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Materials below include: Bio (short, medium, and narrative length), hi-res photos, video & audio samples, press quotes, notable awards list, ready-to-print show posters, and technical riders for Mari and her band.
For additional materials, please contact info@mariblack.com or call 617-446-3832.
Multistyle violinist & champion fiddler MARI BLACK’s virtuosic fiddling, sparkling stage presence, and commitment to bringing people together through music have made her a favorite with audiences across the country and around the world. A master of diverse musical styles and winner of several major international competitions, Mari sweeps her audiences away on a spirited musical adventure featuring dance music from around the globe: Celtic, American, and Canadian fiddling, jazz, tango, klezmer, folk, original works, and more. She and her dynamic band will treat you to an unforgettable experience that will have you tapping your toes and dancing in the aisles!
Multistyle violinist & champion fiddler MARI BLACK’s virtuosic fiddling, sparkling stage presence, and commitment to bringing people together through music have made her a favorite with audiences across the country and around the world. A master of diverse musical styles and winner of several major international competitions, Mari sweeps her audiences away on a spirited musical adventure celebrating tradition and exploring possibility in the dance-driven music of the Celtic regions: Scotland, Ireland, Shetland, Canada, and more. She and her dynamic band will treat you to an unforgettable experience that will have you tapping your toes and dancing in the aisles!
Called “one of the brightest fiddlers around today” (Brian O’Donovan, WGBH radio), multistyle violinist and champion fiddler MARI BLACK delights audiences around the world with her energetic playing, sparkling stage presence, and dazzlingly virtuosic fiddling. Raised on a rich blend of traditional musical styles, Mari burst onto the international stage when she became Scotland’s Glenfiddich Fiddle Champion, 2-time U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, and 2-time Canadian Maritime Fiddle Champion, all within a three-year period. Ever since then, she has been spreading her love for dance-based music, performing as a featured artist at performing arts centers, Celtic festivals, Scottish Highland Games, celebrated folk venues, world music concert series, and acclaimed classical venues including Carnegie Hall. She can even be heard (and seen!) in the award-winning video game BioShock: Burial at Sea. Mari has appeared with such diverse artists as Irish fiddle master Liz Carroll, Americana master Mark O’Connor, and jazzman Willie Ruff, and been featured on the BBC Radio Scotland, Fox and CBS morning news, and NPR’s “Here and Now.” She has played concerts in Brazil, Scotland, Canada, China, Korea, Zimbabwe, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, and France…and she can’t wait for the next stop! Currently touring nationally with her trio, Mari's favorite thing to do is sweep audiences away on a spirited musical adventure featuring dance music from around the globe: Celtic, American, and Canadian fiddling, jazz, tango, klezmer, folk, original works, and more!
Mari’s passion for dance-driven music extends far beyond the concert stage, as reflected in her work as a teacher, composer, dancer, competition judge, and musical ambassador committed to connecting people through music. Having earned her Doctorate in Education from Columbia University, Mari is a master teacher who is dedicated to helping students of all ages and levels explore the joy of making music. She teaches regularly at prestigious camps and workshops around the country, including appearances at the Swannanoa Gathering, the Acadia Trad School, the Jink & Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling, the Mark O’Connor fiddle camp, the Tanglewood Festival, the Yale School of Music, and more. Several of her students are now becoming champion fiddlers in their own right, winning top awards at the U.S. Scottish Nationals and other competitions. Mari’s ear-catching compositions draw on a broad range of stylistic influences, and have won several awards, including a Gold Medal from the MASC International Songwriting Competition and the composition prize at the prestigious Dan R. MacDonald fiddle competition. Some of her personal favorite compositions are featured on her debut album FLIGHT, and on her new album UNSCRIPTED, a collaboration with 3-time world accordion champion Cory Pesaturo. To learn more about Mari and follow her musical adventures, visit her website:www.MariBlack.com
Download Medium-length bio here (pdf)
Download Narrative bio here (pdf)
“One of the brightest young fiddlers around today.”
— Brian O’Donovan, host of WGBH radio’s “A Celtic Sojourn”
“Particularly impressive”
— The Boston Globe
“Superb, inspiring, and unforgettable! Her magic is such that she sweeps audiences along with the sounds she and her instrument make.”
— Willie Ruff, Director of the Ellington Jazz Series, Yale University
“Mari Black is an extraordinary musician; her sound is musical enthusiasm personified.”
— Dr. John Turner, 10-time U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion
“Mari Black is the first fiddler who inspired me to want to learn how to dance. Her skill and infectious joy in fiddling is beyond words.”
— Rich Warren, host of WFMT radio’s “Folkstage”
World champion fiddler MARI BLACK presents a joyous extravaganza of dance-inspired music from around the globe! With her virtuosic playing, sparkling stage presence, and fun-filled stories tying the whole journey together, Mari will have you tapping your toes and dancing along to fiddle music from around the world: Celtic, Canadian, and American fiddling, swing, tango, klezmer, and more. Family-friendly and full of fun, fiddling, and musical surprises!
Come join world champion fiddler MARI BLACK on a dynamic journey through the roots and branches of Celtic music: tunes from Ireland, Scotland, Shetland, Canada, and more! You'll be tapping your toes and jumping up to dance in the aisles as Mari spins together a musical adventure full of driving reels, lilting jigs, stately marches, haunting slow airs, mighty strathspeys, cheeky hornpipes, and the magical stories behind them -- all celebrating tradition and exploring possibility in these beloved Celtic music styles.
(Additional shows/descriptions available upon request)
