Music at the Museum presenting Jon Mendle

Jon Mendle has performed around the country since his Carnegie Hall debut at  age 19 and has drawn widespread praise for his virtuosity and musicianship. Soundboard magazine called his debut album L’Infidele “a beautiful disc.” Yo-Yo Ma, who in 2010 invited  Jon to join him and the Silk Road Ensemble on a 10-concert tour, called Jon “a beautiful talent  and a sensitive musician,” adding, “It is a joy to play with him!”  

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jon has performed throughout the United States, as well as  in Canada and Europe. Highlights include solo recitals at the 2015 Loyola-Marymount  University Guitar Festival, the 2014 Guitar Foundation of America annual convention, and for  presenters such as San Francisco Performances and guitar societies up and down the west coast.  On tour with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, Jon performed at the Tanglewood and  Ravinia summer music festivals as well as at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall and other major venues.  

Recently, Jon won second prize in the 2021 “Concorso di Musica Antica Maurizio Pratola”  international lute competition in L’Aquila, Italy.  

Jon’s debut recording L’Infidele, which includes transcriptions of 18th century lute and keyboard  music, received critical acclaim following its 2011 release by In A Circle Records. The Huffington Post described the album as “stunning and textured,” while Northwest Reverb praised  Jon’s “incredible artistry and deep musicianship.” Soundboard wrote, “Mendle’s playing is a  wonder.” 

As a teacher, Jon is a faculty member at Pacific Union College in Angwin, Calif., the San  Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College division, and maintains studios throughout the Bay  Area.  

Jon completed his Master’s and Professional Studies degrees at the San Francisco Conservatory  under the tutelage of Sergio Assad and Judicael Perroy, respectively. While at the Conservatory,  Jon also studied lutes and early guitars with Richard Savino. He continues to take lute lessons  with players such as Nigel North, Ronn McFarlane, and Paul O’Dette whenever possible. Jon  also received his undergraduate degree from the San Francisco Conservatory, studying under  Lawrence Ferrara, Marc Teicholz, David Tanenbaum, and Dusan Bogdanovic.