Transcend - Lindsey Stirling at TEDxBerkeley

Lindsey Stirling has been playing the violin for 19 years with a range that extends from classical and to rock and roll. Through her electrifying playing, she stands for the fact that you don't have to conform to be accepted; the greatest value comes from loving and accepting yourself for who you are.

(Music)

(Violin music)

(Applause)

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Got to catch my breath.

I am out of shape but --

I am going to play for you one more song tonight,
or this afternoon.

And this is a really meaningful song to me

and I just wanted to tell you a little about
what it means to me.

This song is called "Transcendence."

And I wrote it at the time of my life,
I was kind of, probably,

at the lowest point of my life.

I didn't quite know who I was.

And I was surprised at
the person that I thought I was finding.

And I wrote this song
and I called it "Transcendence"

because 'to transcend' means not just

to get through something
or get passed something,

but it means to completely
overcome something

and become better for it.

So in my own life I found that
during that time period

I found passion and I found that I was able
express myself through something I love.

And I really think that's kind of what saved me,
and helped me in that time of my life.

And I love being able to share it
with other people now --

And just like it's been said
over and over again,

by finding passion and
by sharing with other people

we are able to work from the inside out.

And that's how we find happiness.

So I just want to encourage you all
to take what you've learned today

and to transcend.

(Applause)

(Music)

(Violin music)

(Applause)