Think classical and hip-hop music have next to nothing in common? Black Violin will challenge you to view both styles in a new light and with a new beat. Violin and Viola virtuosos, Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste, met as stand partners in high school orchestra and have been taking the music world by storm ever since.
Wil Baptiste put it best in an NPR interview when he said, “They had little shindigs going on back in the days, right? They needed music. So just think of it that way. Like, I’m this guy, I own this big palace — ‘Mozart, listen, what can you whip up, man? I need some new tunes.’ ”
Kev Marcus continues, “So it’s the same kind of thing with hip-hop. It’s just like, I need Grandmaster Flash to DJ my party. You know, hip-hop and classical, in a lot of ways, are both party music for different eras.”
Whether it’s Schubert or Sam Smith, Beethoven or Bruno Mars, or their own original compositions, Black Violin is quickly becoming a household name in the world of music.
Their recently released album Stereotypes is the #1 album on Bilboard’s Classical Crossover chart, #4 on Heatseekers and #4 on the R&B charts.
“This album works whether you listen to Mozart or not. And it will work if Mozart is the only type of musician you do listen to. Black Violin made Stereotypes for both listeners. Their one hope is that those listeners can become friends. This album will make for a good ice breaker,” says Marc Rivers of A Tribe Called News.
From Bach to Biggie, you’ll hear a little bit of everything from Black Violin. Their ability to meticulously blend every genre of music with strings, drums, and their DJ will leave audiences amazed and wanting more. The eloquent juxtaposition is the reason this ground-breaking duo appeals to so many diverse groups of music lovers.
The classically-trained duo has performed everywhere from the Inaugural Ball and three Super Bowls to SXSW and for United States troops stationed in Iraq. They were even invited to perform at both TEDx and Google’s “meeting of the minds” event, Zeitgeist.
“Black Violin works hard, but makes it all look like play…Sometimes they play with the intense seriousness of orchestral soloists; at others they fiddle as if at a hoe-down; at still others they strum the violin and viola like guitars,” said The New York Times.
Black Violin’s performance will have a little bit of everything for everyone. Gather your friends and be ready to enjoy a performance at The Grand, Thursday, October 8, like you’ve never seen before.
In addition to the show The Grand has partnered with E3YP, Wausau’s Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals group to throw a pre-show party in the Center for the Visual Arts. For information and to register follow this link; E3YP On The Move: Black Violin Pre-Show Party
Learn more about Black Violin:
With ‘Stereotypes,’ A Duo Raised On Hip-Hop And Classical Has It Both Ways
Black Violin mashes hip-hop and classical to break stereotypes on major label debut
New & Next: Meet Black Violin, the Hip-Hop Classical Musical Duo Breaking Stereotypes
