GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center has added strings duo Black Violin on Feb. 27 on the Mahaiwe's mainstage.

 

Classical-meets-hip-hop duo Black Violin will perform on the Mahaiwe's mainstage on Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. 

 

According to a press release:

 

Step into Black Violin's Full Circle Tour, where Grammy-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus redefine the possibilities of music by merging classical depth with hip-hop's pulse. This tour captures the essence of returning to where it all began — transformed and reimagined. Each powerful performance invites audiences to reflect on their own journeys, discovering that even as we evolve, we're often drawn back to our roots with renewed purpose. 

 

For nearly two decades, Black Violin has been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals and building bridges in communities along the way. 

 

Members Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste first met in orchestra class at Dillard High School in Fort 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. 

 

Black Violin plays roughly 200 shows a year; many of which are performances for young, low-income students in urban communities. In the last year alone, the group has played for over 100,000 students with the goal of challenging stereotypes and preconceived notions of what a classical musician looks and sounds like. 

 

Tickets are $39 to $59 with discounts for Mahaiwe Members and individuals ages 30 and under. 

 

Tickets can be purchased online at mahaiwe.org, or by calling or visiting the Box Office, 413-528-0100, on Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.