Two of the world's finest mandolinists, Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg are masters of a variety of styles from around the world and across the ages. For tonight’s exciting performance, Mike and Caterina introduce Bay Area audiences to the virtuosic German mandolin/guitar duo of Silke Lisko and Rupert Gerhman. In a program of duets, trios, and quartets, these four world-class musicians take us on a journey from Europe of the early 1700s through the great 19th Century Italian mandolin heyday to the shores of the present-day Americas, delighting and surprising us at every turn.

The winner of numerous international music competitions, Bulgarian mandolinist Caterina is a delight on stage with an elegance and beauty of sound that is only matched by her stunning virtuosity. Bay Area mandolin virtuoso Mike is a leading proponent of an ebullient hybrid of folk-jazz-classical music. From his early groundbreaking work with the David Grisman Quintet and his founding of the Modern Mandolin Quartet, to his acclaimed collaborations with bluegrass ace Chris Thile and Brazilian virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda, Mike explores an inspired musical vision that transcends across traditions and geography.

Silke and Rupert studied together at the Conservatory of Music in Wuppertal, Germany, where they also met Caterina. They are both on the teaching staff at Mike's Mandolin Symposium at UC Santa Cruz this month, and bring us a collection of world-class guitar and mandolin duets.

Visit Mike Marshall's website

Visit Caterina Lichtenberg's website

Listen to a track from Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg: