Area venues partnering to donate free virtual concert to students
CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. » Three area performing arts venues are partnering to donate a free virtual concert to Capital Region students.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and The School of the Performing Arts at Proctors Collaborative are bringing Black Violin into classrooms of all grade levels so students may experience artists who fuse traditional and contemporary genres while upending perceptions of what it means to be a classical musician.
Local teachers who register may stream the Impossible Tour by classical-meets-hip hop duo Black Violin for students from Feb. 22 through April 2.
Black Violin is led by classically trained string players Wil Baptiste (viola) and Kev Marcus (violin); joining the mare DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes. The group uses a unique blend of classical and hip-hop music, often described as “classical boom,” aiming to overcome stereotypes and encourage people of all ages, races and economic backgrounds to join together to break down cultural barriers.
The duo has collaborated with Alicia Keys, Wu Tang Clan, 2 Chainz and others. Many of the group’s more than 200 performances annually are for low-income students inurban communities.
Marcus and Baptiste strive to challenge stereotypes and preconceived notions of what a “classical musician” looks and sounds like.
“The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” Baptiste said in a press release. “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.”
The partnership between the three venues is a powerful statement during these unprecedented times, the release noted.
“SPAC is proud to be working with our colleagues at Troy Music Hall and Proctors on bringing Black Violin back to the Capital Region, this time virtually” Saratoga Performing Arts Center president and CEO Elizabeth Sobol said in the release. “I had the privilege of working with Kev and Will when I was at Universal and we signed them to the label. At SPAC, Black Violin were one of the first bands we contracted to appear on our brand-new SPAC on Stage series and they returned a year later for education events. Their talent, spirit and message are powerful and meaningful, evenmore so now than ever: they open hearts and help break down stereotypes.”
Proctors Collaborative director of education Christine Sheehan added, “Teachers have been given the enormous and challenging task of teaching their students in person and, or virtually at the ready. Arts education has suffered during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of students would have visited any one of our venues for educational programming during this school year.
“Opportunities such Black Violin can straddle the disconnect of social distancing, support wellness and foster creative development and critical thinking.”
Capital Region teachers can register for this virtual streaming event at https://school.proctors.org/blackviolin/. Educators who register will receive a study guide and a unique link and access code prior to the event going live.