MARSHFIELD – “Janice Martin in Concert Presents Paganini Mania,” a performance featuring the dance, song and violin music of Janice Martin, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, in the Helen Connor Laird Theatre in Helen Connor Laird Fine Arts Building on the UW-Marshfield/Wood County campus, 2000 West 5th St., Marshfield.

The performance, funded by the Laird Endowment Fund for the Arts, is sponsored by the Performing Arts Series. Tickets are $18.

The 18^th-Century virtuoso violinist Nicolo Paganini was one of the first musical sensations to have both a phenomenal mastery of physical skills and a mesmerizing connection with his audiences.  In “Paganini Mania,” Martin steps beyond stereotypes and conventions, using acoustic and electric violins and a dynamic ensemble, to recreate Paganini’s mystery.

“In his day (Paganini) was a superhuman, and in many ways, he still is,” Martin said.  “His facility on the violin was so very far beyond what anyone else could do at that time that it is still a mystery how he achieved this. He had an ability to stir the emotional strings of his audiences so that they would be brought to tears! These are the basic inspirations for my modeling a show after his spirit.”

As a man, Paganini was innovative and thrived on challenge in both performance and in life.  He had a darker side, and was obsessed with gambling and women. For example, he went bankrupt trying to own his own casino, Martin said.

“Paganini was, in many ways, the first rock star.  He had the screaming audience made up of fans, and people were so crazed to hear him in concert that he gathered the highest fees for any type of show in his time. He died a very rich man, albeit sick and only 58,” she said. “People were so awed by his abilities that they were convinced he was led by the devil, and this conviction led to his body not being buried in consecrated ground for five years after his death!”

As a concerto soloist, Martin has appeared with prestigious orchestras including The Milwaukee Symphony, The Pilsen Philharmonic in the Czech Republic, The European Union Chamber Orchestra, La Fundacion Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Santo Domingo, The New York Symphonic Ensemble (2000-2003 Japan tours), The Victoria Symphony and many others. She has performed extensively around the United States, Japan, Europe and Australia.

A graduate of Juilliard and Indiana University School of Music, Martin studied with Dorothy DeLay, Yuval Yaron, Mimi Zweig, Masao Kawasaki, and Glenn Dicterow. She has won many major violin competitions, and in 1999 was honored as a recipient violinist of the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Martin is also an operatic singer, actress, pianist and dancer. These interests have inspired her unique approach to performance and art in general.

“Perhaps what is different in my approach (as a singer, etc.) is that I come from the school of thought that movement, acting and vocal understanding helps my performance,” Martin said. “For example, by studying movement, I am much more in tune with the entire body as I play and use it to help me; I approach phrases and lines of music as an actor creating characters.”

The Campus Box Office is open 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour before performances.  Tickets can be ordered by calling 389-6534.  VISA, MasterCard and Discover are accepted. All seating is reserved.  Tickets are non-refundable.

Refreshments will be available during the intermission.  Proceeds will benefit Music @ The Wood, the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Music Department.