Local Classical Featured Artist – 02/06/23 – 02/19/23
In this week’s playlist, we bring you performances by violinist, Regina Carter, in honor of her upcoming concert here in Indianapolis! She is performing at the Madam Walker Theatre on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 7:30 PM. This is a part of the Laureate Series held by the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. To get tickets and read all the information on how to attend, click here.
Trying to fit Regina Carter into a neatly defined musical category is pointless. She enjoys performing many styles of music—jazz, R&B, Latin, classical, blues, country, pop, African, and on and on. In each she explores the power of music through the voice of the violin. A recipient of the MacArthur “genius” award and a Doris Duke Artist Award, Regina has been widely hailed for her mastery of her instrument and her drive to expand its possibilities. In 1995 Regina released her self-titled solo debut on Atlantic Records. Three more albums followed in rapid succession: Something for Grace (1997), Rhythms of the Heart (1999), and Motor City Moments (2000), all on Verve. Traveling to Genoa, Italy, and making history by being the first nonclassical violinist to play Niccolò Paganini’s Il Cannone (“The Cannon”), the legendary violin built by Giuseppe Guarneri in 1743, inspired her next effort, Paganini: After a Dream (Verve, 2003). I’ll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey (Verve, 2006) became a powerful and heartfelt tribute to her late mother.
Born in Detroit, Regina began studying violin at the age of four using the Suzuki method. She attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit, and her training continued at the New England Conservatory of Music and at Oakland University in Michigan for jazz. She taught violin in public schools in Detroit and on a U.S. military base in Germany. She first gained attention with Straight Ahead, an all-female jazz quintet that recently celebrated its 25-year reunion at the Detroit Jazz Festival. She also recorded and toured for six years with The String Trio of New York. Regina has twice been a Pulitzer Prize jurist. We’ll hear the many styles Regina can play on the violin throughout this playlist. Connect with Classical Music Indy’s Local Classical channel for this and much more.
Image credit: Barbara Barefield
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