Black Violin gives concert and class

MIRAMAR — Two Dillard High School alumni and their DJ partner are revolutionizing the way classical music is played and bringing their style to an enthusiastic new audience.

Black Violin will perform their electrifying concert on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Miramar Cultural Center ArtsPark, and also host a master class at 2 p.m. for qualified participants.

Acoustic violinist Wil-B and electric violinist Kev Marcus, who first met at Dillard, blend classical (Shostakovich and Bach) with modern music

(Nas and Jay-Z). Together they create a signature sound that is not quite maestro, not quite emcee as they combine jazz, hip hop, funk and classical styles. 

With their song Gypsy recently featured on Dancing with the Stars, Black Violin has crossed over from classical to pop and has performed with Alica Keyes, P. Diddy, Akon, Kanye West, Fifty Cent,

Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Aretha Franklin, the Eagles and more. They were awarded the coveted title of Apollo Legend by the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The New York Times described a recent concert saying: “With the stomping and the turntables, the electronic amplification and the velvety darkness, the limitless energy and the youthful vibe, the setting could have been any pop concert, except for the piece being played: an excerpt from the Brandenburg concertos.”

Grateful for their music experiences at Dillard High School, the ensemble is working with youth orchestras and children’s music programs. That includes hosting the master class that explores scales and arpeggios to experiment with freestyle and improvisation compositions. Participants must meet requirements and pre-register by calling 954-602-4521.

IF YOU GO