What happens when a talented young violinist decides that the entire orchestral model in America is boring beyond belief? If they have the right connections and the talent to back up their confidence, they become a violin provocateur. Hahn-Bin is his name, and actually performing to classical music is his game.

If he wasn't a talented violinist, I wouldn't give him the time of day. He earns the fancy costumes, eccentric mohawk, and elaborate eye make-up with his ability. He's good. Very good. And he's going to blow up huge this year on the music scene.

His phrasing and expression is extraordinary. I know I engage in a lot of hyperbole, but that was a sincere statement. This is an artist who so fundamentally understands the music that he can work on drawing people in through performance. His musicality is the gateway to understanding the rest of his presence. He just wants you to feel something when he performs beyond "wasn't that pretty."

In the following video, he explains his artistic philosophy. Essentially, he doesn't understand why people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to sit in a theater and fall asleep. I've seen it happen (from both ends, as an audience member and a performer) and it's embarrassing. Someone needs to shake things up to keep people awake and instrumentalists can do a whole lot worse than Hahn-Bin pushing their buttons.