Dream-swept by Ray Chen: 'Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos' album review

I’m not one for classical orchestral music mainly because I don't have anything more than a little drop of inkling in music theory and practice nor do I adequately play an instrument of such nature. However, I think I had just found a new playlist for my bedside docking station tonight, because this album takes you on a magical journey through your dreams and imagination, calling forth those of the mirror-blue night to cradle your vessel into an infant slumber.

Ray Chen had released his orchestral album entitled Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos last year. The album is comprised of six pieces, each one designed with its own story to tell. Aiming to capture a natural balance between acoustics, he is able to bring to life the voices of these various instruments he seams together in a flawless passion.

There is a certain dialogue found in these six tracks that makes me want to discover more, hooking and enticing me into this suspension of reality. When I listen to classical or orchestral music, my mind finds a way to drift into a natural abyss that procreates a blissful serenity depending on the composer and his/her intentions, and the intention of Chen is clear; a natural chasm without losing a sense of reality. As I experience track number three, I am finding myself standing in a long hallway or corridor lit by natural firelight during the sun’s settlement for day and the rise of the moon to take flight. I long for an escape but am unable to find one. I want to remedy my situation, render my fears asunder before the sun finds its wake when the first light sheds upon the wavering flag caught in the winds of change.

Chen has accomplished himself as a Taiwanese-Australian violinist, starting at the very tender age of four with his first violin in hand. He had since successfully completed all ten levels of studies at the Suzuki Music Education located in Queensland, Australia within five years, and at age eight had already been invited to perform alongside the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra as a soloist. He began studying under ENCORE School for Strings founder David Cerone in the summer of 2006, then claimed first place at the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in 2008. He was the youngest participant to have ever won the Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition. He was signed by Sony Classical, which released this album. He continues to study and expand his repertoire, and may possibly possess the potential to become the Beethoven or Bach of today’s modern classics.

Below is Chen performing in the finals of the 2009 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition in Brussels, Belgium: