Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Rotunda at the University of Virginia is set to host Lafayette’s Fiddlers, a unique historical concert on November 10th. Presented by Early Music Access Project, the event will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to Charlottesville, featuring Jeffersonian-era music performed on period instruments.

“This concert is basically celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s visit to Charlottesville,” said David McCormick, the event’s artistic director. He emphasized the historical importance of the Rotunda: “There was a banquet for him in the Rotunda at UVA.” The concert will recreate some of the music from that time, drawing from historical accounts of those who performed, including the Scott family fiddlers.

The event will not only feature period instruments, but also a storytelling component. McCormick explained, “I really wanted to tell the story of Lafayette’s visit from the Black perspective… this actor is basically going to tell the story from the perspective of two enslaved folks at Monticello who wrote memoirs about Lafayette’s visit.”

Free performances will take place at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on November 10th, but advanced registration is required at earlymusiccville.org.

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