Local performing arts venues offer students free virtual concert

Categories: -The Daily Gazette, Entertainment

Students in the Capital Region can take part in a free virtual “field trip” with the classical/hip-hop duo Black Violin thanks to three local performing arts venues. 

The School of the Performing Arts at Proctors Collaborative, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall have joined together to bring the band to all grade levels around the area. 

“Teachers have been given the enormous and challenging task of teaching their students in person and, or virtually at the ready,” said Christine Sheehan, director of education at Proctors Collaborative. “Arts education has suffered during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of students would have visited any one of our venues for educational programming during this school year. Opportunities such as Black Violin can straddle the disconnect of social distancing, support wellness and foster creative development and critical thinking.”

Teachers can register to stream the Impossible Tour from Feb. 22 through April 2. Led by classically trained string players Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus, along with DJ SPS and Nat Stokes, the group blends classical and hip-hop music to encourage people of all ages, races and economic backgrounds to break down cultural barriers and question what a classical musician should look and sound like. 

“The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” said Baptiste in a statement. “Just by nature of our existence, we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together.” 

Capital Region teachers can register for this virtual streaming event at school.proctors.org/blackviolin/. Those who register will receive a study guide and a unique link and access code prior to the event going live.