World Champion Says Rubik’s Cube And Violin Go Hand In Hand

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A University of Michigan student is one of the world’s top “speedcubers,” who can quickly solve a Rubik’s Cube. He is also a skilled violinist.

According to Stanley Chapel, the two fields complement each other.

Chapel says that he is just as interested in speedcubing as he is in playing the violin. The 21-year-old also says that playing the violin has helped him do well at speedcubing.

“Repetition, breaking things down into their smallest fundamental elements, and being able to take these into the world of cubing has certainly been a huge help to my progression,” said Chapel, a junior majoring in violin performance.

Chapel, who grew up in Ann Arbor near the University of Michigan, solved his first 3×3 Rubik’s Cube when he was 14. Chapel competed in his first competition five weeks later, solving the cube in an average of 22 seconds.

Won Both Rubiks Cube Events In 2019

In 2017, Chapel finished fifth in the 4×4 and 5×5 blindfolded categories at the World Cube Association World Championship in Paris.

The recent high school graduate won both events at the 2019 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

Taking into account the time it takes him to review the cube before putting on the blindfold, Chapel can solve one in about 17 seconds.

“The deeper I delve into the realm of cubing technique, the more interested I become in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible there,” he explained.

The chapel has some natural skills, like remembering and using thousands of algorithms to solve a Rubik’s Cube and playing a violin sonata by Johann Sebastian Bach from memory.

Plans To defend is Title With The Violin.

But he also spends countless hours honing his craft, including regular hand stretches that help Chapel avoids the aches and pains of the cube’s frequent and frenetic turning of the sides.

Chapel claims that years of violin practice have also contributed to him having “very, very fine motor control already built up.”

Chapel plans to defend his world titles in South Korea later this year. The Chapel is the reigning champion in both, heading into the 2023 event in Seoul, as the 2021 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Champion claims that Rubik’s Cube and the violin go hand in hand.

The Chapel is still determining how speedcubing will fit into his plans once he finishes school.

“I guess it’s cool to know that no one else can do it,” he said. “But, on the other hand, giving myself a reality check, I’m like, ‘How much does that matter?'”

“It’s not going to pay my bills when I’m older,” Chapel joked.

SOURCE – (AP)