arts & entertainment

It’s time for the teachers to shine. World-class performers and music educators for the Mike Block String Camp will take to the stage during the Mainstage: Faculty Concert, part of the Vero Beach International Music Festival. The group will present a one-of-a-kind concert on Wednesday, July 9 at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach to benefit the annual Mike Block String Camp. The church at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard will host the Mainstage: Faculty Concert in a 7:30 PM performance that showcases unique collaborations between musicians who specialize in a variety of non-Classical genres.

The audience can expect an exciting evening of music spanning jazz, bluegrass, Celtic, Old-Time (North American folk music) and more, as the artists come together in joyful performance. The driving force behind the annual event is cellist Mike Block, a Juilliard School graduate and Grammy-winning member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. The advocate for music education began the Vero Beach International Music Festival in 2010 to help fund his summer initiative for string players of all ages. Tickets to the Mainstage: Faculty Concert are $25 and can be pre-ordered online at www.VeroBeachInternationalMusicFestival.com or purchased at the door. Donations will also be accepted at the concert for the Mike Block String Camp Scholarship Fund. For more information, call 216-965-7593.   

Kudos and rave reviews from Billboard, Gramophone, and the New York Times pepper the website of Mike Block. But the passion project for the dedicated musician is the Mike Block String Camp. Proceeds from the Mainstage: Faculty Concert will help fund the Vero Beach camp for players of all levels, ages and financial backgrounds.

“If you’re reading this, it means our 2025 summer enrichment workshop is already underway,” said Block. “The professional performers who come together to mentor our students are all incredible musicians in their own right. The Vero Beach community is in for an unforgettable evening, as our annual faculty concert showcases the best of the best.”

As for the students, the Culminating Concert of the 2025 Mike Block String Camp will similarly take place at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach. 110 participants from around the world will form small bands to arrange and perform the music they’ve learned. All have been coached by the camp’s all-star faculty, with a focus on creativity, collaboration, and performance. The Culminating Concert on Saturday, July 12 at 7:30 PM will celebrate all the hard work campers have put in throughout the week. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $25 to the camp scholarship fund.

The mission of the Mike Block String Camp is to bring the whole world of music to the Treasure Coast. Begun in 2010, MBSC provides level-based classes catering to college students, amateur adults, children and professionals, as well as high school and middle school students. In addition to serving locals from Vero Beach and across Florida, many participants come from throughout the United States and around the world. Past students have hailed from China, Singapore, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Latvia, and more.

ABOUT MIKE BLOCK

Mike Block is a multi-style cello player, composer, singer, and educator, with a passion for cross-cultural collaborations. Hailed as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene.” (Gramophone), he was acclaimed by the New York Times for his “vital rich-hued solo playing”, and “a true artist… a sight to behold” by Salt Lake City Desert News. In addition to solo performances, Mike touring bands include Biribá Union, Mike Block Trio, duo with Indian tabla player Sandeep Das, and a West-African fusion band with Balla Kouyaté. Since 2005, Mike has been a member of the Silk Road Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma, with which he earned a 2017 Grammy® Award. More information about Mike Block is available on his website at www.mikeblockmusic.com/bio.