I am so impressed by Kersten. She has a fantastic talent. I watch her play the violin, and I am like, wow - each time is a discovery. This girl is bad. You need to listen to this album, and you need to listen quickly!
—Christian McBride
Stratford native, Yale University alumna and six-time Apollo Theater winner returns to SHU Community Theatre on May 17 after earning national acclaim and collaborations with 11x Grammy winner Christian McBride
Stratford, Connecticut native and internationally acclaimed violinist Kersten Stevens — known as the Queen of the Violin — will return home to Fairfield County to headline a one-night-only live album recording concert at SHU Community Theatre on Sunday, May 17 at 6:00 p.m. Stevens will be taping Queen of The Violin—LIVE!, her forthcoming sixth album.
A Yale University alumna and six-time winner of Amateur Night and Showtime at the legendary Apollo Theater, Stevens has built a national reputation for genre-defying performances that blend jazz, gospel, soul and Black cultural storytelling with a sweeping intensity. Her work has taken her to renowned venues, including the Apollo Theater and City Winery, and she has shared the stage with artists such as Ray Charles, Faith Evans, Regina Carter, Kim Burrell, Keyon Harrold and Lakecia Benjamin. The evening will also include special guest appearances by Grammy Award-winning artists, to be announced.
In addition to new music, the May 17 performance will feature music from her latest project, Queen Rising, co-produced by and featuring 11-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride. The album debuted in the JazzWeek Top 40 and showcased her signature sound as a violinist: a powerful fusion of technical mastery, emotional depth and cultural expression. Stevens’ previous appearance at SHU Community Theatre featured an acclaimed performance with McBride.
Stevens is the daughter of Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens, and her performance at SHU Community Theatre marks a meaningful homecoming and significant moment in her artistic journey — not only as an artist, but as a member of the community that helped shape her path.
At a time when shared cultural experiences feel more essential than ever, the event offers a rare opportunity for jazz lovers, the faith-based community and audiences of all backgrounds to connect through an evening that will resonate far beyond the final note.
“This performance is incredibly meaningful for me,” said Stevens. “To record this next chapter of my music in Connecticut — surrounded by friends, family and the community that has supported me from the very beginning — is something truly special. At the same time, I’m excited to welcome new audiences into this experience. My hope is that we create something unforgettable together — a joyful, powerful moment of live music that will live on through this new album.”
Tickets, which start at $25, go on sale to the public Friday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. ET at QueenoftheViolinLiveRecording. Premium VIP tickets are $65 and include a signed pre-sale copy of Stevens’ forthcoming album and access to a post-show VIP reception. The subscriber presale at kerstenstevens.com begins Thursday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m. ET.
The SHU Community Theatre is located at 1420 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Steven’s musical journey began at age three, when she first picked up the violin. By twelve, she had discovered jazz — unlocking a lifelong passion for improvisation and genre-bending expression. Her early talent earned top honors from the NAACP ACT-SO Awards and the Hal Jackson’s Talented Teen competition. A graduate of Yale with dual degrees in music and African American studies, she went on to study under legendary jazz violinist John Blake, Jr., honing a sound that is technically masterful, spiritually rooted and creatively boundless.
A cultural force and spiritual presence, Stevens has been featured in Vogue, WBGO, All About Jazz and The Black Gospel Blog. She is a voting member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards), and her performances — whether in concert halls or sacred spaces — invite audiences not just to hear, but to feel.
“Breathtaking pyrotechnics that burst with pure joy." —All About Jazz
“You feel the funk in her playing. You feel the soul. You feel the gospel, the Latin. She has it all." —WBGO
Stratford, Connecticut native and internationally acclaimed violinist Kersten Stevens — known as the Queen of the Violin — will return home to Fairfield County to headline a one-night-only live album recording concert at SHU Community Theatre on Sunday, May 17 at 6:00 p.m. Stevens will be taping Queen of The Violin—LIVE!, her forthcoming sixth album.
A Yale University alumna and six-time winner of Amateur Night and Showtime at the legendary Apollo Theater, Stevens has built a national reputation for genre-defying performances that blend jazz, gospel, soul and Black cultural storytelling with a sweeping intensity. Her work has taken her to renowned venues, including the Apollo Theater and City Winery, and she has shared the stage with artists such as Ray Charles, Faith Evans, Regina Carter, Kim Burrell, Keyon Harrold and Lakecia Benjamin. The evening will also include special guest appearances by Grammy Award-winning artists, to be announced.
In addition to new music, the May 17 performance will feature music from her latest project, Queen Rising, co-produced by and featuring 11-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride. The album debuted in the JazzWeek Top 40 and showcased her signature sound as a violinist: a powerful fusion of technical mastery, emotional depth and cultural expression. Stevens’ previous appearance at SHU Community Theatre featured an acclaimed performance with McBride.
Stevens is the daughter of Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens, and her performance at SHU Community Theatre marks a meaningful homecoming and significant moment in her artistic journey — not only as an artist, but as a member of the community that helped shape her path.
At a time when shared cultural experiences feel more essential than ever, the event offers a rare opportunity for jazz lovers, the faith-based community and audiences of all backgrounds to connect through an evening that will resonate far beyond the final note.
“This performance is incredibly meaningful for me,” said Stevens. “To record this next chapter of my music in Connecticut — surrounded by friends, family and the community that has supported me from the very beginning — is something truly special. At the same time, I’m excited to welcome new audiences into this experience. My hope is that we create something unforgettable together — a joyful, powerful moment of live music that will live on through this new album.”
Tickets, which start at $25, go on sale to the public Friday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. ET at QueenoftheViolinLiveRecording. Premium VIP tickets are $65 and include a signed pre-sale copy of Stevens’ forthcoming album and access to a post-show VIP reception. The subscriber presale at kerstenstevens.com begins Thursday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m. ET.
The SHU Community Theatre is located at 1420 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824.
About Kersten Stevens
Kersten Stevens — Queen of the Violin — is a genre-defying artist and composer whose electrifying, luminous performances have moved icons like President Barack Obama, Angela Bassett, Babyface, Usher and Denzel Washington.Steven’s musical journey began at age three, when she first picked up the violin. By twelve, she had discovered jazz — unlocking a lifelong passion for improvisation and genre-bending expression. Her early talent earned top honors from the NAACP ACT-SO Awards and the Hal Jackson’s Talented Teen competition. A graduate of Yale with dual degrees in music and African American studies, she went on to study under legendary jazz violinist John Blake, Jr., honing a sound that is technically masterful, spiritually rooted and creatively boundless.
A cultural force and spiritual presence, Stevens has been featured in Vogue, WBGO, All About Jazz and The Black Gospel Blog. She is a voting member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards), and her performances — whether in concert halls or sacred spaces — invite audiences not just to hear, but to feel.
“Breathtaking pyrotechnics that burst with pure joy." —All About Jazz
“You feel the funk in her playing. You feel the soul. You feel the gospel, the Latin. She has it all." —WBGO
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For more information contact Cheryl Duncan & Company.
