Students from KIPP Inspire Academy, a WUSTL-sponsored St. Louis charter school, were treated to a performance of Black Violin at Edison Theatre Mar. 14.
Classically trained artists Wilner “Wil B” Baptiste (viola) and Kevin “Kev Marcus” Sylvester (violin) combine jazz, funk, hip-hop, and classical music for a genre-busting sound.
Black Violin’s unique twist on classical music struck a chord with the KIPPsters. The 7th and 8th grade students were up on their feet and out of their seats as the artists encouraged them to dance, take pictures and videos, and enjoy themselves throughout the performance.
“We had a great experience during the visit and Black Violin was outstanding,” said Stephanie Markman, 7th grade language arts teacher.
Black Violin performed at Edison Theatre as part of Ovations for Young People, a series of family-friendly shows by nationally and internationally recognized performing artists. The KIPP field trip to the Danforth Campus and tickets to the performance were provided by K-12 Connections, a collaborative program of the ISP, the Gephardt Institute for Public Service, the Community Service Office, and the Department of Government and Community Relations.