Fiddleist

Prolific Grammy winners Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck join forces in this celebration of Appalachian folk music, featuring a program inspired by the 250th anniversary of the United States. Through mountain songs, haunting ballads, and folk hymns, The Fiddle and the Drum mines a rich vein of American musical heritage, brought to life by Fleming’s expressive singing, Fleck’s banjo virtuosity, and his My Bluegrass Heart all-star band with Aoife O’Donovan.

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Reneé Fleming with Béla Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum

Walt Disney Concert Hall

For the fourth year in a row, the Americana Association and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center team up to present an AMERICANAFEST special event like no other.
Prolific 5-time GRAMMY®-winning soprano Renée Fleming and 10-time GRAMMY®-winning banjo icon Béla Fleck join forces in this celebration of Appalachian folk music, inspired by the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Renée Fleming with Béla Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum

Shermerhorn Symphony Center

Between the two of them, fiddlers Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland have amassed an impressive 18 Fiddle Player of the Year Awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association - an easy majority of the fiddle trophies given out over the awards’ 34-year history. Plus, they’ve separately racked up 17 Grammy nominations and four wins. This pair of critically-acclaimed, generational talents in bluegrass and roots music have joined forces on stage, and with the 2025 release of their first duo album ever, Carter & Cleveland.

Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland

Groton Hill Music Center

From an early age, Michael Cleveland heard old-time and bluegrass music at local jams and festivals near his hometown of Henryville, Indiana. His grandparents hosted regular bluegrass gatherings at the American Legion, and at age four, he began playing the fiddle. He attended the Kentucky School for the Blind in Louisville, where he learned the Suzuki method of violin. While he practiced the violin at school, he played fiddle at home. Cleveland began playing professionally after he graduated from high school, first with Jeff White, later with Dale Ann Bradley and Rhonda Vincent. However, Cleveland had always dreamed of leading his own band and in 2006, he formed Flamekeeper, seven-time recipients of the IBMA’s “Instrumental Group of the Year” award, including Josh Richards, Nathan Livers, Jasiah Shrode, and Chris Douglas. In addition to touring with his band, Cleveland has performed with a legendary list of bluegrass greats: Bela Fleck, Tommy Emmanuel, Billy Strings, Vince Gill, and more. Widely considered the bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Cleveland has been recognized 12 times as the IBMA’s Fiddle Player of the Year and in 2018 was inducted into the National Fiddlers Hall of Fame. His recording Fiddler’s Dream was nominated in 2018 for a GRAMMY for Best Bluegrass Album, and in 2019, he won a GRAMMY for his album Tall Fiddler. The same year, Cleveland’s amazing life of adversity and achievement was featured in the documentary film Flamekeeper: The Michael Cleveland Story. And in 2022, he was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship.

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

Although he is only in his early forties, Grammy winner Michael Cleveland has a lifetime of accolades to his credit. Cleveland picked up the fiddle at age four. By the time he was nine, he was sitting in with legend Bill Monroe at the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. Soon after, he brought his virtuosic style to the Grand Ole Opry as a guest of Alison Krauss. Also, he was handpicked for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Bluegrass Youth All-Stars before he was fourteen.

Dakota

The February and March “In Harmony” tour leg highlights the music Kentucky is famous for – bluegrass. The tension between tradition and innovation is at the core of bluegrass music, and so we have brought in the man who is widely known as the bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Michael Cleveland, whose musical style exemplifies this musical tug-of-war. Joining Michael on the stage with the LO will be his band, Flamekeeper. The band was formed by Cleveland in 2006 and has received the International Bluegrass Association’s “Instrumental Group of the Year” award seven times.  Flamekeeper includes Josh Richards, Nathan Livers, Jasiah Shrode, and Chris Douglas.

In Harmony Tour: Fort Knox

Sadowski Center

In Harmony Tour: Paducah

The Carson Center for the Performing Arts

In Harmony Tour: Frankfort

Western Hills High School

The February and March “In Harmony” tour leg highlights the music Kentucky is famous for – bluegrass. The tension between tradition and innovation is at the core of bluegrass music, and so we have brought in the man who is widely known as the bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Michael Cleveland, whose musical style exemplifies this musical tug-of-war. Joining Michael on the stage with the LO will be his band, Flamekeeper

In Harmony Tour: Corbin

The Corbin Arena

Over the last four decades, Béla Fleck has made a point of boldly going where no banjo player has gone before, a musical journey that has earned him 15 Grammys in nine different fields, including Country, Pop, Jazz, Instrumental, Classical and World Music. But his roots are in bluegrass, and that’s where he returns with his first bluegrass project in 24 years, My Bluegrass Heart.

Bela Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart

Join us for an unforgettable evening of bluegrass music with the Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart Band at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. This highly anticipated event took place on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 8:00 pm, showcasing the unparalleled talents of Béla Fleck and his ensemble of exceptional musicians.

Béla Fleck, a 15-time Grammy winner, is renowned for his virtuosic banjo playing and innovative approach to bluegrass music. "My Bluegrass Heart" marks Fleck's triumphant return to the genre, serving as the third chapter in a decades-spanning trilogy that began with 1988’s "Drive" and continued with "The Bluegrass Sessions" released eleven years later. This project is not just a nod to Fleck's roots but a homecoming in sound, celebrating the rich traditions of bluegrass music while pushing its boundaries.

The concert featured an impressive lineup of musicians, including Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz, and Bryan Sutton. Each artist brought their unique talents to the stage, contributing to a night of extraordinary music that resonated with fans of all ages.

Michael Cleveland, a standout performer of the night, is a two-time Grammy nominee and one-time Grammy winner for Best Bluegrass Album in 2020. He has also been named the IBMA Fiddler of the Year ten times and was inducted into the Fiddler Hall of Fame in 2018.

The event was a sold-out success, with ticket prices ranging from $50 for limited upper balcony seats to $75 for premium seating. Mahaiwe Members and youth attendees enjoyed special discounts, making the concert accessible to a wide audience.

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, located at 14 Castle Street in Great Barrington, MA, was the perfect venue for this memorable night of music. Its intimate setting and excellent acoustics provided the ideal backdrop for Fleck's bluegrass heart to shine.

This concert was not just a performance but a celebration of bluegrass music's enduring appeal and its ability to bring people together. Béla Fleck and the My Bluegrass Heart Band delivered an evening of music that will be remembered for years to come.

Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart Band

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

In Harmony Tour: Danville

Norton Center for the Arts

In Harmony Tour: Bowling Green

Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center

The band of virtuosi known as Punch Brothers has spent more than a decade changing the face of acoustic music, stretching the limitations of their instruments and influencing a generation of young musicians. Some of those musicians will appear with Béla Fleck as part of his set based on his 2022 Grammy-winning album My Bluegrass Heart. Over the past four decades Fleck has expanded the banjo field, earning 15 Grammys in nine different categories. But his roots are in bluegrass, and his first bluegrass tour in 24 years features some of the best of the new generation of players.

Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart and Punch Brothers

University of Michigan

With a combined 18 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards and 17 Grammy nominations, Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland are some of the genre’s most acclaimed fiddle virtuosos. Following extensive solo and collaborative careers—including Carter’s longstanding place in The Del McCoury Band and Cleveland’s own group Flamekeeper—the two join forces for their first duo album, Carter and Cleveland.

Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland

The Barns At Wolf Trap

Celebrate the rich musical traditions of America in a program that spans the concert hall and the front porch. Featuring Grammy Award-winning fiddler Michael Cleveland and his band Flamekeeper, American Roots honors the deep musical heritage of Appalachia and the people who have shaped the sound of our region. Blending the infectious energy of bluegrass and Americana with the power of a symphony orchestra, this unforgettable concert celebrates the artistry, culture, and spirit of North Carolina and our nation.

Masterworks: American Roots

Lenoir-Rhyne University

John Morris Russell and the Cincinnati Pops celebrate American Roots music with a powerhouse gathering of today’s most electrifying bluegrass artists. Blazing a trail at the center of it all is Michael Cleveland, one of the most celebrated fiddlers of our time, with his Grammy-winning band Flamekeeper. Joining them are The Steel Wheels, known for their soulful Americana style, and the 2020 International Bluegrass Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Sister Sadie, bringing tight vocals, crisp picking and bold bluegrass spirit. From tender ballads to barn-burning breakdowns, experience the raw virtuosity and close-harmony storytelling of bluegrass elevated by the rich, full sound of the Pops.

Fiddleist

Michael Cleveland

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 21, 2026

Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland · Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts

Feb 13, 2027

Masterworks: American Roots · Western Piedmont Symphony

Apr 30 - May 2, 2027

AMERICAN ORIGINALS: Bluegrass Summit · Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Past events

Sep 22, 2026

Reneé Fleming with Béla Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum · Los Angeles Philharmonic

Sep 15, 2026

Renée Fleming with Béla Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum · Nashville Symphony

Future and recently performed repertoire

Fiddle in Festive Overture by Still

Western Piedmont Symphony

Fiddle in Appalachian Spring by COPLAND

Western Piedmont Symphony

Fiddle in Variations on “America” by Ives

Western Piedmont Symphony

About

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