Evan Marshall is a

virtuoso A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...

mandolinist A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

, prominent as an arranger of

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

pieces for the mandolin and proponent of the duo style of playing.Paul Sparks, ''The Classical Mandolin'', Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1995, p. 181. His name comes up in mandolin-oriented music circles as one of the best of modern mandolin players, one who has taken the techniques of early mandolin soloists to new levels.Mandolin Cafe forum, ''Evan Marshall (Is he the "best"?)''
/ref> He is also a recording artist with

Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by Al ...

and teaches mandolin. He has given classes for the

Classical Mandolin Society of America The Classical Mandolin Society of America Inc., or CMSA, is a 501 (C)(3) not for profit corporation committed to promoting the playing and study of mandolin instruments in the United States. The organization was founded in 1986 by Norman Levine. Th ...

, the Mandolin Symposium and the American Mandolin and Guitar Summer School, and has been associated with the Conservatory of Music at

Biola University Biola University () is a private, nondenominational, evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California. It was founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. It has over 150 programs of study in nine schools offering bachelor's, ...

. As a performer, he has worked as a featured guest with several symphony orchestras, including the

Houston Symphony The Houston Symphony is an American orchestra based in Houston, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. History The first concert of what was to become the Houston Symphony took place on June 21, 1 ...

Phoenix Symphony The Phoenix Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Phoenix, Arizona. The orchestra performs primarily at Phoenix Symphony Hall, and is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the state of Arizona. History Founded in 1947, the ...

, and

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra located in Buffalo, New York led by Music Director JoAnn Faletta. Its primary performing venue is Kleinhans Music Hall, which is a National Historic Landmark. Each season it p ...

.Biola University, The Conservatory of Music, ''Evan Marshall, Mandolin''
/ref> He is a former member of

Billy Hill and the Hillbillies Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies is a musical/variety group that performs at Knott's Berry Farm. Prior to 2014, they performed for 26+ years at Disneyland in Anaheim, California as Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. The group performs a bluegrass cou ...

Early beginnings

Marshall played the violin from the time he was 7-years old, playing classical. He was inspired by Chet Atkins and learned about bluegrass music after seeing Atkins play on television. He pursued bluegrass, joining a folk music club, and when he was 14 years old, discovered the mandolin, by way of a clubmember with a mandolin at home.

Duo style

Marshall plays with what he calls a "musician's sleight of hand", the duo style.John Roos, ''A Mandolin Wind Blows in a Rock 'n' Roll World'', L.A. Times, December 14, 1996.
/ref> Duo style is a technique in which the mandolin player plays both the melody line of music, as well as harmonic parts, sounding like more than one instrument. The technique was made famous by

Giovanni Gioviale Giovanni Gioviale (November 1885 – June 11, 1949) was an Italian composer and musician. He is considered one of the greatest mandolin virtuosos of all time. He also played guitar and banjo, and at the concert level with violin. He is special ...

in the early 1900s. In the American tradition, the technique was used by early mandolin virtuosos

Samuel Siegel Samuel Siegel (born 1875, Des Moines, Iowa — died January 14, 1948, Los Angeles, California) was an American mandolin virtuoso and composer who played mandolin on 29 records for Victor Records, including 9 pieces of his own composition and two t ...

Valentine Abt Valentine Abt (born Pittsburgh June 13, 1873 – died Mayview, Pennsylvania July 16, 1942) was an American composer who specialized in the mandolin. In the book ''Popular American Composers'', Frank L. Boyden named Abt one of America's most "pro ...

and

Seth Weeks Silas Seth Weeks (September 8, 1868 – December 1953) was an American composer who played mandolin, violin, banjo and guitar. Although he played many instruments he concentrated professionally on the mandolin. He is considered to be the first Af ...

in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Works

Marshall arranges music for the mandolin. Although he has been labeled a classical musician on the internet, his arrangements include American pop music,

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

tunes and movie music.

Recorded Music

* ''Mandolin Unlimited'' (1987)

,Discogs, ''Evan Marshall – Mandolin Unlimited ''
/ref> produced by

Mark O'Connor Mark O'Connor (born August 5, 1961) is an American fiddle player and composer whose music combines bluegrass, country, jazz and classical. A three-time Grammy Award winner, he has won six Country Music Association Musician Of The Year awards ...

Craig Harris, All Music, ''Artist Biography by Craig Harris''
/ref> * ''Mandolin Magic'' (1990) Rounder Records,AllMusic, ''Evan Marshall, Mandolin Magic''
/ref> produced and Engineered by

David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic mu ...

* ''Evan Marshall is the Lone Arranger'' (1995) Rounder RecordsAllMusic, ''Evan Marshall, The Evan Marshall Is the Lone Arranger''
/ref> * ''Billy Tell & Vanilla Schubert: Evan J. Marshall, Solo Mandolin'' (2005) EvanJMarshall.comEvan J Marshall website, ''Recordings''
/ref> * ''A Mandolin for Christmas'' (2008) EvanJMarshall.com * ''Mr. Solo Mandolin: Evan J. Marshall, Solo Mandolin'' (2008) EvanJMarshall.com * ''Twin Mandolin Slingers'' with Brian Oberlin (2015) EvanJMarshall.com * ''Mandolin Mystery Tour'' (2016) EvanJMarshall.com * ''Beethoven Country'' with Estudiantina de San Gabriel (2016) EvanJMarshall.com

Instructional works

* ''Duo-Style A to Z: A Comprehensive Method for Solo Mandolin in Duo-Style, from Entry Level to Artist Level''Editions: Duo-Style''
/ref>

Sheet music

* ''Caprice # 1 for Solo Mandolin''Music Editions: Solo Repertory''
/ref> * ''1812 Fantasy, for Solo Mandolin in Duo-Style'' * ''Joyful Variations on a Theme of Beethoven, for Solo Mandolin in Duo-Style'' * ''Ave Maria, by Franz Schubert, arranged for Solo Mandolin in Duo-Style'' * ''Pastorale, by G. F. Handel, arranged for Solo Mandolin in Duo-Style'' * ''Maria, Mari!, by Eduardo DiCapua, arranged for Solo Mandolin in Duo-Style''

References

External links

Evan's website: * http://evanjmarshall.com/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, Evan American music arrangers American music educators American performance artists Living people American classical mandolinists Year of birth missing (living people)