teaching
Ethan Setiawan has a command of the instrument far beyond his twenty-some-odd years and has won both the National Mandolin Championship at Winfield, KS and the Rockygrass Mandolin Championship. He has taught at camps around the country, including Ossipee Valley String Camp, Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Great Lakes Music Camp, California Coast Music Camp, and Mandolin Camp North; as well as at music schools including 317 Community Music School (Yarmouth ME), Passim School of Music (Cambridge MA), and TG School of Music (Goshen IN). Along with Laura Beth Salter, he directs the Glasgow Mandolin Retreat in Glasgow, Scotland. Currently, one can study with Ethan privately and at his Peghead Nation course, the Weekly Mandolin Workout. In addition to his teaching work, Ethan is an in-demand side man and band member and can be seen playing with his projects Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground, Hildaland, and Acoustic Nomads, or freelancing with Darol Anger or Tony Trischka among others.
In learning with Ethan, the focus is on the individuals’ unique talents and needs. Lessons are based around establishing a solid foundation on the instrument from which to move forward from in all styles of music including, but not limited to, bluegrass, Appalachian string band, Celtic, and classical. Examples of topics covered include right and left hand technique, chords, harmony and theory as it applies to the mandolin and tunes to build repertoire in roots styles. Good technique is the foundation of playing, so we’ll talk about the left and right hands and their relationship to one another, along with ideas for technique for each. We’ll cover helpful practice habits to help with progressing faster, and new ways to play things you already know, and hear some classic mandolin recordings that span the breadth of what the mandolin does.
He currently offers private lessons online and in person in the greater Portland, Maine area. Book an lesson with Ethan at the link below or get in touch via the form or at ethanteachesmandolin@gmail.com for more info.
