A violinist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is bringing the beauty of classical music to the Black Swan Saloon in Deep Ellum. 

Lydia Umlaut, a 25-year-old violinist for the DSO is introducing the community to her music with “Mozart in the Bar.” 

Umlauf and five other classically trained violinists, perform in a more casual, bar setting as a way to increase interest in classical music among younger members of the Dallas community who might not have been exposed to it. 

“I just want to let people know that classical music isn’t just for this stuffy concert hall and you don’t have to get all dressed up.”
Lydia Umlauf

“I just want to let people know that classical music isn’t just for this stuffy concert hall and you don’t have to get all dressed up,” she said in an interview with Art + Seek. 

Umlauf hopes to humanize the art form with her more casual performances. Because members of an orchestra do not interact with the audience during a performance, she says they are removed and appear to be inaccessible. 

“I think that’s something that’s lost a little bit in orchestral concerts,” she said. “We get on stage and we play the concert, and then we get off of the stage and leave.”

By bringing the live music face-to-face with people at a bar, Umlauf hopes that more people will develop a passion for it and see how relatable members of the orchestra are. 

The performances have been largely successful, and Umlauf attributes their popularity to people in Dallas who were eager for something like “Mozart at the Bar” to come along. 

“Because there’s not a lot of people doing stuff like this, there’s a lot of appreciation,” she said. 

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