Black Violin’s Album Take the Stairs Debuts Top Ten Across Multiple Genre Charts
For 16 years, Black Violin members Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste have been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals. The two met in orchestra class at Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale, becoming classically trained on the violin and viola through their high school and college careers. Post-college, they reconvened to produce beats for South Florida rappers, and began building an audience in local clubs. They later went on to win Showtime at the Apollo in 2005, and eventually sold out headline performances at venues across the country, including a sold out two-night headline run at The Kennedy Center in 2018. Their unique brand of merging the genre they were listening to (hip hop) with the world they were studying (classical) was celebrated with collaborations with Alicia Keys, Wu Tang Clan, 2 Chainz and others. NPR took note and declared “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.” UPROXX also featured Black Violin in a mini-documentary as part of their “Uncharted” series, watch the video HERE.The duo plays over 200 shows a year (many of these are performances for young low-income students in urban communities – in the last year alone, the group played for over 100,000 students) with the goal of challenging stereotypes and preconceived notions of what a “classical musician” looks and sounds like. “The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” says Wil. “Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together.”Recently, the group launched the Black Violin Foundation Inc., a non profit organization dedicated to empowering youth by providing access to quality music programs in their community. BVF believes that music and access to music programs should not be determined by race, gender, or socio-economic status. Black Violin Foundation’s inaugural program the Musical Innovation Grant for Continuing Education will provide scholarships to young music students to attend a program of their liking that fosters musical creativity and innovation. Programs can range from private lessons, to summer music camps, to college courses. Scholarships will be awarded bi-annually to up to 20 applicants per scholarship cycle. More info at: https:/www.blackviolinfoundation.org
Tracklisting:1. Rise2. One Step3. Showoff4. Unbreakable5. Lost In The Garden6. Serenade7. Dreamer8. Spaz9. New Life10. Al Green11. Impossible Is Possible12. A Way Home13. NimrodTour Dates:11.13.19 – Midland, TX – Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center11.14.19 – Oklahoma City, OK – Oklahoma City Community College PAC11.15.19 – Little Rock, AR – University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College11.16.19 – Birmingham, AL – The Lyric Theatre11.17.19 – St. Louis, MO – Touhill PAC1.14.20 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theater Denver1.16.20 – Idaho Falls, ID – Colonial Theater1.17.20 – Logan, UT – Cache Valley Center for the Arts1.18.20 – Durango, CO – Fort Lewis College Concert Hall1.20.20 – Boise, ID – Egyptian Theater1.21.20 – Salt Lake, UT – Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah1.28.20 – Santa Barbara, CA – Granada Theatre – USB Arts & Lectures1.29.20 – Las Vegas, NV – UNLV Performing Arts Center1.31.20 – Chandler, AZ – Chandler Center for the Arts2.1.20 – Wickenburg, AZ – Del E Webb Center for the Performing Arts2.8.20 – Orlando, FL – Bob Carr Theatre – Dr. Philips Center2.12.20 – Fort Myers, FL – Barbra B. Mann Performing Arts Hall2.13.20 – Tallahassee, FL – Ruby Diamond Concert Hall2.14.20 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre2.20.20 – Tampa, FL – Straz Center for the Performing Arts2.21.20 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Broward Center for the Performing Arts2.27.20 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts Theatre3.1.20 – Sacramento, CA – The Crest Theatre3.5.20 – Los Angeles, CA – The Theatre at the Ace Hotel3.6.20 – Escondido, CA – California Center for the Arts3.20.20 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Center3.26.19 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall3.27.20 – Purchase, NY – PAC at Purchase College3.29.20 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall4.7.20 – Houston, TX – Jones Hall, Society for the Performing Arts4.15.20 – Providence, RI – The Veterans Memorial Auditorium4.17.20 – Medford, MA – Chevalier Theatre4.18.20 – Union, NJ – Wilkins Theatre5.6.20 – Portland, OR – Portland’5 Keller Auditorium5.7.20 – Eugene, OR – Hult Center for the Performing Arts
