St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café Folk Series will open its 2026–2027 season with a two-night statement of intent—one rooted in bluegrass tradition and global crossover reach, the other in genre-expanding virtuosity that has redefined what a banjo can do.
On October 20, 2026, the series begins with Dan Tyminski, followed on November 5 by Béla Fleck and his My Bluegrass Heart ensemble, a pairing that signals continuity and ambition for one of West Michigan’s most closely watched acoustic concert series.
“We are excited to launch ticket sales for our new Acoustic Café Folk Series concerts for Season 2026–27. From Grammy award winning artists like Dan Tyminski to Béla Fleck, Aoife O’Donovan and Chris Thile, and Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland, we will feature the best of the best this coming season in our exquisite Royce Auditorium. I can’t wait for the music to begin and to host these outstanding, dynamic artists at St. Cecilia Music Center starting in October!”
Dan Tyminski, October 20, 2026
Tyminski’s name carries an unusual kind of dual recognition in American music. Within bluegrass circles, he is a foundational figure whose career spans more than three decades, including his long tenure with Alison Krauss & Union Station and a steady stream of solo and collaborative work that has earned him 14 Grammy Awards. Outside those circles, his voice is instantly recognizable: he is the singing voice behind the iconic “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” performance associated with George Clooney’s character in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and he later reached a global audience through his featured vocal on Avicii’s “Hey Brother,” a track that has surpassed a billion streams.
His path, however, began far from global charts. As a child, Tyminski was brought to fiddle contests, square dances, and bluegrass festivals in New England, experiences that shaped his lifelong orientation toward live performance. That same emphasis on stage energy continues to define his current touring work with the Dan Tyminski Band, including recent material drawn from his Grammy-nominated live album Live From the Ryman. For St. Cecilia Music Center, his appearance sets a tone of intimate craftsmanship—music built for close listening, where storytelling and instrumental precision carry equal weight.
Bela Fleck, November 5, 2026
A few weeks later, the focus shifts to Béla Fleck, a musician whose career has consistently stretched the boundaries of his instrument. A 19-time Grammy Award winner, Fleck is widely regarded as one of the most influential banjo players in modern music. With Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, he helped push the five-string banjo into jazz, funk, classical, and world music contexts, while also returning repeatedly to its bluegrass roots in ways that have expanded rather than diluted tradition.
His 2021 project My Bluegrass Heart—which anchors this St. Cecilia performance—brings together a multi-generational lineup of elite acoustic musicians, including fiddler Michael Cleveland, mandolinist Dominick Leslie, dobro player Jeff Partin, bassist Mark Schatz, and guitarist Jake Stargel. The project is framed as both a continuation and a culmination of Fleck’s long-running exploration of bluegrass as a living, evolving form, following earlier landmark recordings that trace back decades.
Fleck’s broader career reads like a map of contemporary acoustic music itself. He has collaborated with artists across genres and continents, from Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain to pianist Chick Corea, from Edgar Meyer to singer Renée Fleming, and has pursued documentary and symphonic work that places the banjo in unexpected settings. Yet even with that expansive résumé, My Bluegrass Heart returns squarely to the high-speed interplay and improvisational fire of bluegrass tradition.
Christmas 2026 and Beyond
- Celebrate the holiday season on December 11th with Grammy Award-winning artists, Aoife O’Donovan and Chris Thile, as they illuminate the evening with Wassail! A Christmas Show, featuring newly written original songs, fresh arrangements of beloved classics, lively stories and a concert full of holiday cheer.
- Experience two of bluegrass music’s most decorated and dynamic fiddlers and multi-award-winning artists, Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland together on stage on January 28, 2027;
- Hear Northern Ireland-born singer/songwriter Foy Vance, touring artist worldwide performing from his newest album The Wake on April 20, 2027. Foy Vance has toured with Ed Sheeran, and his music has been featured on numerous popular TV shows.
Tickets
Tickets for Acoustic Café Folk Series concerts will be available to the public Friday, June 19 starting at 10 a.m. online at www.scmcgr.org or by calling 616-459-2224. Note: Foy Vance tickets are now on sale!
Contact the Box Office Manager at tickets@scmcgr.org or 616-459-2224 x201 with questions. Additional Acoustic Café Folk Series concerts for spring 2027 will be announced later in the season.
