Tag Archives: Cincinnati Arts Association

April 16, 2019
Music Hall – Springer Auditorium

“Black Violin upends cultural and musical stereotypes…an unexpected blend of classically trained musicianship and hip-hop beats and inventiveness.” – The Miami Herald       

“Their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.” – NPR 

CINCINNATI, OH – This January, Black Violin hit the stage with their new 2019 Impossible Tour with over forty high-energy shows scheduled into the summer. The band makes its much-anticipated return to Cincinnati at Music Hall’s Springer Auditorium on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at 7:30 PM as part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2018-19 Season.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center and Music Hall Ticket Offices. A student ticket price of $15 is available in select seating locations. Group discount tickets for 10 or more are available by calling (513) 977-4157.

Black Violin spent the latter half of 2018 touring, writing, and recording new music. The Impossible Tour began shortly after wrapping up their successful 2018 Classical Boom Tour, which consisted of more than ninety concerts and included back-to-back sold out performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Black Violin is currently writing and recording their next studio album, expected to be released late this summer. The band recently released their track “Dreamer,” and shortly after, released an accompanying video. Black Violin’s last record, Stereotypes, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart. NPR praised the album and band, saying “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.”

Black Violin is composed of both classically-trained violist Wil Baptiste and violinist Kev Marcus. The duo, from South Florida, began playing together in their high school orchestra class. After attending separate colleges, Kev and Wil reunited and decided to combine their classical training and love for hip-hop music, establishing a distinguished, genre-bending sound that has often been described as “classical boom.”

Creative collaborations include Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, Lil Wayne, and Alicia Keys.  In 2016, Black Violin composed music for FOX’s hit TV series Pitch and the group has made appearances on HBO’s Ballers, The Tonight Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The Ellen Show, and the 2016 Heisman Trophy Presentation on ESPN. 

Black Violin are advocates for educational outreach and were announced as Turnaround Artists for Mary B. Bethune Elementary School in their hometown of Broward County, FL. Turnaround Arts, a national education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, infuses arts into struggling schools to support overall reform efforts. Founded by President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in 2012, the program partners schools with music instrument grants, arts supplies, professional development, and musicals, and pairs each school with an artist to provide mentorship, inspiration, and support for the school’s journey in the program. Turnaround Artists include Elton John, Edward Norton, and Yo-Yo Ma, among other highly acclaimed members of the arts community. Additionally, Black Violin continues to perform for more than 100,000 students annually throughout North America and Europe.

Black Violin’s Impossible Tour will spread the message that anything is possible and there are no limits to what one can achieve, regardless of circumstance. The focus is positivity and encouragement. As Wil Baptiste puts it, “When you come to a Black Violin concert, there are so many people in the audience experiencing something together. To me, that’s what our show does, it brings people together. Not only that, you’re being inspired, you’re being uplifted, you’re able to see something you probably have never seen before.”

For more information, visit the Black Violin website at http://blackviolin.net.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Honda Dealers, FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS: 21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Courtyard Marriott & Residence Inn-Rookwood, Graphic Village, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Downtown, Macy’s, Millennium Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, Ultimate Air Shuttle

BLACK VIOLIN PERFORMANCE SPONSOR: Tri-Health

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Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and WME Partner to Bring Together Live, an All-Female Live Storytelling Event, to Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center on November 9 

HELLO SUNSHINE X TOGETHER LIVE to Feature Diverse Female-Led Stories and Conversations with High-Profile Women 

Confirmed Participants Include: Abby Wambach, Nicole Byer, Glennon Doyle, Priya Parker, MILCK, Cleo Wade, and Maysoon Zayid

Hello Sunshine to Produce Digital Content Drawn from Events’ Speakers and Performers for YouTube, Facebook, and Original Podcast Series

(Cincinnati, OH) – Hello Sunshine and Together Live are partnering to bring a touring live event experience to the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Friday, November 9 at 7:30 PM.  The event features authentic storytelling and inspiring conversations for and by intersectional, intergenerational women.  Confirmed participants include: Abby Wambach, Nicole Byer, Glennon Doyle, Priya Parker, MILCK, Cleo Wade, and Maysoon Zayid.

Pre-sale information and access begins September 10 by signing up at TogetherLive.com. Presale tickets will only be available for purchase to those with the special password, as well as Cincinnati Arts Association Members and ENEWS subscribers, starting September 18.  Tickets for the general public go on sale September 28 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Group discount tickets for ten or more are available by calling (513) 977-4157.

Hello Sunshine x Together Live will feature beloved authors, thought leaders, musicians, comedians, celebrities, and ordinary people alike who will share raw, real stories from their own lives. The evening events will feature storytelling, music, laughter, and a big dose of heart and soul. The Hello Sunshine x Together Live Tour will visit ten cities across the United States and Canada in an effort to cultivate a growing community of women whose experiences are as diverse as their backgrounds.

Together Live was founded in 2016 by Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, WME’s Head of Worldwide Literary, Lectures, and Conference Divisions, who will continue to emcee the events. According to Walsh, “Hello Sunshine x Together Live forms the perfect partnership for our touring pilgrimage. We are traveling to local communities to share intersectional, intergenerational, open-hearted stories, songs, and laughter (often through tears) to remind us that we are in this together. Especially during these divided times, authentic storytelling is our magic cure for finding connection and meaning.”   

To promote female authorship around the world and build communities amongst women who are unable to attend the events in-person, Hello Sunshine and Together Live will collaborate to develop premium digital series based on the content of the live events that will be distributed via YouTube, Facebook, and several other platforms. The first two digital series will be “Powered By” and “Story Scouts.”

• “Powered By” is a six-part series where celebrities and thought leaders share candid, untold stories that remind the world of the true power of women through conversation.
• “Story Scouts” centers on our Hello Sunshine x Together speakers for a funny and optimistic conversation with a very special guest. Each episode features an extraordinary woman accompanied by someone they know personally who has mentored or inspired them. Throughout these intergenerational conversations, our speakers will draw out their companion’s real-life story and also bravely share their own.

Led by Hello Sunshine’s all-female podcast producing team, the partnership also includes an original podcast, Hello Sunshine x Together Podcast. The podcast will be an episodic companion series containing an edited narrative drawn from the events’ keynote speakers, comedians, and family meetings, each assembled into compelling, stand-alone, themed episodes with a dynamic host threading the narrative together.

About WME
WME is a leading global entertainment agency. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, WME represents artists and content creators across books, digital media, film, food, music, television, and theater. WME is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network.

About Hello Sunshine
Hello Sunshine is a media brand and content company dedicated to female authorship and storytelling across all platforms. Hello Sunshine is producing feature films, scripted and unscripted television, audio storytelling, podcasts, and social series under the Hello Sunshine brand, all anchored by a singular mission: to change the narrative for women. Hello Sunshine is also the home for Reese’s Book Club, fast-growing in reach and influence.  Some of the film and TV projects that have already been announced include the limited series from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 bestseller Little Fires Everywhere, as a Hulu Original Series; a 10-episode comedy series for Apple that was created by Colleen McGuinness (30 Rock) and inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld’s short-story collection You Think It, I’ll Say It; Are You Sleeping, executive produced by and starring Octavia Spencer, based on the true-crime novel by Kathleen Barber, created and written by Nichelle Tramble Spellman (The Good Wife,Justified) for Apple; a limited series adaptation of the novel Daisy Jones & The Six for Amazon; and an Untitled Morning Show Project produced by and starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, which was given a two-season, straight-to-series order by Apple with Kerry Ehrin (Bates Motel) serving as showrunner. Alongside AT&T, Hello Sunshine also recently launched the Hello Sunshine Video On Demand (VOD) channel featuring engaging and distinctive narratives with women at the center.

About Innovation Arts & Entertainment
Innovation Arts & Entertainment is a 17-year-old boutique, live entertainment producer based in Chicago, IL. IAE prides itself in producing events within the domain of Intelligent Entertainment, producing unique live experiences that result in expanding the knowledge and worldview of audiences that participate.  In the last five years alone, IAE has produced tours for Hillary Clinton, Anthony Bourdain, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, David Sedaris, and Chris and Martin Kratt from PBS.  In addition to Together Live 2018, other current touring projects include the North American Tour of Harry Potter In Concert, National Geographic’s Symphony for Our World, David Sedaris’ 2018 and 2019 tours, and five new projects in development.  At IAE, we relish the opportunity to use the power of art, entertainment, information, and education in such a way that our audiences are changed for the better.

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October 19, 2018 – Aronoff Center
On Sale Now

CINCINNATI, OH – Award-winning Artist/Poet Annie Ruth and the Cincinnati Arts Association are proud to present  Dada Rafiki: The Women Gather, which will share empowering stories of inspirational women in our community through music, song, drumming, dance and spoken word. During this special evening celebration,  attendees will experience a potpourri of interactive art forms. The event also serves as the kick-off for a 52-neighborhood outreach effort, promoting women’s empowerment. One of the most inspirational multicultural celebrations of the year,  Dada Rafiki: The Women Gather will grace the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Friday, October 19 at 7:00 PM. It’s more than an event, it’s an experience!  Doors open at 6:00 PM with Pre-show entertainment and promotional gifts for attendees. 

Tickets are $25 in advance and $40 the day of the show, and are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.  Group discount tickets for ten or more are available by calling (513) 977-4157.

“Dada Rafiki” (pronounced DAH-Dah rah-FEE-kee), which means “sister friend” in the Kiswahili language of East Africa, promotes a shared sense of sisterhood, inclusiveness, and unity in an empowering environment of storytelling, music, dance, song, and spoken word—all honoring exceptional women in our community.

Dada Rafiki: The Women Gather will be hosted by WLWT-TV5 News Anchor Courtis Fuller. Featured artists include: The New York Times award-winning author and poet Sharon M. Draper; Cincinnati Opera guest soloist, psalmist, and songwriter Andrea P. Thomas; acclaimed dancer/choreographer Jacqueline McClure; world-class Afro-fusion music powerhouse BAOKU Moses; and, back by popular demand as the event’s house band, Ed Thomas & Muzic Company. That evening, Annie Ruth will debut her original interpretive poetry “The Women Gather,”  which combines genres of dance, spiritual, hip hop, African & modern dance, and spoken word.   

2018 Dada Rafiki Honorees:

1. Deborah Mariner Allsop –  Families Forward
2. Suzy DeYoung – LaSoupe Cincinnati
3. Verline Dotson – Cincinnati Hamilton County Community Action Agency
4. Prerna Gandhi – student, University of Cincinnati
5. Dr. Shelley Jefferson Hamler – The Cincinnati (OH) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated
6. Janelle S. Hocker – Nella’s Place, Inc.
7. The Rev. Paula M. Jackson, Ph.D. – Church of Our Saviour/La Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador, Episcopal
8. Bo-Kyung Kim Kirby – Northern Kentucky University & The Cincinnati Opera
9. Barbara J. Lynch – New Jerusalem Baptist Church & First Ladies for Health
10. Baba Charles Miller, Baba of Honor – Drums for Peace
11. Evelyn Sears – Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board
12. Khrys Styles – K.A.S.S.I.E. Project
13. Stevie Swain – Swain Consulting, LLC & CinCWN
14. Carla Walker – Think Big Strategies, LLC

ABOUT ANNIE RUTH – THE CREATOR OF DADA RAFIKI
Annie Ruth is an internationally-respected artist and arts educator whose work has positively impacted audiences in Europe, Africa, and throughout the United States for more than thirty years. She integrates the arts into other areas and uses innovative strategies to make the arts experience both rewarding and relevant. Annie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from National University in San Diego, California and studied graphic design at the University of Cincinnati, College of Design Architecture and Art.  She is a trailblazer who has received critical acclaim for her work in the community.  She fuses her artistic talents with arts education and collaborates with major cultural institutions and museums to bring art directly to communities throughout the United States and abroad.

For more information about Annie Ruth and the history of Dada Rafiki, visit www.annieruth.comand www.dadarafiki.net.

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CINCINNATI, OH – Warm up your holiday season with the Artists Lounge Live production of AN UNFORGETTABLE NAT KING COLE CHRISTMAS starring Evan Tyrone Martin from December 5-7, 2018 at the Aronoff Center’s intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater.  All performances are at 7:30 PM.  The show is a part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2018-19 Season.  

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 17 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Group discount tickets for ten or more are available by calling (513) 977-4157.

Chicago sensation Evan Tyrone Martin (Jesus Christ Superstar, Side Show, Oklahoma) warmly resonates the velvety vocal style of musical legend Nat King Cole. The Chicago Tribune calls the award-nominated Martin “Destined for Stardom: One of the Hot New Faces of Chicago Theatre”; The Chicago Sun-Times raves, “Evan Tyrone Martin is a golden-voiced actor of sweetness and grace”; and BCR News praises, “Martin’s vocal ease would have done Nat King Cole proud.” Martin intimately relates Cole’s personal journey, while presenting a festive cocktail of hits including “L-O-V-E,” “Mona Lisa,” “The Christmas Song,” and “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.”

Evan’s Chicago theatre credits include: Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus; Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination), Oklahoma (Ali Hakim), Hair (Hud), I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett (Jeff Award nomination), Far From Heaven (Raymond; Jeff Award nomination), Dreamgirls (Curtis; Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination), The Little Mermaid (King Triton), Rent (Collins), The Color Purple (Harpo),Side Show (Jake; Jeff Award nomination), Violet (Flick; Jeff Award nomination), Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Valentin; Jeff Award nomination, Broadway World Award nomination), Floyd Collins, and Some Enchanted Evening. Regional credits include: The Little Mermaid (King Triton), Forever Plaid (Jinx), Hair (Berger), and Pippin (Leading Player). Concerts: Unforgettable: Falling In Love with Nay King Cole and An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas. Martin is a graduate of Ashland University.

Artists Lounge Live is a dynamic concert series featuring popular music of yesterday performed by tremendous talent of today. Rising stars of stage and screen shine in heartfelt evenings of story and song. Dedicated to serving audiences across the nation, Artists Lounge Live brings acts from America’s entertainment capitals to communities of all sizes. Artists Lounge Live is created by performer/producer MichaelIngersoll. A favorite of PBS audiences, Ingersoll toured the country performing with his retro-rock vocal group Under the Streetlamp, whose television concert specials air in millions of homes nationwide. He is also known for starring as Nick Massi of the Four Seasons in Jersey Boys for the original Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles companies. Ingersoll’s Artists Lounge Live mission states, “We believe in the restorative power of live entertainment.” artistsloungelive.com

• SHOW WEBSITE:  http://artistsloungelive.com/an-unforgettable-nat-king-cole-christmas/
• PROMO VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y58A4f72amE

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), CINCINNATI-NORTHERN KENTUCKY HONDA DEALERS, FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Courtyard Marriott & Residence Inn-Rookwood, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Hyatt Regency-Cincinnati, Macy’s, Pepsi, Prosource, Skyline Chili, TriHealth, Ultimate Air Shuttle, USI

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 600,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.6 million students. For more information, visit www.CincinnatiArts.org.

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