Get Ready For A Poppin' Good Time With Black Violin At Memorial Hall

Kev Marcus (left) and Wil B will take the stage at on Oct. 11 at Memorial Hall.

Racine, WI - An evening with Black Violin is no ordinary orchestra concert.

Classically trained viola and violin players “Wil B” Baptiste and Kevin “Kev Marcus” Sylvester -- which make up the group Black Violin -- will take the stage at 7 p.m. Oct. 11, at Memorial Hall, 72 7th St.

Black Violin describes their musical experience as “2 parts Classical, 2 parts Pop, with a splash of hip-hop, served chilled–” and  “a genre-busting collage that pushes the limits of music and dares listeners to think outside the box.”

The two men met in high school while in the orchestra together in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After college, they worked in hip-hop studios with a number of acts before joining forces, and fusing hip-hop with classical music.

Individually and together, Black Violin has collaborated with P. Diddy, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Tom Petty, Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin and The Eagles. Since the group started 10 years ago, they have played hundreds of shows in 36 countries, including for President Barack Obama at the Inaugural Ball and for U.S. Troops in Iraq.

“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 hoedown; at still others they strum the violin and viola like guitars,” according to the New York Times.

Sponsored by AT&T and Family Services of Racine, the event provides cultural experiences for the community.

Ticket prices range from $12 to $20. They can be purchased in advance from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Festival Hall Box Office, 5 5th St., and at the Memorial Hall box office on the night of the show. These tickets have no service fees. They can also be purchased through Ticketmaster by visiting http://www.ticketmaster.com.

People needing ADA accommodations can contact the box office at (262) 636-9229.