Composer

Cellist

A powerhouse trio that blends global sounds into a dynamic musical experience, Biribá Union takes its name from the Brazilian wild sugar-apple, symbolizing its vibrant and eclectic spirit. This electrifying ensemble features longtime Celebrity Series partner Mike Block (cello, vocals), Grammy Award-nominated hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon (beatbox, guitar, rhymes), and versatile New York bassist Edward Perez, who started his jazz career in Boston, and has performed locally with the Silkroad Ensemble.

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Biribá Union

Multicultural Arts Center

The essence of the Atlantic Ocean takes center stage for the Rockport Celtic Festival’s finale, complete with never-before-heard artist collaboration, narration by Ben Shattuck and some very special guests.

Where the Sea Meets the Land

Rockport Music-Shalin Liu Performance Center

From Bach to Block

Sarasota Opera House

Tessa Lark Returns

Sarasota Orchestra

Ensemble Connect Up Close

Carnegie Hall

Biribá Union features Mike Block (Cello, Vocals), Christylez Bacon (Beatbox, Guitar, Rhymes), and Patricia Ligia (Electric Bass, Pandeiro, Vocals), forming a dynamic trio that blends original music with global influences, creating a fresh and accessible sound. Each member draws from their diverse backgrounds, such as Brazilian, Bluegrass, Jazz, Classical, Hip-Hop, Funk, and Pop styles, synthesizing them through original compositions and songs that highlight their improvisational spontaneity and high energy stage presentation.

BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity

Flushing Town Hall and 5BMF present: Biribá Union

Flushing Town Hall

American Soundscapes

This one-night-only musical event sums up the spirit of the 2024 Festival—unbound, uninhibited, and genuinely transformative. Hailstork’s beautifully evocative Sonata da Chiesa—“church sonata” in the Baroque era—reflects his personal fascination with cathedrals. Written for Benny Goodman, Copland’s dynamic Clarinet Concerto is the only conductor-led piece on the program. Tessa Lark, Mike Block, and Jeffrey Kahane improvise on beloved American songs, while Lark and Block duet with traditional fiddle tunes. The perfumed world of 18th-century France collides with 21st-century jazz in Block’s arrangement of Dieupart’s Sarabande, then Block leads Festival fellows in an exhilarating, spur-of-the-moment jam. Lark puts her distinctive stamp on bluegrass legend Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” and the experience culminates with Iniche Cosebe, Block’s quasi-improvised work inspired by “thank you very much” in the language of the Mandinka people.

Treasured masterpieces and novel experiences highlight the unique talents of this year’s Festival artists. The consummate perfectionist, Maurice Duruflé allowed only a few of his compositions—like his famous Requiem—to be published. Written for the unusual combination of flute, violin, and piano, his breathtaking Trio is among the few chamber works he composed. Modeled after Mozart and written early in his career, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Quintet in E-flat Major is almost symphonic in scope. Harnessing the magic of spontaneous live performance, two exciting young Festival faculty—Tessa Lark and Mike Block—join Jeffrey Kahane for an impromptu take on the famous theme from Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony. Dvořák’s emotionally charged Piano Trio No. 4 unfolds in a series of vividly colorful dumka, or poetic elegies.

Something Old, Something New

Three acclaimed musicians and longtime Neighborhood Arts favorites -- violinist and erhu player Shaw Pong Liu, cello innovator Mike Block, and tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das -- come together as the Soul Yatra Trio to showcase folk music from around the world, revealing new beauty in traditional melodies. The Trio will share folk tunes from China, India, and the United States, as well as new and original works.

Stringfest, featuring Soul Yatra Trio

Salvation Army Kroc Center

Mike Block Trio, featuring Joe K. Walsh (mandolin/vocals) and Noah Fishman (bass/vocals), is led by cello player, singer, and composer, Mike Block, who has been hailed as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene” by Gramophone Magazine. The trio fertilizes American roots music with contemporary and international influences, bringing an exciting and personal perspective to the acoustic music scene.

Mike Block Trio - Sitka

Odess Theater

The Global Journeys series continues! In a delightful fusion of West African traditional music with bluegrass, funk and folk, Malian artist Balla Kouyaté joins up with boundary-defying cellist Mike Block for an evening of effervescent, joyous world music.

Balla Kouyaté Band & Mike Block

Shalin Liu Performance Center

This must-see event for the United States’ 250th anniversary year brings together a stage full of talented young singers, the words of American literary luminaries, two amazing Boston-based cellists, and the world premiere of a new choral work by B.E. Boykin.

Composer, Cellist

Mike Block

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 11, 2026

I Dream A World Youth Choral Showcase · Celebrity Series of Boston

Past events

Oct 19, 2025

Biribá Union · Celebrity Series of Boston

Sep 14, 2025

Where the Sea Meets the Land · Rockport Music

Future and recently performed repertoire

Cello in Piano Trio by Clarke

Sarasota Orchestra

Cello in Clarinet Concerto by Copland

Sarasota Music Festival

Cello in Piano Trio No. 4 (Dumky) by Dvořák

Sarasota Music Festival

Cello in Sarabande by Dieupart

Sarasota Music Festival

Cello in Iniche Cosebe by Block

Sarasota Music Festival

Cello in New World Symphony by Dvořák

Sarasota Music Festival

Cello in Blue Moon of Kentucky by Monroe

Sarasota Music Festival

Cello in Global Music Collaboration by Block

Sarasota Orchestra

Cello in Improvisation on an Old English Folk Song by

Sarasota Orchestra

About

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