Ray Chen - Player 1 - Import CD

Credits:

Ray Chen

Description:

Scheduled to be recorded 1) Romantic Flight (from the movie "Hiccup and Dragon")(John Powell/S. Herbert arr.), 2) Sadness & Sarrow (from the anime "Naruto") (Toshiro Masuda/B. Rimmer), 3) Main Theme (from the game "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom")(Mao Kataoka/A. Skeet arr.), 4-6) Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35(I. Moderato nobile/II. Romance. Andante/III. Finale. Allegro assai vivace)(Erich Wolfgang Korngold), 7) I Remember My Name(from the drama "Squid Game")(Jeong Jae-il/J. Langley arr.), 8) Serenade(Unique Tanjir), 9) Pallet Town (from the game "Pokemon Red")(Junichi Masuda/A. Skeet), 10) Isabella's Song (from the anime "The Promised Neverland")(Takahiro Obata/B. Rimmer) Performers Ray Chen (violin), Suzy Willison-Kawalec(Harp)(2, 9, 10), Jonathan Ayling(cello)(7, 9), Christian Macerlal (conductor) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Recorded at St. Jude-On-The-Hill, London, December 14-15, 2023 Born in 1989, Taiwan-born Australian violinist, entrepreneur and pioneer Ray Cheng celebrates the ever-evolving sound of entertainment music of all kinds on this album. Ray Chen has reimagined what it means to be a classical musician in the 21st century, inspiring new classical music audiences and sharing his incredible musical talent with people around the world. He is revolutionizing the relationship between artist and audience through modern technology. At the core of the album is Korngold's Violin Concerto, and Ray Chen pays tribute to the composer's profound influence on the development of Hollywood and film music. Gathering his own carefully selected themes from the worlds of TV's "Squid Game," the anime "Naruto," "The Promised Neverland," the film "Hiccup and the Dragon," and the video games "The Legend of Zelda" and "Pokemon," Ray Chen performs these masterpieces through the prism of classical music. Each theme song has been specially arranged for this album and for Ray Chen.He is closely associated with many of these pieces that evoke strong nostalgia. We also commissioned the Indonesian-born, Los Angeles-based rising classical influencer and composer Yunique Tangil to compose a new work, Serenade, for this album. The album was recorded in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Christian Maceraru. The album cover is reminiscent of the first "character selection" that appears when playing a video game. It represents his many faces: dreamy entrepreneur, classical violinist, boy with a Game Boy, and online content creator. Player 1" invites the audience to join Ray as "Player 2" in a performance or game situation. Ray Chen is the winner of the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition and the 2009 Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. The instrument he is playing is a Stradivarius "Dolphin" made in 1714. The violin once belonged to Jascha Heifetz, who premiered Korngold's concerto in 1947. 'This album is for all children who have grown up... We are all digital natives who grew up with and in technology. While we can get lost in the "digital" aspect and all the technological imagery associated with it, I also want to focus on a shared sense of personal growth and reflection, and to look back at the progress we've made and enjoy it. I want to focus on a shared sense of personal growth and reflection and the progress we have made, and to enjoy it as well."--Ray Cheng (UNIVERSAL MUSIC/IMS)