S3. E6: What if the goal of your music career isn't to get busy, but to get happy?
I sit down with my longtime friend, pioneering multi-style cellist, singer, composer, and educator Mike Block, for an honest conversation about conservatory pressure, curiosity, and finding a path that feels like your own. Mike shares how he learned to choose work based on the experience he wanted to have, and how exploring beyond classical cello led him toward new musical communities, invention, and entrepreneurship.
We talk about how he ended up being Yo-Yo Ma's cello partner in Silkroad, his invention of the Block Strap, pitching Forte 3D on Shark Tank (spoiler: he got a deal!), and the rewards and tradeoffs of being a pioneer—including what you have to leave behind to make room for something new.
CONNECT WITH MIKE BLOCK
Website: https://www.mikeblockmusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blockcello/
STUDENTOPUS
Monthly, live drop-in coaching for college and conservatory music students. Bring a question or join to listen and learn!
October's session, "Excellence over Perfection," is Tuesday, October 6, 12–1 p.m. Eastern, live on Zoom ($25). Sessions take place on the first Tuesday of each month.
Details and registration at mindfulopus.com/studentopus
MINDFULOPUS
Performance and well-being coaching for classical musicians. For more about my work:
Book a consult over at mindfulopus.com
Follow on instagram: @mindfulopus
Subscribe to hear conversations that help you switch from grind to kind, and where your artistry doesn't have to come at the cost of your humanity. Here's to all the Fellow Opus Creators out there! May you create your own amazing life, one opus at a time…
Timestamps:
00:00 – Opening
00:49 – Meet Mike Block
03:09 – Conversation begins
10:25 – Following your curiosity
13:48 – Setting musical goals
34:14 – The Block Strap
36:06 – Forte3D and Shark Tank
42:34 – Being a pioneer
50:48 – Rapid-fire questions
58:31 – Connect with Mike Block
1:00:55 – Closing
