Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas -- December 20 and 21.
Friday, December 20, 7 p.m.
Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth Street, Coralville IA
Saturday, December 21, 7 p.m.
Bartlett Performing Arts Center, 3600 Avenue of the Cities, Moline IL
An intimate performance of music and dance that blends the soulful voice of the violin with beloved songs of the season, Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas will deliver the captivating melodies of its award-winning classical crossover artist amidst a setting boasting 500 lit candles, with performances scheduled for December 20 at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts and December 21 at Moline's Bartlett Performing Arts Center.
Described by the Boston Ballet as an “electrifying violinist,” Blue Violin made his inaugural appearance in New York at Weil Recital, Carnegie Hall, and has shared stages with acclaimed artists including Gloria Estefan, Paul Simon, Jennifer Holliday, also making special appearances with John Mayer and on Sesame Street. With his distinctive style, Blue Violin utilizes loops and sequences to convey a multitude of sounds through a single violin. Suggesting a complete violin concerto or a 12-multi-tracked rendition of hits such as Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” or Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” Blue Violin ingeniously translates almost any instrument or sound onto his solitary violin.
As the founder and first violinist of the Boston String Quartet, Blue Violin has left his mark on the contemporary classical scene. He participated in the world premiere of Raul Yanez’s Concerto for Turntable at Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium with the Red Bull Artsehcro, and the musician's collaborations extend to touring with renowned recording artist/composer Tim Janis, as well as alongside Fionnuala Gill (Riverdance), Orla Fallon (Celtic Woman), and EMI recording artists Giorgia Fumanti and Ryland Angel. His diverse collaborations include work on albums for former Scorpions member Robin McAuley, Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet, Jeanette Olsson from Glee, Jamey Haddad, and Dave Fiuczynski. Blue Violin’s commitment to education, meanwhile, is evident through his leadership in conducting contemporary string playing clinics, reaching more than 10,000 high school students nationwide with the Boston String Quartet.
With sold-out shows throughout Europe and North America in 2024, Blue Violin has also performed at the Edinburgh and Edmonton Fringe festivals and will be recording and touring in 2025 with the Grammy-nominated and GMA Dove Award-winning artists of Sanctus Real. This year’s Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas will feature a mesmerizing repertoire, including a reimagining of holiday favorites such as "The Little Drummer Boy", "Jingle Bells," and "Mary, Did You Know." New in 2024, and by popular demand, the performance will also include uniquely bluegrass renditions of "Sleigh Ride," "The Nutcracker Suite," and "Coventry Carol." And audiences will also witness the transformation of iconic tunes including “Free Bird” and “Stairway to Heaven” through the unique lens of Blue Violin, whose holiday concert promises an evening filled with innovation, musical surprises, and guest performances from the Blue Violin's own family.
Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas enjoys two area engagements on December 20 and 21, with Friday's performance at the Coralville Center for the Arts ($19.80-47) and Saturday's concert at Moline's Bartlett Performing Arts Center ($15-60) both taking place at 7 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit Blue-Violin.com.
