BLACK VIOLIN Full Circle Tour Comes To Wharton Center Next Week

Grammy-nominated duo Black Violin, known for their innovative fusion of classical and hip-hop, will take the stage at Wharton Center for one night only on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

Black Violin members Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus met on the first day of orchestra class in 1996 at Dillard High School of the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Classically trained by day, they listened to rap records each night leading them to perform at the Billboard Awards, and work along side artists including Linkin Park, Wu-Tang Clan, Alessia Cara, 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, and more. The pair continues to tour nationally making stops at the Today Show, CBS Mornings, and PBS Newshour, along with performing at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death. Their album Take the Stairs was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 2020 Grammys.

Black Violin's work extends far beyond the stage, reaching deep into communities nationwide with numerous free performances for students and hands-on engagement with youth symphonies and community centers. Through collaborations with local and national education programs such as Turnaround Arts, Baptiste and Marcus connect with more than 100,000 students throughout the year, including low-income and Title 1 schools, and adopted Bethune Elementary, in Florida's Broward County (near where they grew up) to initiate an ongoing mentorship program. In 2019, the duo launched the Black Violin Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth by working with them in their communities to provide access to quality music programs that encourage creativity and innovation.