IVA BITTOVA

Friday 5:00 PM at the Knoxville Museum of Art
Iva Bittova + Calder Quartet + Sam Amidon

Saturday 1:00 PM at the Big Ears Annex
Iva Bittova + Liturgy

Whether performing solo, in a duo, or in concert with frequent collaborators Bang On A Can All-Stars, Iva Bittova is pretty much a sure-fire guarantee of an exquisite, unrepeatable musical experience.  The virtuoso violinist and singer from Czechoslovakia is an amazing performer who moves freely through the worlds of classical music and improvisation.

“Iva Bittová is an extraordinary artist.  Raw and refined, passionate and contained, she has the soul of a gypsy, the voice of a troubadour, and the mind of a genius.”  – NPR/All Things Considered

When Iva Bittova creates music on stage, she plays it with her whole body.  Just as she summons all manner of vocal shadings, she uses every inch of her violin to obtain notes and produce sonic effects.  She stalks and walks. She gestures and grimaces. She coos and shrieks. Her music is a blend of rock and East European music which she describes as “my own personal folk music.”

Appropriately, her debut music DVD is called Superchameleon and reveals the many sides of her ever-changing musical character.