Taiwan-born, Brisbane-trained violin prodigies Brett Yang and Eddy Chen, known as TwoSet Violin, will launch the Oceania leg of their Sacrilegious Games World Tour in Perth next month. The duo, who quit the Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras in 2016, have since amassed 9.5 million social media followers and 1.5 billion views by combining classical finesse with uptempo comedy.
Repertoire and Presentation
Their repertoire includes fiendishly difficult pieces by Vivaldi, Sarasate, Rimsky-Korsakov, Paganini, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky, along with a fan favourite, Nicholas Ma’s Anti-Brainrot Concerto. The show is punctuated by video, audience interaction, and their signature “Ling Ling” joke, which pokes fun at the stereotype of the serious classical musician.
“Classical music by itself is already incredibly powerful, but we realised early on that many people felt intimidated by it,” Yang and Chen said. “A lot of audiences grow up thinking classical music is only for experts, elite concert halls, or people with formal training. We wanted to break that barrier down.”
Emotional Connection Over Technique
Emotional connection is their key concern, far more than technique or performance. “Humour became our bridge. Once people laugh, they relax. And once they relax, they start listening differently. Suddenly, a piece by Niccolò Paganini or Antonio Vivaldi no longer feels distant or intimidating — it feels exciting and personal,” they said. “At the end of the day, our goal is not just to play classical music well, but to help people fall in love with it in a way that feels natural and genuine.”
Pushing Boundaries on Tour
Yang and Chen are pushing boundaries on this tour, setting the bar high in music, comedy, and presentation. “There are moments that showcase the beauty and virtuosity of the violin tradition, but there are also moments that completely flip expectations — combining comedy, storytelling, internet culture, and unexpected twists that longtime fans will immediately recognise,” they said. “Some pieces are played traditionally, while others evolve into something theatrical, chaotic, or even completely absurd in the best possible way.”
“We also wanted the program to feel like a journey rather than just a sequence of pieces. The show moves between high-level musicianship and pure entertainment very quickly, which reflects the way younger audiences consume art today.”
The Ling Ling Joke
The “Ling Ling” joke is a hallmark, drawing on their personal experience of music making. “The idea is that Ling Ling is the ultimate musician — someone so talented and disciplined that they can practise 40 hours a day, sight-read impossible repertoire, win every competition, and still have time to judge your intonation afterwards,” Yang and Chen said. “But beneath the joke, there’s actually something very relatable about it. Every musician grows up comparing themselves to someone who practises more, plays better, or seems impossibly talented. Ling Ling became a funny exaggeration of that pressure.”
“What’s been amazing is seeing audiences around the world instantly understand the reference, even across different cultures and languages. It’s become this shared inside joke for musicians everywhere — almost like a universal language of practice trauma.”
Accessible to Non-Musicians
They also focus on non-musicians unfamiliar with classical music. “A lot of people assume classical concerts are formal, distant, or difficult to understand, but live music is one of the most emotional and exciting experiences you can have. When audiences come to our shows, they realise classical musicians are not robots — we’re passionate, competitive, awkward, emotional, and sometimes completely unhinged people who genuinely love what we do,” they said.
“Even if someone doesn’t know the repertoire or understand music theory, they can still connect with the energy of a live performance. The humour, the storytelling, and the atmosphere make the experience accessible without taking away the artistic value of the music itself. If someone walks out of the concert thinking, ‘Maybe I should hear more live classical music’, or ‘I didn’t know violins could be this exciting’, then we feel like we’ve done our job.”
Return to Australasia
The duo are excited to return to Australasia for the first time since 2024, taking in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Auckland. “Australian audiences have always had a special energy, but Perth fans are honestly on another level. There’s something incredibly warm and chaotic about the atmosphere there that we still remember from previous visits,” they said.
“One thing that always surprises international musicians is the foot stomping. The first time we heard it, we genuinely thought something dramatic was happening in the hall. But then we realised it was just Perth audiences showing appreciation in the loudest and most enthusiastic way possible. It creates such an electric atmosphere in the theatre.”
“We also know many fans travel long distances to attend concerts in Perth, so we never take that support for granted. Coming back feels less like visiting a city and more like reconnecting with a very passionate community that has supported us for years. So whether you’re a lifelong classical musician, a casual listener, or someone who has never attended a concert before, we hope you’ll come experience it with us. And of course... go practise.”
TwoSet Violin will perform at Riverside Theatre, Perth, on June 7.
