Don Stiernberg

Don Stiernberg learned to play the mandolin from the innovative and influential virtuoso Jethro Burns. Jethro referred to Don as his “graduate student," hired him to play in his band, and guided him to a career as a professional musician which has already lasted forty years. Both a master of bluegrass mandolin and a leading exponent of jazz mandolin style, Don has eight recording projects of his own and appears on many others by a variety of artists in all styles. His most recent recording is Mandoboppin’!, a jazz quintet CD featuring his original tunes. Don's method book on mandolin improvisation, Jazz Mandolin Appetizers, has recently been published by Mel Bay. He has also contributed a regular column to Mandolin Magazine, and been an instructor at countless mandolin events, including The Mandolin Symposium, Swannanoa Gathering, Mandolin Camp North, River of the West Mandolin Camp, Cape Cod Mandolin Camp, Steve Kaufman Acoustic Kamp, Ashokan Swing Week, Accademia Internacionale di Mandolino (Italy), European Mandoline Akademy (Germany) and Momento Rio Bandolim (Brazil). When Don is not touring coast to coast or abroad, he stays busy around his native Chicago with performing and studio work.