San Francisco Festival of the Mandolins
Annually on the 4th Sunday of April at the Croatian American Cultural Center of San Francisco.
See SF Festival of the Mandolins - Details for detailed descriptions recovered from archived web pages.
2001
Slavonian Traveling Band
Silver Strings
Aurora
Ellis Island - Klezmer
Helenicks - Greek
Crying High - choro
Jubilee American String Band
2002
The Hot Frittatas w/ Gus Garelick
Aurora
Marla Fibish with Tedd Colt
ChoroTime - choro
High Country - bluegrass
Jubilee American Dance Theater
2003
http://web.archive.org/web/20030413070038/http://slavonicweb.org/artists/mando2003.htm
1pm BYO Mandolin Orchestra
2pm Workshop Skip Gorman
Silver Strings Mandolin Orchestra
Slavonian Traveling Band
Red Hot Chachkas (Julie Egger, Michael Arrow, Tony Phillips, Barbara Speed and Stuart Brotman)
Skip Gorman and his Waddie Pals
6pm Workshop Tony Phillips, klezmer
Dance w/ Skip Gorman and his Waddie Pals, Slavonian Traveling Band
2004
https://groups.io/g/oldtimeSF/message/1192
BYO Mandolin orchestra begins at 12:00PM.
the Neapolitan styling of 89-year-old Tony Flores
the phenomenal playing of 11-year-old, Scott Gates
the famed blind mandolinist from Fresno, Kenny Hall
the virtuoso mandolinist and composer from Southern California, Evan Marshall
the Mexican, roots American, Old-Time, Hawaiian mandolin music of Eric Thompson & Jody Stecher
(Al) Dodge's Sundodgers
Back again after a year's absence will be the Bay Area's largest mandolin orchestra, Aurora.
2005
http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/event_details.php?id=64
Wake the Dead
Joe Craven
Aurora Mandolin
Zighi Baci - Italian “Ballo Liscio”
Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra
2006
http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/event_details.php?id=54
John Reischman & John Miller
Rich DelGrosso - blues mandolin
Eva Scow - choro
Hot Frittatas (Gus Garelick, Dennis Hadley, Don Coffin)
Avi Avital - classical
Aurora
2007
http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/event_details.php?id=33
https://groups.io/g/oldtimeSF/message/2390
2007 marks an expansion of the San Francisco Festival of the Mandolins. It is now a week long festival, featuring three theme based concerts in addition to the culminating “Grand Day of Mandolins” scheduled for Sunday April 22.
"Bluegrass Mandolin Summit"
Butch Waller, Dix Bruce, Tom Bekeny, and guests
Monday April 16, 7:30 PM,
Amnesia, 853 Valencia, between 19th & 20th Sts., San Francisco
"An Evening in Naples"
Zighi Baci Ensemble, featuring Carlo Solivan, tenor
Thursday April 19, 7:30 PM,
Caffe Trieste, 601 Vallejo St, San Francisco
"Irish Mandolin Matinee"
Marla Fibish Trio, Paul Kotapish with Euphonia, Jody Stecher
Saturday, April 21, 2:00 PM,
Plough & Stars, 116 Clement St., San Francisco
Grand Day of Mandolin
12 PM Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra
Workshops:
1pm Michael Follstad - oldtime
1pm Jody Stecher - The Mandolin in Southern Traditional Music
2pm Bob Applebaum - Mandolin Clinic - Fundamentals of Tone, Speed, Volume, and Expression ;
2pmNicola Swinburne - Mozart for Mandolin: Learn techniques to play Mozart and other Classical repertoire in four-part harmony
3PM Concert
Jody Stecher with Eric Thompson
Bob Applebaum with Barry Solomon
Michael Follstad & The Mercury Dimes
Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
5PM Dance: the Mercury Dimes with caller Evie Ladin
2008
10:30AM Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra
11:30AM, 12:15PM Workshops
Phil Lawrence: Intro to Klezmer Mandolin
Tom Rozum: Mandolin in a Bluegrass Band
Panel of Orchestra Leaders: "Mandolin Music:Today & Tomorrow" moderated by Chip Curry
In the Bar: Sheri Mignano, Mandolins Like Salami: Historic slides of mandolin orchestras in SF
Large display of vintage mandolins, mandolas, mandolettos, and other members of the mandolin family by Bear Paw Fiddles.
Performances
1:00PM Silver Strings Mandolin Orchestra
1:45PM Gravenstein Mandolin Orchestra
2:30PM Tom Rozum with Home Run Jethro (LAURIE LEWIS, TONY MARCUS & PAUL SHELASKY)
3:00PM Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
3:45PM SF Mandolin Orchestra
4:30PM Tom Rozum with Home Run Jethro
5:00PM Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra
2009
http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/event_details.php?id=101
10:30AM Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra
12:00PM Workshops
Phil Lawrence: Intro to Klezmer Mandolin
Dennis Pash: Ragtime Mandolin
Performances
1:00PM Likha Pilipino Folk Ensemble's Rondalla
1:45PM San Francisco Balalaika
2:30PM Ragtime Skedaddlers
3:15PM Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
4:00PM Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra
2010
10:30AM Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra
11:00AM Workshop: Caleb Klauder "Old Time Mandolin Repertoire"
12:00PM Workshop: Jimmy Crowley "Accompanying Songs on the Bouzouki"
12:00PM Workshop: Eva Scow "Brazilian jazz: music of Chico Pinheiro"
Performances
1:00PM SF Mandolin Orchestra with Achille Bocus
1:45PM Jimmy Crowley and Marla Fibish
2:30PM Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
3:15PM Foghorn Duo with Caleb Klauder
4:00PM Espacio with Eva Scow
2011
http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/event_details.php?id=133
Workshops:
10:00AM Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra
11:00AM Marla Fibish, Bill Foss
12:00PM Gus Garelick, Grandpa Banana
Concert:
1:00PM Marla Fibish & Gari Hegedus
1:45PM Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
2:30PM Grandpa Banana (Lowell Levinger & David Thom)
3:15PM Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble
4:00PM The Axelrod, Cary, & Foss Jug Band (Meredith Axelrod, Keith Cary, Bill Foss)
2012
WORKSHOPS:
11:30 Phil Lawrence, Dennis Pash
12:15 Tim Connell, Billy Packard
CONCERT:
1:00 Ger Mandolin Orchestra Project film
1:45 Aurora (classical)
2:35 Phil Lawrence (jazz)
3:25 Ragtime Skedaddlers (ragtime)
3:40 Billy Packard (Italian and Mexican)
4:25 Tim Connell (Choro)
2013
WORKSHOPS:
1100 Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra (HOSTED BY GRAVENSTEIN)
BLUEGRASS JAM (HOSTED BY TUTTLES)
1200 CATERINA LICHTENBERG (CLASSICAL)
SHARON GILCHRIST (AMERICANA)
CONCERT:
100-135 AURORA ORCHESTRA
150-230 CATERINA LICHTENBERG
240-320 SHARON GILCHRIST & SCOTT NYGAARD
335-410 GRAVENSTEIN
425-500 TUTTLES & A.J. LEE
2014
WORKSHOPS:
11a Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra - Kenny Hall tunes
12p Radim Zenkl & Paul Rangell workshops
CONCERT:
1p Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
2p Radim Zenkl
3p Seabright Serenaders (Paul Rangell, Emily Abbink, & Irene Herrmann)
4p Kenny Hall Tribute Band (Terry Barrett, Harry & Cindy Liedstrand)
2015
Workshops:
11:00 - Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra - ragtime featuring Dennis Pash
12:00 - Tom Bekeny, Ashley Broder
Concert:
1:00 - Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
1:45 - Duo Pizzicato plus Irene Herrman
2:15 - Missing Man Quartet with Tom Bekeny
3:00 - Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orch, w/dance leader Yael Schy
3:30 - Tik Tok Trio with Paul Kotapish
4:00 - Ashley Broder
4:45 - Ragtime Skedaddlers
2016
Workshops:
11:00 - Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra - Mozart Symphony #29 rehearsal w/ Achille Bocus
12:00 - Joe Walsh, Miguel Govea
Concert:
1:00 - Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
1:45 - La Familia Peña-Govea
2:30 - Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble
3:15 - Joe Walsh w/ Grant Gordy
4:00 - Mandorian Candidates (Olivier Zyngier, Tony Phillips, Jim Geselbracht)
4:20 - Achille Bocus directs BYOMO and SF Mandolin Orchestra in Mozart Symphony #29
2017
http://www.croatianamericanweb.org/event_details.php?id=216
Workshops by Chris Acquavella, Tom Rozum, Billy Packard
Concert
1:00 - Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
1:45 - Tom Rozum & group (Laurie Lewis, Patrick Sauber, Brandon Godman, Max Schwartz)
2:30 - Grupo Falso Baiano
3:10 - Chris Acquavella
3:55 - Teo Quale & & Crying Uncle (Miles Quale, Andrew Osborne, John Gooding)
4:20 - Billy Packard Trio
2018
WORKSHOPS 12:00 - 12:50 (two simultaneous)
EVAN MARSHALL
MARLA FIBISH
SET ONE – Sit and Listen
1:00 -1:35 Aurora Mandolin Orchestra http://www.auroramandolin.com/
1:45-2:20 Noctambule: : Irish and original music featuring mandolinist Marla Fibish http://www.noctambulemusic.com/
SET TWO – 2:25-3:00 Stroll and Sample a “mandolin tour of the world” - two rooms of simultaneous music!
Bistro Moustache w/ Olivier Zyngier: Parisian Cafe Music featuring mandolinist Oliver Zyngie http://www.bistromoustache.com/
Unique mandolin music from the Island of Palau: Ngirchoureng - songs from Palau w/ Jim Geselbracht & Tony Phillips https://fb.com/Ngirchoureng
SET THREE – Sit and Listen
3:10-3:25 Sophia Sparks & Jasper Manning (accompanied by Chad Manning)
3:35-4:10 Evan Marshall https://www.evanjmarshall.com/
2019
A tribute to San Francisco's special history of Italian mandolin masters, such as Rudy Cipolla, Tony Flores, Riccardo Tunzi, Gino Pellegrini, Matteo Casserino, Michele Corino, and Frank and Lawrence Andrini, presenting “next generation” followers of those masters.
SCHEDULE:
12:00 Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra
CONCERT:
1:00 Aurora Mandolin Orchestra, dir. by Jo Pellegrini
1:45 Presentation by Sheri Mignano Crawford
2:00 Seabright Serenaders (Emily & Paul Rangell) with Irene Herrmann
2:25 Phil Lawrence and Ned Boynton
2:50 Billy Packard
3:15 Ambassador Ensemble from La Scuola International School
3:35 Mazurka Madness (Gus Garelick)
4:00 Duo Pizzicato (Bill Foss & Martha Hawthorne) with Irene Herrmann and Kathy Sherak
4:45 En Masse Grand Finale with dancing
5:00 End
2020 (canceled)
AURORA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA
GRAVENSTEIN MANDOLIN ENSEMBLE
TIM CONNELL
Alexey Alexandrov (domra) / Ekaterina Skliar (mandolin)
EASY WINNERS quartet
2021 - canceled
2022 - canceled
2023
AURORA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA
https://www.auroramandolin.com/
The largest (more than 30 members) and one of the oldest orchestras of its kind in Northern California
Creative arrangements of folk music, semi-classical Italian, Spanish, Russian songs, popular "oldies", contemporary pieces, excerpts from operas, and classical orchestra compositions written specifically for mandolin.
EASY WINNERS - Ragtime & Jazz Era music of the Americas: Classic rags, waltzes, cakewalks, tangos, marches and POPULAR songs of north america, mexico, the caribbean, and latin america from the late 19th and early 20th centuries
https://www.facebook.com/TheEasyWinners.mandolinandguitar
TYLER WEED & FRIENDS - the next generation of Irish music
GRAVENSTEIN MANDOLIN ENSEMBLE: From the North Bay. Directed by by Gus Garelick, the GME plays a variety of music from the traditional Italian repertoire to jazz, choro, western swing, and classical.
https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinMandolinEnsemble/
NGIRCHOURENG - Jim Geselbracht & Tony Philips - songs from the Republic of Palau, written in the 1930s thru the 1960s,
https://www.facebook.com/Ngirchoureng
DAVE BERRY & Friends - Dave is well known among bluegrass circles in the SF Bay Area. He recently completed an album Morning Walk, containing original compositions that span a mix of styles
https://daveberrymusic.net
2024
Aurora Mandolin Orchestra
Choro with Grupo Falso Baiano & Jesse Appelman on mando
https://fb.com/grupofalsobaiano
https://fb.com/jappelman
https://www.grupofalsobaiano.com/videos/
Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble
This year's featured large group the Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble (GME) was formed in 2006 in Sebastopol, California, the home of the famous Gravenstein apples. Though their members are all from Sonoma and Napa Counties, their music comes from Europe, Russia, Latin America, the USA, and beyond. The GME plays Bach and Beatles, Scott Joplin and Claude Debussy, plus a mixture of vocal arrangements from Cole Porter to Bob Wills. Eclectic is the word. Their CD “Sweet Harvest” was released in 2018, and will be available at the Festival, along with recordings and books by director Gus Garelick. Videos and more at Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble
https://www.facebook.com/GravensteinMandolinEnsemble
SixEight
Hot jazz duo "SixEight," with Teo Quale and Vincent Maclauchlan, will be featured at the Festival on Sunday April 21. Don't miss them! Teo played the Festival in 2017 with Crying Uncle as "young players to watch for." Now, although still in high school, he's worked his way up a full-length slot. Don't say we didn't tell ya so!
https://www.facebook.com/cryinguncle
Noctambule
NOCTAMBULE is Marla Fibish & Bruce Victor, playing traditional and original acoustic music on guitars, mandolin, mandola, more strings, and their two voices. Marla is an internationally-renowned player of Irish music on mandolin.
2025
Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra (participatory)
Aurora Mandolin Orchestra https://fb.com/groups/47928741986
EstudiAndina - Chris Yerke et al. South American music with mandolin & English concertina
Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble https://fb.com/GravensteinMandolinEnsemble
East Bay Serenaders - John Gravois & Mike Thompson - bluegrass, country, and more
La Scuola International School Mandolin Orchestra https://youtu.be/Iw4J8I3I9uU
2026
Noon - Bring Your Own Mandolin Orchestra -- each performer presents a piece for all participants to sight-read.
CONCERT
1:00 - Aurora Mandolin Orchestra (Jo Pellegrini, dir.) -- Our founding and anchor group plays varied repertoire including traditional and semi-classical Italian, Spanish, Russian, specialty ethnic, and contemporary orchestral compositions. https://fb.com/groups/47928741986
2:00 - Hildaland (Ethan Setiawan & Louise Bichan) -- Visitors from Maine, Louise's traditional Scottish roots blend with Ethan's progressive bluegrass and jazz. https://hildaland.com
2:45 - Gravenstein Mandolin Ensemble (John Metras, dir.) -- Festival favorites from Sonoma County; ranges from the traditional Italian repertoire to jazz, choro, western swing, classical. https://fb.com/GravensteinMandolinEnsemble
3:45 - Cacciatore di Tesori (Maxwell Apra, Irene Herrmann, Janet Dows, Kaethe Hostetter) -- this quartet presents tightly arranged neapolitan and cosmopolitan tunes on mandolin, concertina, and guitar. https://cacciatoreditesori.bandcamp.com
4:25 - Jasper Manning & Sophia Sparks, Manning Music Mandolins -- bluegrass and beyond from next generation of mandolinists. https://californiabluegrass.org/young-pickers-to-watch/
1:45, 2:30, 3:30 - Sheri Mignano Crawford -- short presentations about the history of mandolin in San Francisco, based on her newest book "Born in Audacity" (Bar Room)