Press

ALBANY, N.Y. – Nationally-acclaimed hip-hop violinist, composer and band leader Daniel Bernard Roumain will perform in a concert for Capital District middle and high school students on Thursday, January 21 at the New York State Museum.

The free after-school special event will be held at 3 p.m. in the Museum’s Clark Auditorium. It is a production of The Egg Empire Center for the Performing Arts, The New York State Museum and Black Dimensions in Art, Inc. CDTA is assisting with transportation for some students.

Roumain, also known as DBR, will present a musical autobiography, illuminating his artistic inspiration, and perform excerpts of his work, which combines classical music with rock and hip-hop. He will also discuss and demonstrate his approach to composing music. The Haitian American artist has carved a reputation for himself as an innovative composer, performer, violinist, and band leader who melds his classical music roots with his own cultural references and vibrant musical imagination.

Proving that he’s "about as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets" (New York Times), DBR recently collaborated and performed with Lady Gaga on FOX’s “American Idol.” He has been featured on the CBS Evening News segment “Assignment America,”spotlighted as a "New Face of Classical Music" (Esquire Magazine), chosen one of the "Top 100 New Yorkers" (New York Resident), "Top 40 Under 40" business people (Crain’s New York Business) and named one of the entertainment industry’s "Top 5 Tomorrow’s Newsmakers" (1010 WINS Radio).

DBR regularly composes for orchestras and chamber music ensembles around the globe and tours with his genre-jumping ensemble DBR & The Mission. He will be a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for the Canadian premiere of Voodoo Violin Concerto at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics on February 14.

A native of Margate, Florida, DBR studied music as an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music where he currently serves as a visiting professor ofcomposition, and completed his masters and doctoral work at the University of Michigan under the tutelage of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer William Bolcom.

Pre-registration is required for the Museum event and can be made by contacting Peggy at 474-1569 to reserve a seat. Students should not bring instruments.

Further information about DBR is available at ttp://www.dbrmusic.com/dbr.htm or ttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/10/assignment_america/main1391508.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody.

The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Started in 1836, the Museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the United States. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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