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Updated 8/28/2024

Mike Block

  • M

    MA

Institution/Business Type: Performing Group

Mike Block is a pioneering cello player, singer, composer, and educator, passionate about cross-cultural collaboration through music. Acclaimed by the New York Times for his "vital rich-hued solo playing”, and by Salt Lake City Desert News as “a true artist... a sight to behold”, Mike Block “is one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene.” (Gramophone). Mike's performances offer a rich mixture of classical repertoire, folk music, original compositions, and songs. Since 2005, Mike has been a member of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, with which he has been featured as both cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a Grammy Award in 2017 for their album Sing Me Home. 

Mike is among the first wave of cellists to adopt a strap to stand and move while performing. Using his patented design, The Block Strap. Mike was the first standing cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall, which the New York Times characterized as "breathless ... half dance, half dare." In 2020, Mike founded Play For The Vote, which organizes musical performances at polling locations across the country on Election Day, with the goal of increasing voter turnout by providing a more positive voting experience.  As an educator, he is the founder/Director of two summer programs: the Mike Block String Camp, as well as Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop. Mike teaches online through his Multi-Style Cello School at ArtistWorks.com, and is on faculty of New England Conservatory. Along with his solo shows, his touring bands include Biribá Union, Sandeep Das & Mike Block, Mike Block Trio, and the Balla Kouyaté & Mike Block Band.

Block is a NEFA Grant Recipient.

www.MikeBlockMusic.com

Find Me

Mike Block
Job Title: Musician
Address:
Somerville, MA 02123

Additional Content:

  • Youtube

  • Mike Block String Camp

    Annual Summer Workshop for strings of all ages and backrounds, exploring diverse traditions and contemporary styles

  • The Block Strap

    The first product designed so you can stand & move while playing the cello comfortably with standard technique!

  • Mike Block Trio

    The trio fertilizes American roots music with contemporary and international influences, bringing an exciting and personal perspective to the acoustic music scene.

  • Sandeep Das & Mike Block Duo

    a dynamic, cross-genre duo that originally met as members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Grammy Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble.

  • Balla Kouyaté & Mike Block Band

    friends from America and West Africa create an exciting fusion of musical styles in a 6-piece band

  • Play for the Vote

    We organize musical performances at polling locations across the country on Election Day with the goal of increasing voter turnout by providing a more positive voting experience and creating a sense of community.

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Music - General

Additional Disciplines:

  • Music - Traditional

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Performance / Concert / Reading
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 60

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults

Geographic Reach:

  • International

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Awards

Awards:

  • Jim Hall Prize for Undergraduate Achievement, Cleveland Institute of Music
  • Grammy Award 2017 Silk Road Ensemble Album "Sing Me Home"

Awards

Awards:

  • Jim Hall Prize for Undergraduate Achievement, Cleveland Institute of Music
  • Grammy Award 2017 Silk Road Ensemble Album "Sing Me Home"

Education

Education:

  • Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance, Cleveland Institute of Music
  • Master of Music in Cello Performance, Juilliard School

Artist Info

Touring Artist

NEST Eligible Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Vocal mic on a boom stand XLR input for cello clip-on DPA mic (artist provided, requires phantom power 3. XLR input for cello pick-up (via artist provided pre-amp) 4. AC power for Pre-Amp 5. Stage monitor

Fee Range:

$1500-$20,000

State of Residence:

Massachusetts

Minimum Number of Performers:

1

Maximum Number of Performers:

100

Touring Artist

NEST Eligible Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Vocal mic on a boom stand XLR input for cello clip-on DPA mic (artist provided, requires phantom power 3. XLR input for cello pick-up (via artist provided pre-amp) 4. AC power for Pre-Amp 5. Stage monitor

Fee Range:

$1500-$20,000

State of Residence:

Massachusetts

Minimum Number of Performers:

1

Maximum Number of Performers:

100