I’m thrilled to be attending this upcoming week-long workshop.  After many years of admiring the passion and music of Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble – I can’t wait to learn, learn, learn, learn from them up close!  May the geek-out commence! ~ BCG

Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble presents:

SILKROAD’S GLOBAL MUSICIAN WORKSHOP 2015

directed by cellist Mike Block

June 8th-12th

A Laboratory Where Tradition Meets Innovation

Some info on the project from the Silk Road Ensemble website:

“The mission of Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop (GMW) is to foster a community of globally minded musicians engaged in learning from one another’s traditions and incorporating them into their own artistic voices. In addition to Yo-Yo Ma’s participation in select activities, the artist-faculty will teach styles of music from across the world. GMW is directed by Silk Road Ensemble cellist Mike Block.

GMW will be taught by an all-star faculty representing a unique range of backgrounds, including Sarah Jarosz (American folk), Sandeep Das (Indian tabla), Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese flutes), Hadi Eldebek (Arabic oud), Shane Shanahan (world percussion), Jayme Stone(American banjo), Balla Kouyate (Malian balafon), Edward Perez (Afro-Latin bass), Hanneke Cassel (Celtic fiddle), and Mike Block (multi-style strings).

GMW is open to participants over 18 years of age, from any musical background. University/conservatory students as well as professional performers/teachers with backgrounds in Western classical, jazz, world, or folk styles will be accepted.“