Most people would!
- She still went for it, because... - Yeah.
...it speaks to us differently than...
Yeah.
...what other things do.
Now apparently she like, couldn't leave her house for a year,
But then eventually she picked it up again.
I think any musician out there, that's...
...had an injury before, and can no longer play can have...
- You really want to play... - It's probably...
- Yeah, that's true. - It's horrifying for you.
Even a minor injury, you just want to play.
- Yeah, I had to take a year off for violin coz I was injured. - Yeah.
And that was Iike, traumatising.
Like, "No, I can't practice!"
So practice when you can!
Yeah, so guys, it's really important,
just to remember that things that are like, already here.
We take it for granted.
Just remember next time you don't feel like practicing,
[Manami] is practicing.
Yeah.
So...there you go.
I was watching this video, this video someone linked it to me.
And um, this actually reminded me.
Do you know the other guy?
I think we saw this in—during uni.
Adrian Anantawan or something?
- Oh, yeah, there was a guy. - Another guy.
He had an arm, but he was like missing...
The hand part.
- This...this bit. - Yeah.
- He was playing Tchaikovsky violin concerto. - Yeah...
- Like the entire Tchaikovsky violin concerto. - Ohh!!!
That's insane.
The most difficult repertoire, and this dude...
Actually I want to show you guys a little clip.
- Just to be like... - I know, you thought this was impossible, just wait.
Yeah, basically this guy,
he has a beautiful recording on YouTube,
"Schindler's List", recommend you guys check it out.
We're not gonna play it here, because...
...we'll definitely get copystrike.
- There's another video that I found, that... - Copystrike...
Ysaÿe, so hopefully won't get copystrike.
But it doesn't even have that many views, but it's ridiculous.
Before we play, the Sonata no.3,
called "Ballade" by Eugene Ysaÿe,
is probably one of...
...I wouldn't say the most,
but well, a very, very, very difficult violin piece in the repertoire,
So if you're classical violinist playing at a higher level,
you would know what the set of 6 sonatas mean.
Yeah.
Ysaÿe is a violinist and he pushed the boundaries,
- a bit like Paganini, like the modern Paganini, I'd say. - Yeah.
Don't quote me, and it's not very "y-saÿe".
It's massive respect to any...
- Yeah. - ...one that can play it.
Like we would struggle.
- Yeah. - We would have to practice a lot.
Dude.
Can I just mention something?
Yeah.
This is different, but the difference between...
Just having the arm part changes the tone of violin playing.
- Yeah. - Guys like...just some education.
Next time your teacher tells you to put some weight in,
- it's because it's your arm. - Yeah.
Do you know—you know what I'm saying? Like...
he doesn't need the tip.
The tip thing.
I was like, "There's no tip."
but then, he's got part of the arm to put the weight in,
so he's good to go.
Yeah. But even then I was gonna say like...
- Oh, the sound he's making with... - It's so ridiculously...
- I know. - Like...
To give context,
he's basically doing like a consistent long phrase,
crescendoing through like the series of double stops,
which means like...
2 strings at the same time, which is really hard to make a good sound.
Yeah.
And something that people struggle with, even with...
- All 5 fingers. - A proper hand, yeah, 5 fingers.
Something that's amazing is like,
because of his setup, he's unable to extend.
- Yeah. - So his bow is forced to do this.
So he has to sustain more than the normal person, I think.
Well, it's more like he has to invent his own technique.
- Yeah, that as well. - Coz modern technique would not work for that.
- Like, how did he— - It's true.
If you look at his bow, like...
- Yeah. - But he makes the sound good.
- I don't know, I think we're nerding out a bit too much now, - Yeah.
but this is ridiculous.
Ohh!
How?
Just imagine playing this...
...with just half your bow.
That's how much bow he has right now.
- Yeah. - He doesn't have a full bow.
That's why it's impressive he can sustain so much.
Just like...this much.
- Yeah. - Most violinists have this extra part to play,
- and we also—he doesn't really go to the frog as often. - Not really, coz he can't.
There's—so he has to put a lot more weight here,
and then slow the bow down for this part.
Which is like...mad...
Mad...
Respect.
Yeah. If you're out there going...
*whimpering* "It's too hard."
Well, think again!
*snickers*
It's funny, because I don't even think I can play that piece
as well as he does.
I know.
Well there you go guys!
Definitely check out these people if you need inspiration,
go listen to what they have to say.
Just to remind you guys that anything is possible.
So when you feel like...
- To remind ourselves. - And to remind ourselves that anything is possible
when you feel like it's too difficult,
things are going hard,
just remember there are people that are out there that can do it,
and there's no reason why you can't do it.
That's it...
...of a serious TwoSet video.
Remember to...
...practice!