join us
Join us for three days of mandolin bliss. Listen to, learn from and play with two of the most versatile mandolinists of our time - Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg. No matter your skill level, Mandolin World Retreats will take your playing to the next level.
We will touch on all styles of mandolin playing from Bluegrass, Swing, Jazz and Brazilian Choro, improvisation and chord theory to the entire history of Classical mandolin techniques spanning 300 years. This retreat is an immersive Mandolin intensive experience that also doubles as a fun-filled week-end getaway!
Not only will you get a chance to learn from these mandolin masters, but there will be plenty of time for actual playing with the other students, as part of an ensemble, and even with Mike and Caterina on stage for the final concert. Part of the magic and joy of these week-ends is that they are relaxed, intimate gatherings with others who love the mandolin and who come together to meet new musical friends, enjoy good food and wine, make music – and just have a great TIME!
meet YOUR mandolin INSTRUCTORS
Mike Marshall
Mike Marshall is a three-time Grammy nominated musician who has been at the forefront of the American string music scene for over 40 years. He has released over 35 CDs spanning a wide musical spectrum from contemporary Bluegrass to Brazilian Choro, Swing, Classical and original New Acoustic Music. In 2002 he founded his own Adventure Music Record label.
Mike has toured and recorded with some of acoustic music’s greatest innovators including David Grisman, Stephane Grappelli, Joshua Bell, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Bela Fleck, Darol Anger and Tony Rice. As an educator Mike has produced over 10 books about mandolin playing, 3 DVDS for the Homespun series, founded the Mandolin Symposium in Santa Cruz with David Grisman and was the artist director of the Savannah Music Festival Acoustic Seminar for 10 years starting in 2009.
Mike joined the Artistworks online company in 2012 with his 'Mike Marshall School of Mandolin’. Since its founding, Mike has created over 9000 personalized video exchanges with students from around the globe.
Mike’s energy, enthusiasm, and enormous bag of musical skills, tips, and techniques always leave his students coming back for more!
caterina lichtenberg
German born Caterina Lichtenberg is one of the most important mandolinists of our time. She currently holds the Professor position for classical mandolin at the Music Conservatory in Cologne, Germany and graduated with honors on both mandolin and classical guitar from that same institution.
She has toured throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia for over 20 years and has produced over 13 recordings with artists including guitarist Mirko Schader, harpsichordist Brigitte Engelhard, Quartetto MaGiCo, Le Son d ́Argent, LAGuitar Quartet, Trio Delicado, and Mike Marshall. Caterina has performed as a featured soloist with a number of distinguished symphonic, chamber, and radio orchestras, including the MDR Orchestra under Fabio Luisi, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly, and the New Century Orchestra under Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and the Schleswig-Holstein festival with Daniel Hope.
Caterina also teaches on-line through her Classical Mandolin school at the Artist Works Company. Caterina’s patience, warmth and genuine love of mandolin gives her a special ability to transfer an enormous breadth of musical knowledge and skill into bite-size morsels for her students to savor.
Sharon Gilchrist
sharon Gilchrist
Sharon Gilchrist began touring the national bluegrass circuit from her home state of Texas for several years before earning a BA in Mandolin Performance at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. For two decades, she has performed with many of the groundbreaking legends in bluegrass and new acoustic music including The Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet, Scott Nygaard and John Reischman in The Harmonic Tone Revealers, Darol Anger, Tony Trischka, The California Bluegrass Reunion Band, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, Uncle Earl, and many others. She is also a respected and influential music educator offering private mandolin instruction and multiple online mandolin courses at Peghead Nation as well as teaching at music camps internationally. From 2004 to 2012, Sharon taught mandolin at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design. In 2024, she joined the John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project as a featured artist and co-producer on their second album, which will be released in early 2025. Sharon lives in Nashville, Tennessee and currently performs with the John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project Trio.
What will You be Doing each day?
Playing Your Mandolin (all day and into the evening too!). This is a high-energy, hands-on retreat where all activities are designed to help improve your skills and performance.
Improving Your Technique
We will study each participant’s technical issues and offer real solutions that will make your playing better, improve your repertoire list, your overall sound, and ease of playing.
Elevating Your Practice
You’ll learn new exercises to use in your daily practice that will enhance your progress.
Exploring Multiple Styles
You’ll be exposed to a wide-range of musical styles and approaches to the mandolin that will build your skills.
Learning New Tunes
We will build your repertoire over these few days and give you many new things to share with your musical friends back home. You will also have a handbook full of the music we will be playing.
Getting Inspiration
There’s nothing like a concentrated event like this to re-ignite that fire in your creativity and mandolin playing.
Performing On Stage
If you want, you will be able to perform as part of a large mandolin ensemble and in some smaller groups at our final concert.
pricing and plans
RETREAT PARTICIPANT
$1725
ALL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
ALL WORKSHOPS (14+ hrs instruction)
2 Lunches & 2 Dinners
Evening jam sessions & instructor performances
Sunday afternoon student performance and concert
PARTNER ADD-ON
$300
PERFECT FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Free time to explore the area
2 Lunches & 2 Dinners
Evening jam sessions & instructor performances
Sunday afternoon community mandolin concert
What Do You Get?
All Workshops ♫
Over 14 hours of mandolin sessions with Mike, Caterina, and our guest teachers.
Good Food**♫**
Join Mike, Caterina, and all of your mandolin buddies for two lunches and two dinners at nearby restaurants.
Evening Open Mic/Jam Sessions ♫
Bring your mandolin to these post dinner music sessions where we just let it all hang out.
Faculty Performances**♫**
Close-up and intimate performances with Mike, Caterina, and our guest instructors just for our participants.
Sunday Concert**♫**
If you want, you can join Mike, Caterina, and other students perform at a local venue. There will opportunities to play in big and small ensembles.
What Will You Learn?
Bluegrass Tunes and Soloing
Classical Mandolin Techniques
Swing and Jazz Improvisation
Chord Construction
Brazilian Choro
Celtic Tunes
Rhythm Mandolin Styles
Solo Mandolin Tunes
Tone Improvement Exercises
Dynamic Expression
Relaxation and performance Tips
THE LOCATION
Benicia is a small historic town in the Bay Area, located on the Carquinez Straits about halfway between San Francisco and the Napa Valley. Its quaint, small downtown has a host of boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, and other interesting establishments that lead right to the water’s edge. This one-time state capital (1853-54) has a colorful history that can still be felt today – and is part of the charm that has attracted many artists and musicians to call this place home.
BENICIA waterfront: on the carquinez straits
between San Francisco and the Napa valley
evening meals at local restaurants
Even Dunlop Manufacturing, a leading producer of electronic effects, picks, capos, slides, strings and other musical instrument accessories has made Benicia its headquarters ever since its beginning days in 1965 when they started making such legendary products as the Crybaby wah-wah pedal and Tortex picks. We are so grateful for their years of product development and service to musician’s all over the world.
THE DAILY SCHEDULE*
Friday, March 21
Friday, March 21
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm Students Arrive
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Retreat Welcome, Introductions, and Overview
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Workshop I
7:00 pm – 8:45 pm Dinner
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm Instructor Concert & Evening Jams
Saturday, March 22
Saturday, March 22
9:30 am – 10:30 am Workshop II
11:00 – 12:30 pm Workshop III
12:30 pm – 1:45 pm Lunch
2:00 pm – 3:30 Workshop IV
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm Coffee Break
4:00 – 5:30 pm Workshop V
7:00 – 8:30 pm Dinner
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm Evening Jams
Sunday, March 23
Sunday, March 23
9:30 am – 11:00 Workshop VI
11:30 am – 1:00 pm Workshop VII
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Lunch
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Workshop VIII
4:00pm – 5:00pm Performance at Local Venue
5:15 pm – 6:30 Reception and Wrap-Up
*Subject to Modification
This is What Participants tell us…
Our Retreats have been life changing Mandolin moments for many who have attended. Here’s what a few had to say about their experience…
"Most excellent and inspiring weekend. Didn't know that I could learn so much in so short a time and only dismayed by how much is left to learn. The education process never stops when done correctly I suppose. Mike, Caterina and everyone involved with providing this weekend are the best, and I'll be back."
"What a fun weekend! Learning directly from the two greatest mandolin players in the world - Caterina and Mike is inspiring and nurtures us to grow as musicians. The beautiful concerts, the opportunities to connect through our music and play together, the food, and the nice people created an enjoyable experience. We look forward to the next retreat. Thank you so much."
"A highly immersive and entertaining learning experience. I didn't want to leave! Mike and Caterina are warm and generous teachers and their mandolin performances sprinkled throughout alone were worth the trip. Plus exposure to orchestra performance! Highly recommended -- I plan to attend again."
"How fortunate to have the opportunity to learn directly from such renowned musicians as Mike and Caterina! The retreat was well organized by thorough and caring people, with a good series of classes and many opportunities to play. The intimate setting allowed me to make new friends, and the public performance was a great finish to the amazing weekend!"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. WHEN AND WHERE DOES THE RETREAT TAKE PLACE? ♫
The retreat classes will take place in Benicia, CA. from March 21 - 23, 2025. Upon registration you will receive more detailed information about the local venues being used for the classes, evening jams, and meals. A list of local lodging spots and transportation options to get to Benicia will also be included. Six weeks before the retreat you will receive the final retreat schedule.
Q. CAN MY PARTNER ATTEND EVEN THOUGH THEY WON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CLASSES?♫
Absolutely, non-participating partners are very welcome and the price per non-participating partner is $300 which can be added to the retreat fee when you register. Partners may also sit in on a workshop session or two as long as there is adequate space in the room.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION AND COVID POLICY? ♫
You can receive a full refund minus any transaction fees within the first 30 days of booking.
Music World Retreats reserves the right to re-schedule or cancel any event if there should be an "Act of God" or occurence outside our control that makes the scheduled retreat impossible to hold such as a pandemic, natural disaster, earthquake, or any civil unrest that would put our participants "at risk." In these situations (which we hope never occurs), we will reschedule or refund participant payments minus any transactional fees and expenses related to the event that we cannot get reimbursed. If we reschedule, and you cannot make the new date, we will credit your account for the amount paid for up to 1 year, and you can use that credit towards any other retreat that is held during that year.
Please consider getting travel insurance to cover unexpected occurences that may cause a cancellation after the refund period.
Q. WHAT ABOUT ACCOMMODATION?♫
Accommodations are not included in the price of your retreat ticket. Upon registration you will receive a Fact Sheet with links to nearby hotels/inns. These include the Shorelight Inn, and Inn at Benicia Bay(all in the center of the small downtown area of Benicia and a five minute walk from each other) and the Heritage Inn or Holiday Inn Express which is about a mile away. Call or go online to make your reservations for accommodations as soon as possible – there is limited availability at each location. It is your responsibility to make and attend to your lodging reservation. If you speak to the caretaker/front desk person, they will let you know if there is a discount because you are attending the retreat. You can also check out AirBnB.
Q. WHO CAN I CONTACT IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE RETREAT? ♫
Please contact us.
Q. CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE THOSE WITH DIETARY ISSUES? ♫
We are happy to cater for people with diet issues. Vegetarian, vegans and basic diet requirements are included in the price – just contact us.
Q. ARE THE RETREAT VENUES SUITABLE FOR THOSE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES?♫
We are not able to accommodate anyone with severe mobility problems. Please contact us to discuss your particular needs
Q. HOW DO I GET THERE? ♫
You can travel to Benicia either by air or road.
By air: Benicia is usually 45minutes from Oakland International Airport and an hour from San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
Public transportation to Benicia from the airports include: BART (to Pleasant Hill) – www.bart.gov. From BART taxi or Rideshare to Benicia.
Stay in Touch:
Check your inbox. You will receive a one-click confirmation from our email provider. Respond if you’d like to receive our newsletter and get information about future retreats.
If you have any trouble with this form, just email Donna Wapner at: dwapnermusic [AT] gmail [DOT] com
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Funky Fingerstyle Guitar with Adam Rafferty
Jazz Guitar with Martin Taylor
Ukulele Hideaway with James Hill
Hosts Peppino D’Agostino and Donna Wapner
MUSIC WORLD RETREATS are hosted by Peppino D’Agostino and Donna Wapner. Our goal is to partner with some of our favorite musicians and creative friends - and together develop intimate, supportive, learning experiences. We pick locations that will encourage and inspire one’s creativity. When participants walk away having learned something new, had fun, made new friends, and can’t wait to join us again - we know we have done our job well!!
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
