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Genre-bending classical hip-hop duo @BlackViolin returns to the @KimmelCenter Cultural Campus for their “Impossible Tour” at the Academy of Music on 11/8! More info @ KimmelCenter.org
Press Contact:
Lauren Woodard
215-790-5835
LWoodard@kimmelcenter.org
Jessica Christopher
267-765-3738
jchristopher@alliedglobalmarketing.com
KIMMEL CENTER CULTURAL CAMPUS PRESENTS RETURNING
HIGH-ENERGY CLASSICAL AND HIP-HOP FUSION DUO
BLACK VIOLIN
FOR THEIR IMPOSSIBLE TOUR
AS PART OF THE 2019/20 JAZZ SEASON
NOVEMBER 8, 2019
“Their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.”
- NPR
“Black Violin upends cultural and musical stereotypes…an unexpected blend of classically trained musicianship and hip-hop beats and inventiveness.”
- The Miami Herald
“The duo elicits brilliant music with a poignant message for the world.”
- Essence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, October 9, 2019) – The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus’ star-studded 2019-20 Jazz season continues with the venerated duo Black Violin. Following a successful engagement at the Merriam Theater in October 2018, the band will return to The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus with their Impossible Tour at the Academy of Music on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Black Violin uses their unique blend of classical and hip-hop music to overcome stereotypes while encouraging people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds to join together and break down cultural barriers.
“Black Violin’s distinctive style transcends genre to enliven listeners, perfectly complementing our own Cultural Campus mission to engage the region’s diverse communities with art through performance and education,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “We are a home for community & important conversations, and are honored to house the Impossible Tour’s message of equality.”
Black Violin is composed of classically-trained violist Wil Baptiste and violinist Kev Marcus. The duo, from South Florida, began playing together in their high school orchestra class. After attending separate colleges, Kev and Wil reunited and decided to combine their classical training and love for hip-hop music, establishing a distinguished, genre-bending sound that has often been described as “classical boom.”
Black Violin’s Impossible Tour will spread the message that anything is possible and there are no limits to what one can achieve, regardless of circumstance. The focus is positivity and encouragement. As Wil Baptiste puts it, “When you come to a Black Violin concert, there are so many people in the audience experiencing something together. To me, that's what our show does, it brings people together. Not only that, you're being inspired, you're being uplifted, you're able to see something you probably have never seen before."
Black Violin is currently writing and recording their next studio album, Take the Stairs, to be released on November 1, 2019. In August, they released the first track and accompanying video “Showoff” in advance of the album release. Their last record, Stereotypes, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart. Some of their creative collaborations include Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, Lil Wayne, and Alicia Keys.
In 2016, Black Violin composed music for FOX’s hit TV series Pitch and the group has made appearances on HBO’s Ballers, The Tonight Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The Ellen Show,and the 2016 Heisman Trophy Presentation on ESPN.
Black Violin are advocates for educational outreach and were announced as Turnaround Artists for Mary B. Bethune Elementary School in their hometown of Broward County, FL. Turnaround Arts, a national education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, infuses arts into struggling schools to support overall reform efforts. Founded by President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in 2012, the program partners schools with music instrument grants, arts supplies, professional development, musicals, and pairs each school with an artist to provide mentorship, inspiration, and support for the school’s journey in the program. Turnaround Artists include Elton John, Edward Norton, and Yo-Yo Ma, among other highly acclaimed members of the arts community. Additionally, Black Violin continues to perform for more than 100,000 students annually throughout North America and Europe.
Other featured upcoming performances at the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus include: Chick Corea Trilogy (October 27, 2019, Verizon Hall), Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra(November 1, 2019, Verizon Hall), Béla Fleck & The Flecktones (December 3, 2019, Verizon Hall), and Rachael & Vilray (December 13, 2019, Perelman Theater).
BLACK VIOLIN: IMPOSSIBLE TOUR
Kimmel Center Cultural Campus’ Academy of Music
November 8, 2019, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now starting at $35.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883. See www.kimmelculturalcampus.org for more information.
The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region’s diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1 million guests per year and includes the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, and the Merriam Theater- representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. We are home to eight esteemed Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially-responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region’s young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is our proud sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2019-2020 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit www.kimmelculturalcampus.org.
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