Ray Reviews... HIMSELF 

Thanks for watching everyone! Please leave your thoughts on what discipline and wisdom (especially when applied to music) means so that I and many others get to read them and be INSPIRED!

At 54 I decided to learn how to read music and to play an instrument - a violin. I went to weekly classes with my Suzuki Book 1 for Violins & Essential Elements book 1 for strings. I learned to hold a bow, make sound...and to read music. Practicing almost daily to learn Twinkle Twinkle, to Go Tell Aunt Rhody. Knowing that, as I progressed I was still in my infancy. It’s been 22 months and I’m just about to Finish Gavotte and Suzuki book 1. Determination made me keep practicing, even though my progress, in the scheme of things is very little.

​Discipline is keeping going, even when you feel like you'll never be any good. Wisdom is knowing that sometimes your best is good enough, regardless. And wisdom is also knowing that your success or failure doesn't define you. You can use it to shape your future, but you are more than that, and it's okay to accept help when you need it - that doesn't make you a failure.

Discipline = Strong brain Wisdom = Big brain Simple

You're a really talented musician, Ray

Discipline and hope took me from being depressed, no social life off-line and a chronically lonely person to where I am now. I look back on how I used to be as a very different person. Discipline is learning how your mind works and learning what is good for you deep down, and using that to keep you going in the direction you want to be going. It's not always the easiest or fastest way out and it's different for everyone. Discipline for me has become an inner voice that everything will be okay and to push through fears. This has carried me through my musical career - in the past I could not even do a school presentation. I dropped out of university and had no hope. Now I accept performances and violin solos and opportunities in general- I may still feel intense stress and fear and doubt, and be questioning if I should back out to reduce these, but discipline and understanding of my mind lets me to push through. Now I look out into the faces or hundreds of people and perform with a smile. When it has all gone wrong and I've questioned my violin career, discipline and wisdom have kept me going and helped me to hold onto that inner drive and resilience to continue to learn, reflect and develop.

To me, discipline was constantly reminding myself that I CAN and WILL get to whatever level/goal I’m striving for, even though I can’t know when. But working on the certainty that you will get there automatically makes the process much more enjoyable.

In my opinion... Discipline is setting a goal and doing everything you need to do to achieve it while keeping it fair. Wisdom is to know when a goal has been missed and move on, and to know when it's time to tackle the failed goal again. To add... Lastly... Courage is tackling a goal which you have failed to accomplish before. That's my two cents. I'm excited to read the comments here.

This livestream is a gem from start to finish. Will definitely be rewatching this when I need to remind myself to keep striving towards my dream.

I skipped here and there for a while, but when you started talking about following through you stopped me by talking straight to me with such an inspirational way just by being yourself. You're not only a fantastic musician but you have the way with wise words. I'm a non-musician but you gave me new joy and thoughts to think about my future goals. Thank you!

I'm not even a musician, but I've learned a lot from this livestream. I just went to your concert the other day, and I was truly captivated by the youthful and fearless spirit resonated from your performance. I feel that you now can dance more freely in your music than you did in your earlier years. The raw vitality and the warmth and power you exhibit come so naturally. You're unafraid of giving it your all, living in the moment, and truly enjoying it.I think that's an incredible growth. And I think it's probably the discipline you've cultivated over the years that has given you this freedom. You mentioned that wisdom is the accumulation of knowledge through human experiences and interactions. It's not just about mastering the technical details but also caring for others. This is something I rarely think about. I used to believe that sheer intellectual brilliance mattered the most and that exceptionally talented individuals didn't need to prioritize human connections. Yet even as one of the greatest violinists of our time, you've put significant effort into education,getting young people involved in classical music, and and sharing a lot with those who might be lost or struggling. What you're doing is genuinely impactful and commendable. I can sense that the warmth of your personality infuses your music, creating such a charisma that deeply resonates with and touches your audiences.

Discipline provides a framework, something to hang onto whilst making my way. But through subsequent wisdom, I can let go of those hand holds, letting an inner knowing guide me through as I connect more completely to emotion and creation. I don't think these are one-time-through, linear progressions of development. I think I go back and forth between these two as needed, and this will be eternal. If that pattern ever stopped, I'd have stopped being a maker of things.

Ever think about a Bach album? Your Bach is definitely growing on me. Lots of care and tenderness.

Even though I'm not even a musician, I like the good vibes, positiveness, light hearted smiles and your inner wisdom. Thanks for sharing Ray Chen. Subscribed! :)

This was really wholesome, thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing, Ray.

Thank you for serenading us so beautifully 🥰

Great livestream Ray! Extremely refreshing and inspiring for a time when we need it most. One part of discipline for me is simply doing what you strive to do each day, and transferring that sense of accomplishment into the next day.

Most things in life aren’t black or white. It’s gray. Wisdom is knowing what to do in the gray zone. Discipline is having the will and dedication to execute a certain task no matter the circumstance.

Ray, Im so inspired by you. Thank you So much for doing these livestreams for us.❤

Great discussion on discipline! I like how you said it’s like a promise - it inspires me be more committed to my goals for both work and for my piano hobbies, and I now have more intentions behind my goals. Thank you!!

HAHAHAHA! That speechlessness after watching the first performance! I love love love your live streams!

All of these sound great. I liked the contrast between the first and second, the level of maturity and musicality is really nice. I would be terrified at a competition, I don't think I could play my best.

I am truly enjoying your videos, they are a wonderful gift to us during this time. I really enjoyed this video of you reflecting a bit on the growth you made as a musician and the theme of this video is wonderful. I also enjoyed your clips and seeing your reaction as you were watching them.Thank you so much for the serenade of Bach it was absolutely gorgeous! After a bit of a tough day, it was fantastic experiencing you beautiful playing Bach! Thank you Ray, I loved every moment of it!❤️

Ray, your projection is so good that everytime you start playing I have to lower my volume at lightspeed so my ears don't fall off jajdjajdjajdjajjdjaksjf And I love your playing, keep being awesome 💕

Ray Chen is great! He touches me again and again🎻💛🎶

Hey, I am new to Ray's channel! I liked this video very much. Thanks Ray!

I know this is from a few years ago but it's really interesting and good Saturday morning motivation for me! Thanks again.

what incredible fingers you have, Ray... that left hand is just amazing. and you sound like the great violinists of the 20th century, a sound from another time; beautiful, simply!

Hi Ray! i’m relatively a new fan - Jan 2024! thanks to Emilio Piano’s video of vivaldi’s summer, I found you… or you found me. either way i enjoy listening to your music and watching your videos😊😊😊

Well said, and played! I agree that the decisions/promises shouldn’t be made lightly, if you were to follow through them.

Great video! Great talent! Great personality!

Dear Ray Chen, I remember perfectly well that Elisabeth Contest where you played. I was convinced that you would winn. At the time I decided to stop being an amateur who wants to play all the difficult classical pieces with a terrible result. I decided to practice only three thing on my viola: One scale and arpegio, one technical study and one piece. I still keep this disciplin. I fully agree with the comment by Jolley. Today I play reasonably well and I got wise. I a not the best :o)

I know, 2020 might not be one of the best years, but I heard you live in Cologne in January and I love your live streams. So there are good things in 2020 as well. I adore your boomer moments. Perfect is boring.

So WholeSome! Great video!

I wish you amazing guys will break those disciplines and being and enjoying in the moment more. 40hrs a day practicing finally made you here, and it’s time to make a pause and celebrate yourself and share how happy you are. ❤

I think discipline is following through the promises you made to yourself, but also knowing when to pause or stop if you have to. And, for me, wisdom is knowing that you'll always, always have something to learn, and that this is a blessing, not a curse.

For me discipline is knowing how to practise effectively within the time available to achieve the desired outcome and the wisdom to accept that you did everything you could within that time frame. Thank you Ray Chen for sharing your experiences, expertise, knowledge and wisdom with us 🙏

Loved watching you watch yourself.

Kudos Ray! At nearly 80 after years of sculpting, I'm now doing the 12th draft of my first novel! That's discipline!!!

Growth is knowing that youve changed in good and in bad ways. Growing is trying to fix these bad things, wisdom is knowing that there will always be some things that you wont ever be able to fix and that there will appear new flaws. Discipline is keeping a goal in mind even if it seems impossible, even if you feel that there is no way that you will reach this goal but you still try and keep trying.

Wisdom is knowing what to say and what to do, discipline is knowing when to say it and when to do it, growth comes when you aquire those two... (you can apply this to music as well)❤❤❤

Those eyebrows (& eyes) of yours were working overtime back then too I see! Good to see the young(er) Ray playing. Good advice too..... 'A Masterclass on life' I glimpsed in the chat... And some real gems from the fans too. Nice.

I really liked Chloe's interpretation of wisdom most. Also agree with Ray on knowing how to tell your friend about mistakes. I'm with my 6yo practicing. She is a beginner and I think our teacher is so much wiser than I am, he doesn't criticise it all but concentrates on one point and keeps us motivated

Hello Ray! Thank you for the amazing session. I am super grateful for today's live talk. I started to play violin in 2010,and 4 years ago I take a break from violin because i went to pursue my degree ( non music) in university. I recently came back to violin practice 3 months ago, and I made a promise to myself that I will take things seriously & practice everyday. I started with 2 hours a day 3 months ago,and now I can practice 3 hours a day in average (i can go 3.5- 4.5 hours if i am into the practice session) . Sometimes I feel discouraged because i started to experience & got some pictures how hard violin playing is. I have a dream to join one of the big orchestra in my country and I have a long way to go. I disciplined myself to practice everyday,but the thought that it will take lots of years....sometimes I just feel like what I do might be a waste of time because by the time I can play good,I might be too old to play. Lately i can feel the doubt forming up inside my heart. . But today's talk bring some new senses & ideas back to me. I don't need to be necessarily the best ,but I can always do my best,and that is how i can be truly happy enjoying music & violin playing. I almost forgot this essential point of discipline & practicing,and now you are bringing it back to me. . Thank you Ray and some friends who are sharing their thoughts. All of them are very inspiring and I cant wait for more awesome & inspiring sessions in the future!

I love these deep conversations :D

Thank you Ray for making "discipline" such a common word. Lots of people abhorred that word and often scared by it.

Never give up, no matter how hard it is, and keep exploring, learn new things!

I can review myself from 10 minutes ago and make myself cry lmao

Thank you for criticizing yourself, perfect samples of “knowing thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” The discussion of disciplines is great, sometimes we practice a lot, but seems growth is stagnant, during these moments we need the stamina to keep going, as progress in music, is not linear in most times

Tchaikovsky concerto 3rd movement was incredible!

真的很謝謝你~陳銳!:) Thank you so much Ray, I've watched this video just now...and it felt like learning from a big brother who guides you to a better state of musician's life...(?(Hope this is making sense.) 29:22 Thanks for sharing your excellent and different perspective! (hug)

It should be very intrinsically rewarding to fall in love with music. I wish I could have developed this love when I was young :)

Ray and chat roasted me so hard on topic of discipline lmao. Honestly though, hella inspiring and thoughtful.

love this thanks !!

Wisdom is the accumulation of small moments that pushed you forward bit by bit

In Japanese this kind of big change is called 化ける. It’s hard to translate this spot on, but it’s something like monstrous transformation. For the masters, teachers and coaches, they look for youngsters with potential to do this, and they try to nourish them so that they can go through major transformation. I had a very traumatic experience from first two piano teachers who were technically superb, but could not make me better musician. I did learn the effect of discipline though, and when I met a vocal teacher who made me truly enjoy music. This truly made me want to simply enjoy music, knowing what sound I want to make, cherish and dream to make it. At that time I realized how much the second teacher taught me about color of sound. From then onward, piano practice became something that I truly enjoy, which also gave me the ability to compose. Now that my voice is cracking from old age, I am thinking of learning violin to sing.

For me, discipline means to focus and to concentrate on one thing (f. Ex. practicing). It is the most important gift for a musician.

So… Wisdom. Knowing how to back up yourself and others; thus creating positive space so that good things can be seen. This ALWAYS means listening. Discipline- Mindfully challenging what was and moving toward what CAN BE. This means each and every action and reaction is indeed, your responsibility.

"take time but not take time" 👍. I like the choice of words. Message delivered! I'm not an expert but listening to the same piece live in the video I think I heard (and saw) the lack of tension 👍 I won't talk about discipline or goals even though I've experienced their results a couple of times. Still working (or not) my s**t out

Thank you for this sharing

I have been thinking about discipline and wisdom and I think wisdom in music is knowing that it's not about the notes. It's about the music. I remember a moment I was playing through a piece and my mother came in to the room. She said that it sounded good. So I played it again and she was right. It was good. That moment it was all clear, the music was there, I mean: I made many mistakes like wrong notes and wrong rhythm, but the music was there. Wisdom is trying to make music, not to be the best or the fastest. It doesn't matter which peace you play and how difficult it is, just make music. That's why I practice. (I'm sorry for the grammar mistakes if there are, I'm from Belgium and my English is not really good:)

Really connected with what he said about discipline! Good point!

If that is what you want. So be it. Your destiny isn't a fixed point that you will always end up at. It is what you want it to be. So make your destiny YOURS!

Discipline is challenging Ray 1v1 me smash every single day even though you know it’s definitely not a good idea

To me, discipline is doing what is right regardless of any excuses you have. I would keep pushing through my overuse injury because I thought that was the hard worker kind of thing to do. (This was near our orchestra concert) I was afraid that if I stop playing, Id let my teacher down, that there would be nothing special about me anymore. But I realized that I had to stop playing for a few months if I wanted to have a future playing the violin, so I stopped, and although it feels like I let some people down I know it was the right thing to do. Im still healing but I know this is the right thing to do.

I am happily practice my ballet move in my bedroom while listening Ray playing as no one is watching me...

Your youth one to me does not let your personaility shine through because you are worried about the pressure of the competition, The good thing that I see as you get older you are not afraid to let the true you shine through. You will be a model for the younger violinists and musicians to allow their personaility to shine

Thank you Ray for today ! :)

Disciplin is finishing something even if you are not 100% behind it anymore. Finished it better than left unfinished.

I often watch Ray in this channel but his Australian accent is quite predominant in the beginning of this video

not so much definitions, and i’m a bit late to the party, but oh well! there have been times where i help friends and classmates and other fellow musicians in school, so i think that’s where the intelligence and wisdom bits tied in, but i think the discipline hit extra hard for me. it’s summer and i’ve been struggling with motivation to practice, my teacher took a week off so i wouldn’t be seeing her for 2 weeks. i promised i would practice and haven’t really stuck to it. i want to get back into a healthy practicing schedule/habits, and hopefully this video and these ideals could help me with my musical journey!

Hi Ray! Just want to say that you have inspired me so so much! I’m 16 and have been playing piano since 6 and violin since 11 (self taught), I started violin lessons late in 2018 and now I am about to audition for a music school! Wish me luck~

Ray where did you get this American accent? It always used to be Aussie?

Ray Chen. if are you are a prodigy and still were nervous in performances, how much more nervous for ordinary violin player? how long did it take for you to eventually overcome nervousness and what method you train yourself in

Your secret is safe with us😉😉😉

NUU I WAS SHOPPING I COULD'VE WATCHED THAT....

great wisdom

Great live stream i hope ypu make more, i think discipline is learn to control your impulsive behavior and necesites for a longer term goal

Discipline is continually doing your practices and your etudes every day to improve, even when you don't feel like it or want an off day. Discipline is good, but being overdisciplined can make you burn out on your instrument because you'll pavlovian associate "violin = annoying" or "violin = forced work". which can really wear off on you, as it did on me. Wisdom is knowing when to be disciplined and when not to be, when to rest and when to practice, and to know when you need a break. Those two are directly related, and wisdom is so important when you're a musician, especially with hard to learn instruments like strings. I wish I had enough wisdom to know when to stop, maybe I'd've become a better player.

ray can be my school's discipline master hahaha

For me, wisdom is the - beforehand very deeply and thought-out - implementation of knowledge combined and also defined by experience you gain with age. Also to adhere to God's rules and believing in Him and what he did for us! Because after all, he is Wisdom itself!☝🏼🙏🏼

Brahms sonata 1 is a piece I’m working on at the moment, but the cut down version from La Corda D’Oro. The recital I was supposed to play it at got cancelled. 😅

My teacher is still young and studying but really great at shaping.

In response to your questions... this is my opinion! (edit: and I apologise that this is so long!!) Discipline, wisdom and growth have something in common - to me that is acceptance. Growth is hard to come by if you cannot accept both the positives and negatives of a situation. Many people find it easy to think of all the negatives surrounding any topic - their playing/something related to their career path/themselves etc. but a lot more difficult to find the positives within things. However, without being able to notice these positives it becomes extremely difficult to stay in a positive growth mindset in which you will develop the most. One thing I have started trying to do recently in my practice sessions for example is a brief reflection every 30 minutes or so - this only takes a couple of minutes, but helps me to refocus. In those couple of minutes I will consider things that I have been working on and how I wish to improve certain sections, but for every 'improvement' (I prefer this term over goal as I view it to be more tangible) I list, I also like to try to consider something positive - sometimes that is even as 'small' as liking the way one particular chord sounded. Gradually over time, the lists of thoughts develop and I have started to be able to notice more positives in my playing and hence use the improvements as constructive criticism in a better way which has really helped me to improve the quality of my practice and development too. Discipline is the acceptance that it is going to take hard work and determination to achieve what you set out to achieve; and then working towards that. Discipline can be something that comes naturally when you are truly passionate about something - at times you may lack motivation, but motivation is not the same thing as discipline. If you truly want to achieve something, you will (provided that you are in good health - always put your health first!) make steps towards it - break bigger steps into smaller ones. Personally, I use a lot of to-do lists. I have a daily to-do list, weekly to-do list, and a 'master' to-do list for the longer term goals. Seeing it all written down on paper really helps me to keep on track. I'm a biochemistry student so for me I find myself wanting to learn more about science - reading papers, answering problems/questions, enhancing my knowledge of various areas of the field but that is something I do through choice because I love what I am learning - I know that to achieve what I want to achieve it is going to take a lot of work, so I accept that and use discipline as a tool to get there. I have faced setbacks, but every time you're knocked down, you stand up stronger and keep going. Discipline is the tool to use to improve something you love/are passionate about - it is there somewhere! Wisdom is acceptance of yourself. The realisation that you will face both good and bad times in your life, but those do not define you as a person at the core. As long as you put the most effort into something that you can, (whilst remaining in good physical and mental health) you have achieved what you are capable of at that point in your life and it does not matter if someone else achieves something different / 'better'. That is hard to accept, but I believe that true wisdom comes from accepting that. Thank you so much for this live-stream, Ray. It was very insightful and really made me reflect on a lot of things... I really appreciate it :)

That Kreisler's Berceuse Romantique was so beautifully played it makes you cry. You absolutely feel why this style was used in 1940's American films. 🙂 It's difficult to expect wisdom from children but you saw with Seol Yoeun how to bring it to her level. In a documentary YEARS AGO she was anotating her sheet music "rabbit", "Viking"...to convey the emotions she was looking for. (hop hop happy happy light rabbit). Unlike the Russian pianist who told the little Middle Eastern kid "Play it like a Waltz" ahahahaha.

I think discipline should move you into a higher level and change you into a better person. If you falls once that means you have to stands up twice. Everyone has its own way to be successful, meaning you don't have to be like others to success. It's better for you to have your own path. Never force yourself to do something, let it happens gradually and grows beautifully 😆 We should enjoy the process so we could enjoy the results.

Wow. That was a seminar about life! Hahahahaha

Discipline is not something to strive towards. Discipline is a side effect of a greater thing, the pursuit towards Mastery. Mastery is about finding your life's purpose, and seeing to put all of your energy into it. Lots of people don't seek a life's calling, and drift around distracting themselves, which we can call undisciplined. Hedonism. "People who cling to their illusions find it difficult, if not impossible, to learn anything worth learning: people under the necessity of creating themselves must examine everything, and soak up learning the way the roots of a tree soak up water." James Baldwin Don't waste your time drifting in life. Find your purpose, and throw your entire energy into it. Many, if not all, significant figures of our past did this. If you think you're untalented, ungifted, etc, you actually have a step up, as you have a clear area to build the strongest foundation to the strongest fortress any gifted person could never reach. Even Mozart spent 10 years before his first breakthrough in composition. Isaac Stern was once confronted by a middle age lady after a concert. She gushed "Oh, I'd give my life to play like you!" "Lady", said Stern acidly, "That I did!" Find your life's meaning, weather its Violin, Science, Sports, Hustling, architecture, design, coding.. and throw your life into it. Absorbing information, and making it practical until you become the master. or just play the viola

I wish you would do a piece about critiquing your formal self. It sounds brilliant to me, compared to Two-Set Violin or more ordinary musicians...Teach me the difference between Ray then and Ray now?

I've always wanted discipline when it came to things like school. But they almost always manifesting somewhere else in life. I define as the ability to control your mind to do what you want. Everytime I really want something I think I am disciplined but then my own passion backfires on me where im not even burnt out I just simply say to myself that my work is useless. And I end up not being patient with myself but with the violin I can easily spend 5 hrs playing it. Even looking forward to it. Maybe im just never satisfied with my own discipline. When I even play for 10 min and give up I will atleast be happy I tried. But with schoolwork I wont be happy until I just get exactly what I want. This really is a babble, I should try to treat my school work the same as my violin. But I know that wont be easy.

WISDOM is knowing what to focus on effectively and be patient with practicing slowly. Just, knowing what to do DISCIPLINE is practicing your scales and etudes everyday even though you hate them so much. Irl, doing what you must do. GROWTH is what you achieve through perseverance!!

Hello. I would love to hear a review that includes Isabella Faust.

Respect!

29:21 "Discipline is the strength of following through on a promise that you've made" Never thought about it that way, but it makes so much sense and it's very inspiring!!!

Discipline is when you think about the goal you made and pursue it smartly by not overworking. Wisdom is knowing what to tell and when and thinking about the words twice before you say it out loud. Hope it'll inspire you!

The first piece I also played at my most recent recital, but the shortened version from Kiniro no Corda. I messed up the chords at the end. 😅

Ray Chen watches himself flex..💪

What violin were you playing in the 2008 Menuhin? I'm impressed by the length of your fingers! Are you tall? My hand span is the normal 9 inches but your hand span looks much wider. Thanks for the video. How do I donate?

I'm just playing for fun. I hope one day I'll still be able to play the pieces I adore (that my teacher tells me he's planning to play at the end of his studies). With 2 little kids and a job far from music I'm sometimes really tired and still try to practice as often as possible. I cannot call that discipline. It's following the beat of my heart that is filled with beautiful music. There are times when I can't see the progress. There's a piece I played with my teacher and he told me to move on (totally ok as we might have been doing that for half a year). I'm still practicing it on my own and am not yet satisfied. Only recently got aware I did get better at it, it's just a very gradual change.