Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) invites music fans to enjoy a rare blending of classical and hip-hop genres as Black Violin takes the stage Nov. 14 at the OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center, 7777 S. May Ave.
The Impossible Tour is intended to break down preconceived notions of viola and violin concerts, as well as overcome stereotypes and other cultural barriers, according to the performing duo, Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus. Their distinctive sound has been referred to as “classic boom†by reviewers. An NPR feature concluded, “Their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.â€
The Florida natives began playing together in their high school orchestra, and parted ways to attend separate colleges. Years later, they reunited to forge a new path through music. Their creative collaborations have included Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, Lil Wayne and Alicia Keys. In 2016, Black Violin composed music for the hit television series “Pitch,†and the group has appeared in person on other shows such as “Ballers,†“The Tonight Show,†“The Wendy Williams Show,†“The Ellen Show†and even “The 2016 Heisman Trophy Presentation†on ESPN.
Behind the music, Baptiste and Marcus place heavy emphasis on educational outreach, performing for more than 100,000 students annually. They were recently recognized for their efforts to introduce the arts to struggling schools by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The Oklahoma City performance is part of OCCC’s Performing Arts Series, which includes Windham Hill’s Winter Solstice performance in December and Farewell Angelina in January.
To purchase tickets, go online to tickets.occc.edu or call the OCCC Box Office at (405) 682-7579. The Box Office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Tickets for the performance are $45 for seats in the lower orchestra level and $40 for upper orchestra. They may be purchased at the door the day of the performance. Doors and concessions will open one hour before the 7:30 p.m. show time. The OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center is located at 7777 S. May Ave., Oklahoma City.
The performance is supported in part by the Oklahoma Arts Council, which receives support from the state of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Oklahoma Arts Council is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts. The agency’s mission is to lead in the advancement of Oklahoma’s thriving arts industry. The Oklahoma Arts Council provides more than 400 grants to nearly 225 organizations in communities statewide each year, organizes professional development opportunities for the state’s arts and cultural industry and manages works of art in the Oklahoma Public Art Collection and the public spaces of the state Capitol. Additional information is available at arts.ok.gov.
