We are excited to announce that we have launched the online fundraising campaign for our new book, Contemporary Cello Etudes: Studies in Style and Technique, featuring 30 brand-new, never-before-published, non-classical cello etudes, composed by 13 wonderful contributors! Check out our campaign video, and please consider purchasing and helping us spread the word! :) The other contributors include Rushad Eggleston, Erik Friedlander, Mark Summer, Ashley Bathgate, Giovanni Sollima, Jacob Szekely, Natalie Haas, Rufus Cappadocia, Eugene Friesen, Jeffrey Zeigler, and Matt Turner. Click here to learn more.
Read MoreCheck out the first movement of the Ligeti Cello Sonata. Click here to watch.
Read MoreCheck out my new song “Sea of Love.” Click here to watch.
Read MoreCheck out this arrangement of an American folk classic featuring American and Malian musicians, Darol Anger (fiddle), Balla Kouyate (balafon), Joe K. Walsh (Harmony Vox), Idrissa Kone (percussion). Click here to watch.
Read MoreCheck out my performance of this mid-20th-Century solo cello classic. Click here to watch.
Read MoreCheck out my new tune "Final Night at Camp." Click here to watch.
Read MoreCheck out my new song "It's Time to Dance!" Click here to watch.
Read MoreSandeep Das, an Indian Tabla player, Kinan Idnawi, a Syrian oud player, Farzin Dehghan, an Iranian Kemanche player, and myself performed live online to help celebrate the culture and some of the people from the countries on the travel ban list. #MusicUnites Click here to watch live broadcast.
Read MoreThe Silk Road Ensemble won a 2017 Grammy award for our album Sing Me Home! Visit SilkRoadProject.org
Read MoreThis was the debut of an annual educational event for Chinese Classical Musicians in Guangzhou, China, led by Yo-Yo Ma, and conductor Long Yu. I directed the non-classical portions of this event, as well as performed the Zhou Lin Duo Concerto for Cello and Sheng at the Opening Ceremony with fellow Silk Road Ensemble member Wu Tong, and Resident Conductor of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Jing Huan. Click here to visit YMCGChina.com.
Read MoreCome join us for the Main Week: July 3-8, or the Extension Week: July 10-14, or the Florida Band Incubator: July 10-14. Click here to visit MikeBlockStringCamp.com.
Read MoreCome join us May 30-June 5, along with an incredible faculty of world-class Global Musicians! Click here to visit GlobalMusicianWorkshop.com.
Read MorePerformed at RockyGrass Bluegrass Festival with legends Tony Trischka, Mike Marshall, Bryan Sutton, Darol Anger, Michael Daves, Andy Hall, and Missy Raines in a set featuring all of us Bluegrass teachers from the groundbreaking instructional website.
Read MoreAll 14 patent claims for my design of an intentional harness to enable a cellist to stand while playing was approved by the US Government.
Read MoreDirected by Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville (20-Feet from Stardom), I’m honored to be shown few times playing and speaking in this beautiful and moving film tracing the fascinating life stories of some of my colleagues in the Silk Road Ensemble!
Read MoreI performed an all-cello concert with Yo-Yo Ma, Chicago Symphony cellists John Sharp (Principal), Katinka Kleijn, Richard Hirschl, Loren Brown, as well as Jeffrey Ziegler (Kronos Quartet) and Ashley Bathgate (Bang on a Can All-Stars) in a concert featuring many of my arrangements!
Read MoreWe got a great write up about the background behind my design, and benefits of playing playing cello standing up! Click here to read full article.
Read MoreI had the honor of being the first cellist after Yo-Yo Ma to perform the Zhao Lin "Duo concerto" for Cello and Sheng (Chinese traditional wind instrument), along with fellow Silk Road Ensemble member Wu Tong, and Maestro Alistair Willis. This was my first concerto performance in many years, and I had a wonderful week in Springfield seeing all of the Abraham Lincoln historical sites! Also, to my knowledge, these were the first concerto performances by a standing cellist :) Click here to watch video.
Read MoreI was doing a bunch of recording at the end of 2015 for my new album of American folk standards, featuring musicians Darol Anger, Joe Walsh, Stash Wyslouch, Karl Doty, Balla Kouyate, Indrissa Kone, Greg Liszt, and others! I am excited and grateful that the legendary Club Passim has awarded this project an Iguana Music Fund Grant to support cost of recording at the wonderful Dimension Sound Studios in Boston.
Read MoreAs director of GMW, I am very excited to announce that Béla Fleck is our 2016 Featured Guest Artist. If you are a musician and would enjoy the opportunity to work with Béla and the rest of our amazing and diverse faculty, check out our website at www.GlobalMusicianWorkshop.com.
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