ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Robert Gupta - Violinist
Violinist Robert Gupta joined the LA Philharmonic at the age of 19 -- and maintains a passionate parallel interest in neurobiology and mental health issues. He's a TED Senior Fellow.

Why you should listen

Violinist Robert Vijay Gupta joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the age of 19. He made his solo debut, at age 11, with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. He has a Master's in music from Yale. But his undergraduate degree? Pre-med. As an undergrad, Gupta was part of several research projects in neuro- and neurodegenerative biology. He held Research Assistant positions at CUNY Hunter College in New York City, where he worked on spinal cord neuronal regeneration, and at the Harvard Institutes of Medicine Center for Neurologic Diseases, where he studied the biochemical pathology of Parkinson's disease.

Gupta is passionate about education and outreach, both as a musician and as an activist for mental health issues. He has the privilege of working with Nathaniel Ayers, the brilliant, schizophrenic musician featured in "The Soloist," as his violin teacher.

More profile about the speaker
Robert Gupta | Speaker | TED.com
TED2010

Robert Gupta: Music is medicine, music is sanity

羅伯特.古普塔:音樂是良藥,音樂是理智

Filmed:
1,333,855 views

羅伯特. 古普塔, 洛杉磯交響樂團小提琴手. 談論他曾經為一位卓越,卻罹患精神分裂症的音樂家,上過一堂課, 及他自己的領悟. 演講之後他受邀再次上台, 用小提琴演奏巴哈大提琴一號協奏曲的序曲.
- Violinist
Violinist Robert Gupta joined the LA Philharmonic at the age of 19 -- and maintains a passionate parallel interest in neurobiology and mental health issues. He's a TED Senior Fellow. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
One day, Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯 Times columnist專欄作家
0
0
3000
有一天, 洛杉磯時代專欄的作者
00:18
Steve史蒂夫 Lopez洛佩茲 was walking步行 along沿
1
3000
2000
史帝夫.羅培茲正走在
00:20
the streets街道 of downtown市中心 Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯
2
5000
2000
洛杉磯市中心的街上
00:22
when he heard聽說 beautiful美麗 music音樂.
3
7000
3000
他聽見美妙的音樂,
00:25
And the source資源 was a man,
4
10000
2000
這音樂來自
00:27
an African-American非裔美國人 man,
5
12000
2000
一位非裔美籍男士,
00:29
charming迷人, rugged崎嶇, homeless無家可歸,
6
14000
4000
這外貌清秀, 卻衣衫儖縷, 樣似流浪漢的男子,
00:33
playing播放 a violin小提琴 that only had two strings字符串.
7
18000
3000
正在拉奏著只有兩根絃的小提琴.
00:36
And I'm telling告訴 a story故事 that many許多 of you know,
8
21000
2000
我剛剛說的故事, 在座的你們多已知道,
00:38
because Steve's史蒂夫的 columns became成為 the basis基礎
9
23000
3000
因為史提夫的專欄故事已經被
00:41
for a book, which哪一個 was turned轉身 into a movie電影,
10
26000
3000
寫成一本書, 也被拍成一部電影,
00:44
with Robert羅伯特 Downey唐尼 JrJR. acting演戲 as Steve史蒂夫 Lopez洛佩茲,
11
29000
2000
小勞勃道尼飾演史提夫羅培茲,
00:46
and Jamie傑米 Foxx福克斯 as Nathaniel納撒尼爾 Anthony安東尼 Ayers艾爾斯,
12
31000
3000
傑米法克斯則飾演納坦尼艾爾斯,
00:49
the Juilliard-trained茱莉亞音樂學院受訓 double bassist貝斯手
13
34000
2000
曾在茱莉亞學院受過低音大提琴訓練
00:51
whose誰的 promising有希望 career事業 was cut short
14
36000
3000
前程看好, 卻未能完成學業
00:54
by a tragic悲慘 affliction痛苦 with paranoid偏執 schizophrenia精神分裂症.
15
39000
4000
因他患有惱人的精神分裂症,而被迫放棄學習.
00:58
Nathaniel納撒尼爾 dropped下降 out of Juilliard茱莉亞音樂學院, he suffered遭遇 a complete完成 breakdown分解,
16
43000
2000
納坦尼離開茱莉亞音樂學院後, 飽受病情折磨,
01:00
and 30 years年份 later後來 he was living活的 homeless無家可歸
17
45000
2000
三十年後他淪落為流浪漢
01:02
on the streets街道 of Skid剎車 Row in downtown市中心 Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯.
18
47000
4000
遊蕩在洛杉磯市街頭.
01:06
I encourage鼓勵 all of you to read Steve's史蒂夫的 book or to watch the movie電影
19
51000
3000
我鼓勵各位閱讀史提夫的書, 或看這部電影
01:09
to understand理解 not only the beautiful美麗 bond
20
54000
3000
進而瞭解這段美妙的友誼
01:12
that formed形成 between之間 these two men男人,
21
57000
2000
如何在這兩位男人之間發生,
01:14
but how music音樂 helped幫助 shape形狀 that bond,
22
59000
3000
及音樂在其間扮演的角色,
01:17
and ultimately最終 was instrumental儀器的 -- if you'll你會 pardon赦免 the pun雙關語 --
23
62000
3000
最終則是因為所謂樂器 請恕我直言,
01:20
in helping幫助 Nathaniel納撒尼爾 get off the streets街道.
24
65000
4000
而幫助納坦尼脫離街友生涯的.
01:24
I met會見 Mr先生. Ayers艾爾斯 in 2008,
25
69000
2000
我個人是在 2008 年, 遇見艾爾斯先生
01:26
two years年份 ago, at Walt沃爾特 Disney迪士尼 Concert音樂會 Hall大廳.
26
71000
2000
兩年前, 於華德迪斯奈演奏廳,
01:28
He had just heard聽說 a performance性能 of Beethoven's貝多芬 First and Fourth第四 symphonies交響樂,
27
73000
3000
他是在聽完貝多芬第一及第四交響曲的表演後
01:31
and came來了 backstage後台 and introduced介紹 himself他自己.
28
76000
2000
到後台來自我介紹.
01:33
He was speaking請講 in a very jovial快活 and gregarious群居 way
29
78000
3000
他爽朗熱情的談論著
01:36
about Yo-Yo悠悠球 Ma and Hillary希拉里 Clinton克林頓
30
81000
3000
有關馬友友, 及希拉蕊克林頓,
01:39
and how the Dodgers道奇 were never going to make the World世界 Series系列,
31
84000
2000
以及道奇隊絕不可能贏得世界大賽冠軍等等,
01:41
all because of the treacherous奸詐 first violin小提琴 passage通道 work
32
86000
3000
這一切都緣自第一小提琴所拉奏出的曲折情節
01:44
in the last movement運動 of Beethoven's貝多芬 Fourth第四 Symphony交響樂.
33
89000
4000
貝多芬第四交響樂最後樂章時
01:48
And we got talking about music音樂, and I got an email電子郵件 from Steve史蒂夫 a few少數 days later後來
34
93000
4000
我們也聊了音樂, 幾天後, 史提夫寄來一份電子郵件,
01:52
saying that Nathaniel納撒尼爾 was interested有興趣 in a violin小提琴 lesson with me.
35
97000
4000
提起納坦尼有興趣來上我的小提琴課.
01:56
Now, I should mention提到 that Nathaniel納撒尼爾 refuses拒絕 treatment治療
36
101000
3000
現在, 我必須說明為何納坦尼拒絕他的治療,
01:59
because when he was treated治療 it was with shock休克 therapy治療
37
104000
3000
是因為之前他所受的療法, 包括電擊休克療法
02:02
and ThorazineThorazine and handcuffs手銬,
38
107000
2000
藥物氯丙嗪 及使用手銬
02:04
and that scar瘢痕 has stayed with him for his entire整個 life.
39
109000
4000
這些已在他身上烙出永久的傷痕.
02:08
But as a result結果 now, he is prone易於 to
40
113000
2000
而至今, 他仍在與精神病症掙扎
02:10
these schizophrenic精神分裂症 episodes發作,
41
115000
2000
病情起伏不定.
02:12
the worst最差 of which哪一個 can manifest表現 themselves他們自己 as
42
117000
2000
糟糕時, 當病情發作時
02:14
him exploding爆炸
43
119000
2000
讓他抓狂,
02:16
and then disappearing消失 for days,
44
121000
2000
他會消失幾天,
02:18
wandering飄零 the streets街道 of Skid剎車 Row,
45
123000
2000
遊蕩市區街頭,
02:20
exposed裸露 to its horrors恐怖, with the torment折磨 of his own擁有 mind心神
46
125000
4000
身受恐懼, 精神分裂的煎熬.
02:24
unleashed如虎添翼 upon him.
47
129000
2000
重複的殘迫他.
02:26
And Nathaniel納撒尼爾 was in such這樣 a state of agitation攪動
48
131000
3000
當時他正是處在這種混淆狀態
02:29
when we started開始 our first lesson at Walt沃爾特 Disney迪士尼 Concert音樂會 Hall大廳 --
49
134000
3000
當我們首次在華德迪斯奈演奏廳見面時
02:32
he had a kind of manic躁狂 glint閃爍 in his eyes眼睛,
50
137000
3000
他眼神閃爍,
02:35
he was lost丟失.
51
140000
2000
看似迷失了,
02:37
And he was talking about
52
142000
2000
他說了些
02:39
invisible無形 demons惡魔 and smoke抽煙,
53
144000
2000
無影的魔鬼, 煙霧,
02:41
and how someone有人 was poisoning中毒 him in his sleep睡覺.
54
146000
4000
及別人如何趁他睡覺時,向他下毒, 等等.
02:45
And I was afraid害怕,
55
150000
2000
我當時是有點害怕,
02:47
not for myself, but I was afraid害怕
56
152000
3000
並不是為我自己, 而是害怕
02:50
that I was going to lose失去 him,
57
155000
2000
即將失去他,
02:52
that he was going to sink水槽 into one of his states狀態,
58
157000
2000
他將又陷入那糟糕的狀況,
02:54
and that I would ruin廢墟 his relationship關係 with the violin小提琴
59
159000
3000
將會破壞他和小提琴間奇妙的感情
02:57
if I started開始 talking about scales
60
162000
2000
若我盡聊些音階,
02:59
and arpeggios琶音 and other exciting扣人心弦 forms形式 of
61
164000
2000
琶音, 或許其他有趣的
03:01
didactic教導的 violin小提琴 pedagogy教育學.
62
166000
2000
教條式小提琴教學之類的
03:03
(Laughter笑聲)
63
168000
1000
(笑聲)
03:04
So, I just started開始 playing播放.
64
169000
3000
所以我當時是拉起小提琴
03:07
And I played發揮 the first movement運動 of the Beethoven貝多芬 Violin小提琴 Concerto協奏曲.
65
172000
4000
拉的是貝多芬小提琴協奏曲第一樂章
03:11
And as I played發揮,
66
176000
2000
當我拉奏時
03:13
I understood了解 that there was a profound深刻 change更改
67
178000
3000
我注意到起了深刻變化
03:16
occurring發生 in Nathaniel's納撒尼爾的 eyes眼睛.
68
181000
2000
就在納坦尼的眼神之中.
03:18
It was as if he was in the grip of some invisible無形 pharmaceutical製藥,
69
183000
3000
就像是服了仙丹,
03:21
a chemical化學 reaction反應, for which哪一個 my playing播放 the music音樂
70
186000
4000
起了化學變化, 我演奏的音樂就
03:25
was its catalyst催化劑.
71
190000
3000
如催化劑般.
03:28
And Nathaniel's納撒尼爾的 manic躁狂 rage憤怒
72
193000
4000
把納坦尼閃爍憤怒的眼神
03:32
was transformed改造 into understanding理解,
73
197000
4000
轉化成善解人意的
03:36
a quiet安靜 curiosity好奇心 and grace恩典.
74
201000
5000
溫和好奇, 優雅的
03:41
And in a miracle奇蹟, he lifted取消 his own擁有 violin小提琴
75
206000
3000
此時奇蹟般的 他拿起他自己的小提琴
03:44
and he started開始 playing播放, by ear,
76
209000
3000
拉奏起剛聽到的
03:47
certain某些 snippets片段 of violin小提琴 concertos協奏曲
77
212000
2000
小提琴協奏曲的片段
03:49
which哪一個 he then asked me to complete完成 -- Mendelssohn門德爾松,
78
214000
2000
然後要我完成整曲, 另有孟德爾頌,
03:51
Tchaikovsky柴可夫斯基, Sibelius西貝柳斯.
79
216000
2000
柴可夫斯基, 西貝流
03:53
And we started開始 talking about music音樂, from Bach過獨身生活
80
218000
2000
我們談起音樂, 從巴哈
03:55
to Beethoven貝多芬 and Brahms勃拉姆斯,
81
220000
2000
貝多芬, 布拉姆斯
03:57
Bruckner布魯克納, all the B'sB的,
82
222000
2000
布喀納, 所有的B開頭的
03:59
from Bart巴特ók, all the way up to Esa-Pekka埃薩 - 佩卡 Salonen薩洛寧.
83
224000
2000
從巴托克, 到伊薩-沛卡 薩羅南.
04:01
And I understood了解 that he not only
84
226000
2000
我了解他不僅
04:03
had an encyclopedic廣博的 knowledge知識 of music音樂,
85
228000
2000
對音樂有全面性的認識,
04:05
but he related有關 to this music音樂 at a personal個人 level水平.
86
230000
4000
更有個人特殊的感情成份.
04:09
He spoke about it with the kind of passion
87
234000
2000
他談話的那種熱情, 就如
04:11
and understanding理解 that I share分享 with my colleagues同事
88
236000
2000
我在和團員分享音樂的熱情
04:13
in the Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯 Philharmonic交響.
89
238000
3000
也就是洛杉磯交響樂團, 是一樣的.
04:16
And through通過 playing播放 music音樂 and talking about music音樂,
90
241000
3000
而經由演奏音樂, 談論音樂
04:19
this man had transformed改造
91
244000
2000
他整個人就像兌變了
04:21
from the paranoid偏執, disturbed不安 man
92
246000
3000
從一個瘋癲
04:24
that had just come from walking步行 the streets街道
93
249000
2000
晃蕩街頭
04:26
of downtown市中心 Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯
94
251000
2000
的市區街友,
04:28
to the charming迷人, erudite博學,
95
253000
2000
變成和善, 博學,
04:30
brilliant輝煌, Juilliard-trained茱莉亞音樂學院受訓 musician音樂家.
96
255000
4000
開朗的, 受過茱莉亞學院教育的音樂家.
04:34
Music音樂 is medicine醫學. Music音樂 changes變化 us.
97
259000
5000
音樂是良藥, 音樂改變我們.
04:39
And for Nathaniel納撒尼爾, music音樂 is sanity明智.
98
264000
4000
至於納坦尼音, 音樂是理智.
04:43
Because music音樂 allows允許 him to take his thoughts思念
99
268000
2000
因為音樂讓他進行思考,
04:45
and delusions妄想 and shape形狀 them
100
270000
3000
釐清幻想, 認清事實,
04:48
through通過 his imagination想像力 and his creativity創造力,
101
273000
2000
並經由自由創作
04:50
into reality現實.
102
275000
2000
而回歸現實.
04:52
And that is an escape逃逸
103
277000
2000
那也正是他逃離的管道,
04:54
from his tormented折磨 state.
104
279000
2000
逃離精神困境.
04:56
And I understood了解 that this was the very essence本質 of art藝術.
105
281000
3000
我瞭解這就是藝術的精粹.
04:59
This was the very reason原因 why we made製作 music音樂,
106
284000
2000
這也是為什麼會創作音樂,
05:01
that we take something that exists存在 within all of us
107
286000
2000
音樂在你我生活之中.
05:03
at our very fundamental基本的 core核心,
108
288000
2000
就存在我們日常生活中,
05:05
our emotions情緒,
109
290000
2000
情感裏,
05:07
and through通過 our artistic藝術的 lens鏡片,
110
292000
2000
透過我們的藝術眼光
05:09
through通過 our creativity創造力, we're able能夠 to shape形狀 those emotions情緒 into reality現實.
111
294000
5000
透過創作, 讓我們能釐清情緒進入現實.
05:14
And the reality現實 of that expression表達
112
299000
2000
透過真實的表達
05:16
reaches到達 all of us
113
301000
2000
感觸我們,
05:18
and moves移動 us, inspires激勵 and unites聯信 us.
114
303000
5000
我們才能受感動, 受激勵, 才能一同感受.
05:23
And for Nathaniel納撒尼爾,
115
308000
2000
至於納坦尼,
05:25
music音樂 brought him back into a fold of friends朋友.
116
310000
3000
音樂為他帶來一群朋友
05:28
The redemptive救贖 power功率 of music音樂 brought him back
117
313000
2000
音樂已神奇的帶領他
05:30
into a family家庭 of musicians音樂家
118
315000
2000
進入音樂家的大家族
05:32
that understood了解 him,
119
317000
2000
讓人瞭解他,
05:34
that recognized認可 his talents人才
120
319000
2000
認識他的天賦
05:36
and respected尊敬 him.
121
321000
3000
也尊崇他.
05:39
And I will always make music音樂 with Nathaniel納撒尼爾,
122
324000
3000
至於我 我永遠會和他一起創作音樂
05:42
whether是否 we're at Walt沃爾特 Disney迪士尼 Concert音樂會 Hall大廳
123
327000
2000
不論我們是在華德迪斯奈音樂廳,
05:44
or on Skid剎車 Row, because he reminds提醒 me
124
329000
2000
或在洛杉磯街頭, 因為他提醒我.
05:46
why I became成為 a musician音樂家.
125
331000
3000
為何我之成為音樂家.
05:49
Thank you.
126
334000
2000
謝謝大家.
05:51
(Applause掌聲)
127
336000
7000
(掌聲)
05:58
Bruno布魯諾 Giussani吉薩尼: Thank you. Thanks謝謝.
128
343000
3000
布魯諾 : 謝謝大家. 謝謝你...
06:01
Robert羅伯特 Gupta古普塔.
129
346000
2000
羅伯特.古普塔.
06:03
(Applause掌聲)
130
348000
3000
(掌聲)
06:22
Robert羅伯特 Gupta古普塔: I'm going to play something that I shamelessly無恥地 stole偷了 from cellists大提琴手.
131
367000
3000
接下來的演奏片段擷自大提琴的樂曲.
06:25
So, please forgive原諒 me.
132
370000
2000
用小提琴演奏還請見諒.
06:27
(Laughter笑聲)
133
372000
1000
(笑聲)
06:28
(Music音樂)
134
373000
3000
(音樂)
09:13
(Applause掌聲)
135
538000
8000
(掌聲)
Translated by Fumin Chiu
Reviewed by Adrienne Lin

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Robert Gupta - Violinist
Violinist Robert Gupta joined the LA Philharmonic at the age of 19 -- and maintains a passionate parallel interest in neurobiology and mental health issues. He's a TED Senior Fellow.

Why you should listen

Violinist Robert Vijay Gupta joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the age of 19. He made his solo debut, at age 11, with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. He has a Master's in music from Yale. But his undergraduate degree? Pre-med. As an undergrad, Gupta was part of several research projects in neuro- and neurodegenerative biology. He held Research Assistant positions at CUNY Hunter College in New York City, where he worked on spinal cord neuronal regeneration, and at the Harvard Institutes of Medicine Center for Neurologic Diseases, where he studied the biochemical pathology of Parkinson's disease.

Gupta is passionate about education and outreach, both as a musician and as an activist for mental health issues. He has the privilege of working with Nathaniel Ayers, the brilliant, schizophrenic musician featured in "The Soloist," as his violin teacher.

More profile about the speaker
Robert Gupta | Speaker | TED.com