Too refined to riff? Removing genre constraints for young string players

When I think of genre-busting string playing, I'm not talking about rattling off a few Irish jigs or dipping into the gypsy music of Hungary. Nor do I refer to instrumental versions of pop songs or string sections simpering in a nice, neat row behind the band. Mastery in any musical domain is undoubtedly a lifelong pursuit, but these are genres or ways of playing that either have a robust existing string tradition or can be accessed fairly satisfactorily via many readily available resources.

I'm interested in those genres that don't usually feature strings as a lead instrument. Why shouldn't I be in the middle of a festival stage, foot on monitor doing battle with the lead guitarist? Why can't I take a big, indulgent solo like a saxman in an ‘80s ballad, or get mesmerised for 20 minutes in an Afrobeat jam?