ANN ARBOR, Michigan (AP) – A University of Michigan student is one of the world’s leading “speedcubers,” able to solve a Rubik’s Cube quickly. He is also an accomplished violinist.
Stanley Chappell says that the two areas go hand in hand.
Not only does Chappell say that he has similar interests in both, but the 21-year-old says that the violin has aided in his speedcubing success.
Chappell said, “Iteration, breaking things down to their smallest fundamental elements, all these different things that we use to improve an instrument, and being able to take that into the world of cubing certainly helps.” has helped me a lot in my progress.” , a junior majoring in violin performance at the university’s School of Music, Theater and Dance.
Chappelle, who grew up not far from the Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, solved his first 3×3 Rubik’s Cube at age 14. Five weeks later, Chappell entered his first competition, solving the cube in an average of 22 seconds.
Fast forward to 2017 in Paris, Chappell finished fifth in both the 4×4 blindfolded and 5×5 blindfolded categories at the World Cube Association World Championship.
At the 2019 World Championship in Melbourne, Australia, the recent high school graduate won both the events.
Taking into account the time it takes him to review the cube before taking off his blindfold, Chappelle can solve one in about 17 seconds.
“The deeper I delve into the realm of cubing techniques, the more interested I grow in pushing the boundaries of what is possible there,” he said.
Chappelle has some inherent abilities: he is capable of remembering and applying thousands of algorithms for solving a Rubik’s Cube and performing one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s violin sonatas from memory.
But he spends hours honing his craft, including regular hand stretches that help Chappelle avoid the aches and pains that come with the frequent and frantic turning of the cube’s sides.
Chappelle says that years of playing the violin have also contributed to him having “very, very fine motor control already built up”.
Later this year, Chappell intends to defend his world title in South Korea. Since the 2021 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chappell is the reigning champion heading into the 2023 event in Seoul.
Once he’s done with school, though, Chappell isn’t sure how speedcubing fits into his future plans.
“I think it’s nice to know that no one has been able to do that,” he said. “But at the same time, giving myself a little reality check, it’s like, ‘How much does it really matter?'”
Chappelle laughed and said, “It won’t pay the bills when I’m old.”
