Béla Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart
Season Opener
June 10, 2021
Saturday, September 19, 2026, 7:30 PM
Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre
This performance will last approximately two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.*
"…Béla Fleck is one of the most important musicians of all time. It seems like there’s no limit to what he can achieve on the banjo."
— Billy Strings, Grammy-winning American singer, songwriter, and virtuoso guitarist
Featuring Michael Cleveland, fiddle; Dominick Leslie, mandolin; Jeff Partin, dobro; Mark Schatz, bass; and Jake Stargel, guitar
Few artists have reshaped an instrument the way Béla Fleck has transformed the banjo. Over the last four decades, Fleck has made a point of boldly going where no banjo player has gone before, a musical journey that has earned him 19 Grammys in nine different fields, including country, pop, jazz, instrumental, classical, and world music. But his roots are in bluegrass, which is where he returns with My Bluegrass Heart, the name of both his latest project and his 2022 Grammy winner for Best Bluegrass Album.
The project brings together legendary musicians and a new generation of virtuosic players in a joyful, deeply collaborative celebration of tradition and innovation. At its core, My Bluegrass Heart is about connection — between past and present, friends and collaborators, and the communal experience of making music together.
The album My Bluegrass Heart was the third chapter of a trilogy which began with the 1988 album Drive and continued in 1991 with The Bluegrass Sessions. Fleck’s band spotlights a multigenerational gamut of the best of bluegrass players, all sporting a myriad of Grammy nominations, as well as gigantic piles of IBMA awards for their instruments: fiddler Michael Cleveland, mandolinist Dominick Leslie, Jeff Partin on dobro, bassist/multi-instrumentalist Mark Schatz, and Jake Stargel on guitar.
About Béla Fleck
Just in case you aren’t familiar with Béla Fleck, there are many who say he’s the premier banjo player in the world. Others claim that Fleck has virtually reinvented the image and the sound of the banjo through a remarkable performing and recording career that has taken him all over the musical map and on a range of solo projects and collaborations. If you are familiar with Fleck, you know that he just loves to play the banjo, and put it into unique settings.
Fleck has the virtuosic, jazz-to-classical ingenuity of an iconic instrumentalist and composer with bluegrass roots. For over 30 years, he has led Béla Fleck and The Flecktones, the groundbreaking quartet inspired by jazz, funk, bluegrass, and beyond. From writing three banjo concertos for full symphony orchestra to exploring the banjo’s African roots with the award-winning 2009 documentary Throw Down Your Heart, many tout that Fleck is the world’s premier banjo player. As Jon Pareles wrote for the New York Times, “That’s a lot of territory for five strings.”
Collaborators include Abigail Washburn, the Brooklyn Rider String Quartet, Chris Thile, the Blind Boys of Alabama, McCoy Tyner, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, and Rakesh Chaurasia (their latest album, As We Speak, won two Grammys in 2024). Fleck’s album, Rhapsody in Blue, was released in 2024 on the centennial of the work’s premiere in New York City, and he debuted it at Carnegie Hall with an orchestra in May.
His Grammy-winning project, My Bluegrass Heart, is named in honor of his friend and hero Chick Corea (My Spanish Heart). Fleck and Corea have toured as a duo and released three acclaimed albums, including their latest and final duo project, Remembrance (2024), which earned a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
This performance is supported in part by gifts from Ms. Elizabeth Hahn and Mr. Douglas Chancey, Clem and Georgia Carter, and Ed Spencer.
Fleck previously performed at the center in 2018 and 2024.
Photo by Madison Thorn
* Run times listed here are based on information provided at this time and are subject to change.
FAQs
About This Event
Fleck’s band spotlights a multigenerational gamut of the best of bluegrass players, all sporting myriad Grammy nominations, as well as gigantic piles of IBMA awards for their instruments:
- Fiddler Michael Cleveland
- Mandolinist Dominick Leslie
- Jeff Partin on dobro
- Bassist/multi-instrumentalist Mark Schatz
- Jake Stargel on guitar
My Bluegrass Heart is primarily an instrumental performance showcasing the remarkable talents of Béla Fleck and an all-star ensemble of bluegrass musicians. While the performance may include occasional vocals, audiences can expect the focus to be on the incredible musicianship, featuring banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, guitar, and bass.
My Bluegrass Heart honors the traditions of bluegrass while exploring new musical possibilities. Led by banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck, the performance features world-class acoustic musicians who celebrate the genre's roots while bringing fresh ideas and extraordinary musicianship to the stage.
Michael Cleveland is widely regarded as one of the greatest bluegrass fiddlers of his generation. A 12-time International Bluegrass Music Association Fiddle Player of the Year and recipient of the 2022 National Heritage Fellowship, he's known for his remarkable speed, precision, and expressive playing. Cleveland joins Béla Fleck for this performance as part of the all-star ensemble behind My Bluegrass Heart.
You can stream Béla Fleck’s 2021 Grammy-winning album, My Bluegrass Heart, on major music platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music.
Attending a Performance at the Center
The most important thing is that you're comfortable. There is no dress code, so do what feels right for you. Do you want to get dressed to the nines for a special night out? You won't be the only one. Do you feel like keeping things casual? You won't be alone there, either.
All campus parking, including along Alumni Mall, requires a parking permit from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted by signage.
Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street at 300 Turner Street NW.
- For many Center for the Arts performances and large events, this garage will be staffed by an attendant and payment ($10, cash only) must be made at the time of entry. This event parking price is $2 higher than the garage’s daily rate to allow us to provide staffing to make both entering and exiting the garage more efficient for larger numbers of cars. You may exit at the Turner Street gate.
- All other times, visitors can take a ticket upon entrance and pay the $8 daily rate using Visa or Mastercard when exiting.
Convenient parking is also located in downtown Blacksburg. Town parking is free every day after 5:00 p.m.
Patrons are always welcome to drop off and pick up guests directly at the main doors of the Center for the Arts on Alumni Mall and Turner Street.
Allowing yourself extra time improves the experience for everyone! We recommend arriving at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the performance so you have plenty of time for the safety screening and to get settled in your seats. Our lobbies and galleries open 90 minutes before performances, and the theatre doors open 30 minutes before the performance start time. Ushers will direct you to your seat and are happy to answer any questions.
For the safety of our guests and performers, all patrons may be required to pass through a walk-through metal detector before entering the theatre. The process is quick and touchless, and you may keep your personal belongings with you. If you need an alternate screening method, please speak with a member of our security team.
A small or clutch-size purse or clear bag is recommended. Oversized bags, luggage, and backpacks will not be permitted inside the theatre. Coat check will be available to check these items.
Concessions from Blacksburg Wine Lab are available for most performances. Concessions availability and locations will be included in the What to Know email for ticket holders. Concessions are available beginning an hour before the performance, so arrive early to avoid the lines and enjoy a drink before the show.
Cameras and recording equipment are not permitted inside the theatre during performances. To avoid distracting the artists and those around you, please turn off or silence your cell phone and put away all electronic devices before the performance begins. Photography, video recording, and audio recording are not permitted unless otherwise announced.
If you’re late, you may hear the beginning of the performance from the lobby while you wait to take your seat — either until intermission or an appropriate break in the program as requested and advised by the artists. Admitting late arrivals into the theatre is timed to cause as little disruption as possible to other guests and the performers on stage. In some cases, you may be seated in an alternate location in the theatre.
You will receive a “What to Know” email approximately 48 hours before the performance with helpful information on approximate runtimes, pre- and post-show activities, and any other information you will need to know before you head out the door.
We are committed to being fully accessible to all patrons and their companions and strive to make our patrons’ experiences convenient and comfortable. In addition to our venue’s universal design features, we offer services and accommodations for parking, seating, listening, sensory support, courtesy wheelchair, elevators, restrooms, service animals, sign language, and visual aids. Find out more.
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