All Ray Chen articles
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VideoHow to pick a violin bow with Ray Chen
Ray Chen and Joel Link blind test a selection of bows and give their thoughts on playability and sound
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FocusRay Chen: ‘Practising with others pushes you to improve’
The violinist shares his approaches to practice, in line with his community-based app Tonic
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Premium ❘ FeatureMasterclass: Ray Chen on Mozart Violin Concerto no.3
Ray Chen gives bowings, fingerings and ideas for interpretation in the first movement of the popular G major Concerto K216
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen gives left-hand pizzicato lesson
Violinist Ray Chen gives a video lesson on mastering left-hand pizzicato, as demonstrated in Paganini's Caprice no.24.
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VideoViolinist Ray Chen’s string snaps mid-performance
’A spectacularly awkward yet exciting moment to break an E-string’
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VideoRay Chen performs Largo from Bach’s Sonata for solo violin no. 3 in C Major BWV1005
In honour of The Strad’s feature of Bach’s solo violin sonatas in the July 2021 issue, we’re exploring various performances of solo Bach. Here’s Ray Chen’s performance of the Largo from the C major sonata. Read our feature discussing interpretation of the three sonatas by Lewis Kaplan here ...
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen warming up
The following video from our archive is linked to the Technique article in the April issue of The Strad on warming up the left hand when playing the cello Violinist Ray Chen warms up with an excerpt from the second movement of Bruch's Scottish Fantasy at the ...
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ArticleMajor US agency goes bust
As Covid-19 prevents artists from making money, those who represent them are feeling the pinch too
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VideoRay Chen compares a $69 factory-made violin with a $10m Stradivari
’Even on the open strings you can tell the difference. The Strad has this resonance, clarity and warmth’ Violinist Ray Chen compares a $69 factory-made violin with the 1735 ’Samazeuilh’ Stradivari violin worth around $10m. Watch: Ray Chen: What do you do when your E-string breaks in a concert?Read: Players ...
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VideoRay Chen plays Waltzing Matilda live at Hollywood Bowl
Ray Chen performs his own variations on Watzing Matilda , which as he says is ‘actually quite a tragic song’. ‘For some reason the tune remains jaunty and happy, which is why I decided I would make an arrangement that better describes the story through music,’ writes Chen: ...
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NewsRay Chen gives Hollywood Bowl debut to 18-year-old Laura Kukkonen
‘Play With Ray’ competition culminates in Bach Double Concerto performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
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VideoHorses enjoy a private Ray Chen recital
Ray Chen plays Vivaldi as ‘A serenade to the horses for all the bow hairs I’ve broken’
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NewsFinalists announced for ‘Play with Ray’ competition
Three violinists chosen from video submissions will travel to Los Angeles for a chance to perform with Ray Chen at the Hollywood Bowl
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VideoRay Chen: What do you do when your E-string breaks in a concert?
In a break from practice, Ray Chen sets himself a challenge to play as if his E string has just broken while admitting that it is not something you can defend against or even practise for – and therefore not worth worrying about either
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VideoRay Chen exploring what makes a violin's sound
Ray Chen is looking for violins to be played by the finalists of his Play with Ray competition . Here he pays a visit to the New York offices of Tarisio to try out some instruments. He writes: ‘In this video I go and explore the question “What is ...
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NewsMenuhin Competition announces programme for 2018 event in Geneva
Taking place from 12 to 22 April 2018 the competition features 44 international entries as well as a festival of concerts and masterclasses
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ArticleRay Chen rehearses Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Ray Chen rehearses Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko for performances that took place on 22 and 23 June 2017. The video features commentary and insights from Chen about the concerto - the first work he ever played with an ...
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen breaks his string mid-performance
In the video above Ray Chen demonstrates exactly how to react when breaking a string mid-performance. The violinist is performing with the Taiwan Philharmonic on a recent tour of Brussels when his string breaks. Coolly he turns to the orchestral leader and swaps instruments before continuing to ...
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NewsViolinist Ray Chen signs new recording deal with Decca Classics
The violinist, who is a former winner of the Menuhin and Queen Elisabeth competitions, will make his first recording for the label later this year