How much fun must it have been for Bermuda's youngsters to learn rock, pop and seriously jazzed up traditional songs for their violins and cellos this past week with music world big name Mark Wood?

My guess is it was as much fun as having a real live Jack Black 'Rock School' in the music room…and then some - judging by energy, exuberance and sheer joy exhibited by the young players accompanying Mr. Wood and his band during the first half of an enthralling evening of music in the auditorium of the New Berkeley Institute.

There are times in life when you get caught off guard by a sight that seems a totally mixed up juxtaposition, so it was on Saturday evening opening a side door to the 11th Annual Bermuda School of Music's Some Enchanted Evening.

For in the darkened arena a space-age electric violin flashed away, played by a long haired, heavy rock looking character wearing a half-unbuttoned shirt and spray on trousers.

That's right, no white shirt or buttoned lounge suit on this violinist. And wait, that doesn't sound much like Bach or Mozart either, more like…'Yellow Submarine' by The Beatles.

A sell-out audience of many hundreds packed the hall to hear New York-based Mark Wood and his band in concert with a full compliment of string instrument-playing students of the Bermuda School of Music.

Representing a wide spectrum of ages, the students formed an impressive collective of violinists and cellists, and there were so many of them they had to deploy a shift system and switch over mid-set.

Who would have guessed Bermuda had so many young violinists, and having such a whale of a time? In the previous few days Mr. Wood and his band had given music master classes to the students and prepared them for the concert. The performance they delivered was inspiring and uplifting.

There were also individual opportunities for Cheresa Lemaire and Peter Riihiluoma to join Mr. Wood playing his patented electric 'Viper' violin on The Beatles' 'Eleanor Rigby' and the traditional Irish tune 'Toss the Feathers' respectively, and both filled their roles admirably alongside the visiting star who has worked with the likes of Celine Dion, Roger Daltrey (of The Who) and Lenny Kravitz.

If you like your string instrumentation with uplifting tempo, this was the evening.

The music segued at times from heavy rock to traditional, and from Paul McCartney's 007 anthem 'Live and Let Die' to Led Zepplin's 'Stairway to Heaven.' Just when it seemed the old masters weren't going to get a look in, a Vivaldi arrangement was thrown out as the first half climax and managed to out-rock all that had gone before.

After the intermission it was Mr. Wood and the Mark Wood Band who took centre stage to showcase a number of their own recorded compositions, starting with the haunting 'Requiem' song by Laura Kaye.

Ms Kaye rocked out with 'Deep Breath' - a song co-written with her husband Mr. Wood, and remembered her late mother Betty, who had visited Bermuda, in the more pop 'Shake off the Gravity.' Mr. Woods moment came in 'Sawdust' from his solo album 'These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things,' and it was a song that also gave deserved limelight to the funky, slap bass playing of Paul Ranieri.

As a finale the band were given individual moments of solo glory to audience applause. Keyboard player Sean Meagher (who got married on the Island the day before), guitarist Jon Bivona and drummer Jeff Plate all impressed, as did 11-year-old secondary drummer (and son of Mr. Wood) Elijah Wood.

Mr Wood himself caught the audience with an unexpected musical twist, his solo incorporating a clever selection of delay and echo effects that turned his violin into something sounding all together different. The inventive segment was, at times, like a classy movie background track, at other times it seemed the violin's sonic signature was morphing into heavy rock guitar. The rest of the band reappeared and together segued into some instantly recognisable rock standards including Led Zepplin's 'Black Dog' and Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' To finish up the young music students retook their positions on stage and, with the Mark Woods Band, gave a rousing American folk dance 'Hoedown' rewarded by a standing ovation.

It is all about pushing musical boundaries. And Mr. Wood with his Viper violins is certainly doing that in pleasing and stylish way. The venue acoustics and sound mix were faultless. For the Bermuda Music of School to have secured Mr. Wood and his colleagues services to pass on such enthusiasm and passion for the string instrument to students is of great credit.

Who knows how many young musical stars of tomorrow may emerge from Bermuda as a result of experiencing the possibilities taught and exhibited by the man with the long hair and half-unbuttoned shirt?