Guitar Faculty

Jon Mendle has toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble and made his Carnegie Hall debut while still a student at the age of 19. He received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Professional Studies degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where his guitar teachers included Judicael Perroy and Sergio Assad, while studying lute and historical guitars with Richard Savino. Jon has also had lute lessons with Nigel North, Ronn McFarlane and Paul O’Dette. His first album, entitled L’infidele, was produced by his teacher, Latin Grammy winner Sergio Assad. Soundboard magazine called L’infidele “a beautiful disc,” adding “Mendle’s playing is a wonder.” Recently, Jon was awarded second prize in the 2021 Concorso di Musica Antica “Maurizio Pratola” international lute competition in L’Aquila, Italy.

Jon performs on a variety of instruments, including 19th century guitar, Renaissance and baroque lutes, vihuela and theorbo. When away from his arsenal of plucked instruments, he enjoys hiking in the beautiful California redwoods and attempting to pull the perfect espresso shot.