Brett Yang and Eddy Chen met in Australia while receiving after-school math instruction. Now, on their second world tour, they are selling out international concert venues.
As their name suggests, TwoSet Violin is one of the most popular online classical music performers.
With over 7,5 million social media followers and over 1.3 billion views on their YouTube channel, the Brisbane pair have shown how the classical music society can attract new audiences with a little practice and creativity.
In 2013, the couple, who are now in their early 30s, began uploading entertaining and informative videos to YouTube.
TwoSet then published a parody song with the lyrics, "I sold my soul to the devil. You sold yours to your record label." Paganini (1782-1840) was known as the "devil's violinist" because superstitious audiences believed his virtuosity was a gift from the demon.
The loyal admirers of the K-Pop act defended the group vehemently on social media, with many believing Paganini was still alive. Later, TwoSet responded with another video, stating that it was fantastic to bring Paganini's work to a wider audience.
When TwoSet created their YouTube channel ten years ago, their videos were frequently shared by classical musicians who appreciated their niche humor. As a result of TwoSet's content, more individuals are attending classical concerts for the first time, as reported by other classical musicians.
Molly from Switzerland was in attendance to witness their live performance. She began viewing them in order to comprehend her husband's love for classical music. She told the sources, "I have never played music in my life, but I love listening to classical music and was looking for a simple way to learn more."
The mission of TwoSet to give more people the opportunity to engage with classical music is a challenge faced by many organizations as ticket sales decline.
The duo has demonstrated, according to Brian Kavanagh, a lecturer in digital innovation at King's College London, how essential it is for acts to engage with social media in order to attract a younger and more diverse audience to their performances.
Dr. Kavanagh, who previously collaborated with non-profit classical performers such as the LA Philharmonic Orchestra and the English National Opera to aid them adapt to the digital world, remarked, One of the most impressive aspects of what TwoSet Violin is doing is that they offer such a diverse selection of content.
Historically, many in the field of classical music have felt pressure to aspire for perfection. This is a perception that the duo intends to dispel by promoting practice and rejecting lucrative sponsorship deals that other content creators accept.
TwoSet asserts that their 2017 tour was the first classical world tour to be crowdfunded. By live-streaming a five-day, nonstop "busking marathon" on the streets of Sydney, the duo raised nearly A$35,000 ($23,000; £18,000) in online donations.
Even on their second world tour, which began in June in Hong Kong and includes 27 destinations, the duo continues to practice. "Half the practice consists of executing it. You may practice to your heart's content in the practice chamber. "However, things will vary on stage," he explains.
The response of TwoSet admirers suggests a growing online audience is eager to join the world of classical music.
