Artists Roster
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Touring Artist Roster
The VCA Touring Artist Roster is a resource for organizations applying for Virginia Touring Grants or seeking high-quality performing artists. This vetted list encompasses a variety of performing arts disciplines, with each artist recognized for captivating diverse audiences through their programming. Artists awarded inclusion onto the Roster receive an allocation specifically designated for Virginia Touring Grant requests for the upcoming touring season. VCA Touring Artists book engagements with Presenters, who then apply for Virginia Touring Grants. The VCA does not act as a booking agent. Artists are responsible for developing effective marketing strategies and creating promotional materials to build their tours and connect with Presenters.
Charlottesville Ballet
Specialty: Dance
Location: Charlottesville
Charlottesville Ballet’s mission is to elevate the art of dance through wellness, performance, education, and community outreach. Co-Founders Sara Clayborne and Emily Hartka have been committed to promoting dancer health...
Latin Ballet of Virginia
Specialty: Hispanic Folklore Dance Theatre
Location: Richmond, VA
Founded in 1997 under the direction of Ana Ines King, a native of Colombia, S.A. It is dedicated to creating and strengthening connections to Hispanic/Latino American cultures through innovative and...
Richmond Ballet
Specialty: The State Ballet of Virginia
Location: Richmond, VA
For over 40 years Richmond Ballet has achieved its mission to awaken, uplift, and unite human spirits through the power of dance through a range of performance opportunities including classical...
Sumona Apsara Parii
Specialty: Indian Dance
Location: Falls Church
Sumona Apsara Parii is a passionate, devoted, dedicated International Bharata Natyam (South-Indian Classical Dance), Bollywood and Indian Contemporary Danseuse, Exponent, Choreographer and Teacher, as well Artistic Director of ShivShakti School...
Aura CuriAtlas
Specialty: Physical Theatre
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Aura CuriAtlas Physical Theatre (AC) is a company of artists dedicated to creating innovative performances that combine dance, theatre, and acrobatics. AC’s joyful, athletic style and reliance on nonverbal storytelling...
Geoff Marsh
Specialty: Juggling | Puppetry | Magic
Location: Floyd, VA
Geoff Marsh has been performing all over the world for the last 21 years with his unique circus stunts and zany marionette puppets at schools, family festivals, and Renaissance fairs....
Host of Sparrows Aerial Circus
Specialty: Aerial & Circus Arts
Location: Richmond
Host of Sparrows Aerial Circus is Virginia’s first professional contemporary circus company. Their mission to provide everyone the opportunity to experience, learn and perform the challenging, empowering and creative arts...
Mark Nizer
Specialty: Juggling | Music | Dance
Location: Free Union, VA
Since winning the International Juggling Championships, Mark Nizer has taken his one-man show to thousands of venues around the world. He has been on MTV, HBO’s Just for Laughs, and...
Ty-Rone Travis
Specialty: Kids Comedian & Ventriloquist
Location: Chesterfield
Uncle Ty-Rone is a multi-talented professional who seamlessly combines the arts of ventriloquism, DJing, puppeteering, and comedy to engage and inspire young minds. With a passion for motivating and educating...
Akeylah Simone
Specialty: Rock, R&B, Pop, Jazz | NEW
Location: Suffolk
Akeylah Simone, from Hampton Roads, VA is just getting her feet wet as a singer, songwriter, and now recording artist. In just her first two years of releasing original music,...
Alexandria A Cappella Collective
Specialty: A Cappella
Location: Alexandria
AACC is a newly branded version of the award-winning men’s Harmonizer chorus from Alexandria, Va., with the addition of a women’s chorus Metro Voices launched in 2023. AACC specializes in...
Alfred Yun
Specialty: Jazz, Korean American Fusion | NEW
Location: Centreville
Alfred Yun is a Korean-American jazz pianist and composer. Alfred brings his unique perspective to his compositions from his Korean heritage, American experience, and philosophical studies. He boldly addresses various...
Alma Ensemble
Specialty: Contemporary Classical Chamber Music
Location: Boones Mill, VA
Alma Ensemble is a classical chamber ensemble that focuses on performing and commissioning works by female composers. Founded by flutist Sarah Wardle Jones, clarinetist Michelle Smith Johnson, and pianist Erica...
Andrew McKnight & Beyond Borders
Specialty: Folk & Roots
Location: Lincoln, VA
”Beyond Appalachian, Beyond Blues, Beyond Folk” Since their collective debut at the Kennedy Center in 2008, the quartet’s sweet vocal harmonies, warm presence and energetic delivery are a mesmerizing and...
Bio Ritmo
Specialty: Salsa
Location: Richmond, VA
Based out of Richmond, VA since 1991, Bio Ritmo is recognized around the world as one of the most intriguing and influential Salsa bands of the last three decades. Their...
Bobby Blackhat Band
Specialty: Original, Traditional, and Contemporary Blues
Location: Newport News, VA
Bobby “BlackHat” Walters, recording artist, harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter, comedian, and actor hails from Cleveland, Ohio and has been playing harp for over 40 years. Bobby is a retired U.S....
Brass 5
Specialty: Light Classical | Jazz
Location: Salem
An active part of the Mid-Atlantic arts scene for 43 years, Brass 5 has presented more than 3,600 programs in schools and concert venues throughout the eastern United States and...
BrassWind
Specialty: Eclectic Horn Band Spanning All Styles & Genres
Location: Hampton
BrassWind is composed completely of retired & active-duty military in addition to some of the original charter-member educators that have remained. Though the roster and genres have changed, the mission...
Classic Strings Duo/Rainier Trio
Specialty: Classical | Chamber
Location: Blacksburg, VA
The Rainier Trio is a dynamic ensemble featuring violinist and violist brothers Kevin and Bryan Matheson with pianist Melia Garber. Known for their vibrant and captivating performances, they offer diverse...
Francesca Hurst
Specialty: Classical and New Music Piano
Location: Annandale, VA
Recognized for her “quicksilver passagework” and “tender lyricism” (The Washington Post), yet not afraid to shout, swing her foot onto the piano, or don fingerless gloves if the music demands...
Fuse Ensemble
Specialty: Modern Classical
Location: Merrifield
Champions of new music since they began in 2008, Fuse Ensemble has performed works by exclusively living composers, including Caroline Shaw, Eve Beglarian, Nicole Mitchell, Jeffrey Mumford, Brittany J. Green,...
Garth Newel Piano Quartet
Specialty: Classical Chamber Music
Location: Hot Springs
The Garth Newel Piano Quartet is known for their spirited and impassioned performances that offer an enlivened interpretation of both standard and new repertoire. As artists-in-residence at Garth Newel Music...
Good Shot Judy
Specialty: High Energy Swing
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Sound. Energy. Swagger. All these arrive onstage when Good Shot Judy shows up. Grounded in the swinging cadence of the big band era, Good Shot Judy boldly ventures wherever whimsy...
Jack Hinshelwood
Specialty: Folk Music | NEW
Location: Abingdon
For over 50 years, singer, songwriter, and award-winning multi-instrumentalist Jack Hinshelwood has entertained audiences with a broad swath of traditional and Americana music on guitar, fiddle, harmonica, and vocals. Jack...
John Bullard
Specialty: Classical Banjo
Location: Manakin Sabot, VA
Over the course of his performing and recording career, John Bullard has invited audiences to share in a transformative revelation: to experience the artistic marriage of banjo and classical music....
Jstop Latin Soul
Specialty: Afro-Cuban Jazz & Salsa | NEW
Location: Roanoke
Born in the Blue Ridge mountains of Roanoke, Virginia, and fueled by an obsession for Afro-Cuban rhythms, Jstop Latin Soul ignites the stage with a bold fusion of Latin grooves,...
Kadencia
Specialty: Bomba, Plena, and Salsa (Afro-Puerto Rican Music)
Location: Chesterfield
Kadencia is a band comprised of musicians that have toured with local and international bands in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Founded in Puerto Rico by singer-songwriter Maurice...
Kim & Jimbo Cary
Specialty: Global | Folk
Location: Roseland, VA
Kim & Jimbo have performed throughout Virginia for over 20 years. Nominated for a Governor’s Award for the Arts, the Carys have entertained at the White House and the Kennedy...
Kinnfolk
Specialty: Celtic Folk | NEW
Location: Roanoke, VA
KINNFOLK – the husband and wife duo of Josh and Julie Kinn – weave octave mandolin, bodhrán (Irish drum), and smooth vocal harmonies in their Celtic folk music from the...
Larnell Starkey & The Spiritual Seven Gospel Singers
Specialty: Gospel
Location: Wirtz, VA
Larnell Starkey & The Spiritual Seven have been singing for over 40 years. Their music, a zestful blend of traditional gospel with a twist of contemporary, showcases the group’s amazing...
Lua Project
Specialty: Mexilachian LUA
Location: Charlottesville, VA
The Lua Project has been called a ‘cultural pollinator’, and was formed by David Berzonsky and Estela Knott after they returned to Virginia to raise children after almost a decade...
Marjory Serrano-Coyer
Specialty: Latin American Classical Music | NEW
Location: Leesburg, VA
When most people think of Latin American music, they often gravitate towards pop music, overlooking the rich tapestry of classical compositions created by Latin American composers. However, there exists a...
Martha Spencer
Specialty: American Roots Music
Location: Mouth of Wilson, VA
Martha Spencer is a singer-songwriter, mountain musician and dancer from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She grew up in the musical Spencer family and learned to play several instruments...
Plunky and Oneness
Specialty: Jazz
Plunky & Oneness is an enduring and versatile funk, jazz, Afro-fusion group. Led by saxophonist J. Plunky Branch, the group is a unique combination of exotic soulful grooves, sax, vocals,...
Project Locrea
Specialty: World-Jazz Fusion
Location: Reston
Project Locrea (from LO-ve and CREA-tivity) is a world-jazz fusion ensemble dedicated to creating and performing original compositions and contemporary arrangements inspired by folk music of different countries. Combining sound...
QuinTango
Specialty: Latin Jazz ~ Tango
Location: Alexandria
Winner of the 2023 Best Latin Artist/Group WAMMIE, QuinTango’s ability to connect with audiences has brought them standing ovations from the White House to Lincoln Center, throughout Appalachia, the Americas...
Raman Kalyan Trio
Specialty: Traditional Indian Flute
Location: Centreville
Breathing magical melodies on the Indian bamboo flute, Flute virtuoso Raman Kalyan is one of the leading flautists in the Carnatic style of music. Raman with his unique style has...
Redd Volkaert Trio and Quartet
Specialty: Country Jazz / Western Swing
Location: Floyd, VA
From country and western swing to jazz and rock, Redd Volkaert is considered a true giant of country music and the Telecaster guitar. Redd is a Grammy winner and a...
Richmond Symphony
Specialty: Symphony
Location: Richmond, VA
The Richmond Symphony performs, teaches, and champions music to inspire and unite our communities. Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The...
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra
Specialty: Symphony
Location: Roanoke, VA
The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, western Virginia’s professional symphony orchestra, continues to receive standing ovations and critical acclaim, as well as sold-out concerts. Under the baton of Music Director David Stewart...
Robert Jospé Trio and Quartet
Specialty: Jazz
Location: Stanardsville, VA
“We had the Robert Jospé Trio at the Highland Center tonight. They are world class. I have not seen three musicians of this quality who clearly loved playing together. Wonderful...
Roberta Lea
Specialty: "Country-Neo-Pop"
Location: Norfolk
Known as one of Hampton Road’s best kept secrets, Roberta Lea is gaining national and international momentum. She’s an award-winning songwriter, a member of the Black Opry collective, CMT’s Next...
Robin & Linda Williams
Specialty: Country | Folk
Location: Staunton, VA
Robin and Linda Williams are outstanding contemporary artists with musical sensibilities deeply rooted in traditional country, bluegrass, and gospel music. Their repertoire includes original songs and those gleaned from the...
Sound Impact
Specialty: Classical, Contemporary Chamber Music and Education
Location: Fairfax Station
Founded in 2013, Sound Impact (SI) is a collective of musicians dedicated to connecting, engaging and empowering youth beyond the concert hall through performances and education programs. Its mission is...
Stephanie Nakasian
Specialty: The Great American Songbook, Jazz & More!
Location: Charlottesville, VA
“Vocal virtuosity…” The New York Times “For Stephanie Nakasian it’s all about Swing.” Richmond Times-Dispatch “Swings and scats with authority…Evokes Ella and Sarah.“ The Washington Post “The artist presented a...
Terra Voce
Specialty: Classical Chamber - Mixed Styles
Location: Crozet, VA
Terra Voce thrills audiences with lively concert programs that explore a colorful array of musical styles from Baroque to tango, Brazilian choro and European folk. Known for performances that combine...
The Crooked Road On Tour
Specialty: Traditional ~ Heritage
Location: Abingdon, VA
The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail concert celebrates the traditional music that has been kept by families and communities of Southwest Virginia since colonial times. Settlers of this mountainous...
The Guitar Renegades
Specialty: Guitar Quintet | NEW
Location: Arlington, VA
The Guitar Renegades are a guitar quintet comprised of Cristian Perez (founder/leader), Connor Holdridge, Jan Knutson, Parker Spears, and Tommy Holladay. Although they’re all jazz guitarists at heart, they venture into...
The Jae Sinnett Trio
Specialty: Straight Ahead Jazz
Location: Carrollton
Drummer, composer, music educator Jae Sinnett leads his dynamic, swingin’ and musically versatile trio. The trio’s concept is rooted in the great jazz tradition with modern, sophisticated compositional variation. From...
The Jason Cale Band
Specialty: Improvisation in Jazz, Funk, Blues, R&B, Fusion & Styles
Location: Hampton Roads, VA
Jason Cale is originally from the deep south with roots ranging from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama. While spending 20 years as a professional musician performing all over the world...
Tidewater Guitar Orchestra
Specialty: Classical Guitar
Location: Norfolk
The Tidewater Guitar Orchestra, one of the first of its kind in the United States, is an ensemble of more than a dozen accomplished guitarists who use the unique resources...
Tom Teasley
Specialty: Global Percussion
Location: Alexandria, VA
Drumming Through Cultures and Time: $900 A unique journey through the history and geography of percussion. The audience will travel the Silk Road from Italy to China and the Sugar...
Trio Niche
Specialty: Fortepiano Trio | NEW
Location: Williamsburg
Trio Niche was formed by seasoned baroque musicians (of the Wren Masters, Colonial Williamsburg’s Governor’s Musick, and others) to bring a historical sensibility to repertoire from the turn of the...
Victor Haskins
Specialty: ImproviStory | Jazz | World
Location: Henrico, VA
Victor Haskins is a boundary-pushing multi-instrumentalist and composer known for his innovative approach to both music and multimedia art. Growing up in a military family exposed him to diverse cultures,...
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Specialty: Symphony
Location: Norfolk, VA
The VSO strives to engage and educate a broad audience, helping ensure Hampton Roads remains a vibrant, culturally rich community through our diverse programming. As one of Hampton Roads’ flagship...
Washington Saxophone Quartet
Specialty: Classical Chamber Mixed Styles
Location: Arlington, VA
WSaxQ is the most widely heard saxophone quartet in the United States. Since 1997, recorded arrangements by the Washington Saxophone Quartet have aired daily throughout the United States on NPR’s...
Barefoot Puppet Theatre
Specialty: Puppetry
Location: Richmond
Barefoot Puppet Theatre has toured original, award-winning programs to theatres, schools, libraries, children’s museums and more since 1997. Children, families, educators, librarians, and theatre directors give enthusiastic reviews of their...
The Barter Players
Specialty: Classic Theatre for Young People
Location: Abingdon, VA
The Barter Players company has been creating Theater for Young Audiences (TYA) programming for over thirty years, performing both on tour and at their artistic home at Barter Theatre, one...
John Hardy
Specialty: Touring Theatre
Location: Abingdon, VA
“John Hardy’s performance was mesmerizing…, awe inspiring…, riveting.” “Not only were audiences amazed and impressed with this performance, they have requested it back again for next year.” A nationally known...
Lucinda McDermott
Specialty: Award Winning One Woman Show
Location: Radford, VA
“McDermott’s one-woman play gets to the very heart of one of the enduring questions surrounding the art and life of Georgia O’Keeffe: how much credit does Alfred Stieglitz deserve for...
Sheila Arnold
Specialty: Master Storyteller
Location: Hampton, VA
“Locks Opened: Underground Railroad” Historical Storytelling Presentation Series These presentations are historical storytelling at its best. Through story and song, Sheila shares about local waterways that were part of the...
Synetic Theater
Specialty: Physical Theater
Location: Arlington, VA
CYRANO DE BERGERAC Ages 6 and up. A brilliant poet and soldier, Cyrano de Bergerac apparently has it all—except the confidence to win the heart of his beloved Roxane. Lacking...
Virginia Stage Company
Specialty: Theatre
Location: Norfolk
For over 24 years, Virginia Stage Company’s Education and Enrichment Departments have worked to create engaging theatre-based programs for adults and students of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds....
Ziggy Sawdust and the Chainsaws from Mars
Specialty: Live Chainsaw Portraits | NEW
Location: Woodstock
Glenn Richardson is Ziggy Sawdust, a born-again Snakeoil Salesman who “resurrects” chainsaw carved portraits. He has performed this ritual at Burning Man, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Art All Night Washington...