Why I love playing the cello - by Lucas Chen
When I look back at how I began playing the cello, I sometimes wish that I could say that I wanted to play this instrument every since I heard it for the first time on the radio or saw it in the front window of my local music store. I sometimes wish that I could say that I begged my parents' ears off nonstop each and every day until they let me learn how to play it. The truth is, I began playing the cello for one reason: because my mother thought I looked funny holding the violin. It was between the violin and the cello because that's what we had at our house, and my mother put the cello in my hands and I began playing it because it made the most sense.
It wasn't until my college years, after years of playing, hundreds of miles of lesson trips traveled, and countless numbers of nerve-racking recitals and performances that I realized that I had fallen deeply and madly in love with playing the cello; it had just taken me until then to realize it. Musicians have long ago considered the cello to be the instrument that most closely imitates the human voice. This is one of the many reasons I love this instrument. Because of it's middling range, the cello lives in the richest and most warm areas in music. The cello is also one of the most versatile of the string instruments, able to play really squeaky high, and yet just a moment later, sink down into a depths and cause the room to vibrate with its lowest notes.
The cello's versatility has taken me all over the world and has given me the honor of playing with artists from all kinds of musical genres: Classical, Contemporary, Rock, Pop, Jazz, and even Electronic! The cello, along with other members of the orchestra, is involved in many video game and movie soundtrack recordings as well! Here are a couple that I think you'll like!
This first recording is an example of a cello doing what it does best: playing a lovely melody but in a not-so-Classical setting, in German Pop-pianist Hauschka's "Freibad."
It wasn't until my college years, after years of playing, hundreds of miles of lesson trips traveled, and countless numbers of nerve-racking recitals and performances that I realized that I had fallen deeply and madly in love with playing the cello; it had just taken me until then to realize it. Musicians have long ago considered the cello to be the instrument that most closely imitates the human voice. This is one of the many reasons I love this instrument. Because of it's middling range, the cello lives in the richest and most warm areas in music. The cello is also one of the most versatile of the string instruments, able to play really squeaky high, and yet just a moment later, sink down into a depths and cause the room to vibrate with its lowest notes.
The cello's versatility has taken me all over the world and has given me the honor of playing with artists from all kinds of musical genres: Classical, Contemporary, Rock, Pop, Jazz, and even Electronic! The cello, along with other members of the orchestra, is involved in many video game and movie soundtrack recordings as well! Here are a couple that I think you'll like!
This first recording is an example of a cello doing what it does best: playing a lovely melody but in a not-so-Classical setting, in German Pop-pianist Hauschka's "Freibad."
This second video is an example of the cello doing something a little bit more different; acting as both as a part of a string quartet, but also serving as a rhythm section of the very danceable, slightly crazy beats of one of Argentina's most important composers: Alberto Ginastera (this is from a Chamber Music Concert at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music).
All this: the joys, inspirations, and love of playing the cello would not have been possible had it not been for the encouragement and dedication that I gave (with the thankless help from my parents and teachers) in the very beginning! By learning more and more about my instrument and how best to play it, it opened a new world for me, one of beautiful music, exciting projects, and most importantly, a world in which music plays a vital part. Playing the cello has and continues to change my life and I consider it a huge thrill and incredible blessing to be able to share it with others.
Bay Area cellist Lucas Chen received his B.A. from UC Davis, and his MM and PSD from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Jennifer Culp. He is currently a Resident Teaching Artist at the Alameda String Academy.
Bay Area cellist Lucas Chen received his B.A. from UC Davis, and his MM and PSD from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Jennifer Culp. He is currently a Resident Teaching Artist at the Alameda String Academy.
