The 23nd David Surette Mandolin Festival celebrates the many voices of the mandolin, a stringed instrument heard in bluegrass, old-time, classical, swing, blues, Brazilian, Italian, and Celtic music. The festival is named for its founder, New England musician David Surette. With a reputation that reached across the U.S. and beyond to Canada, England, France and Italy, Surette was admired and respected as a player, composer and teacher.
The three-day event begins with a concert at the Dance Hall in Kittery, ME on March 6, , followed by workshops on March 7 & 8 at Concord Community Music School and an evening concert on March 8 at the music school as well.
The Concord workshops will give mandolin players of every level the chance to work on their skills with world-class instructors. This year’s instructors are Glen Loper, Chris Moore, Noah Fishman, and Steve Roy.
The concerts feature not only Loper, Moore, Fishman and Roy, but also Surette family members Susie and Julianna Burke.
Because the instructor/performer lineup changes every year, repeat attendees will have a new experience each time.
About the instructors/performers:
Glen Loper is a mandolin and tenor banjo player and teacher living in Portland, Maine. Best known in the contra dance world, Glen brings his lively and exuberant playing to dances, festivals, and camps across the Northeast and beyond with bands including Stomp Rocket and Frigate. He plays Irish, New England and Quebecois tunes and styles, among others. He also is a longtime teacher at Maine Fiddle Camp, where he and David Surette taught together and annually took over the stage for “Maine Mandolin Camp.”
Chris Moore returned to his home state of Maine in 2013 to work as the Director of Music Education for 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth. He plays and teaches a variety of music styles, including traditional Shaker music, English country dance music, and bluegrass. Chris is also a songwriter whose songs have been recorded and performed by Adrienne Young, Mark Erelli, Rani Arbo, Dennis Brennan, Joe K. Walsh and others.
Noah Fishman is a performer, composer, and educator rooted in Maine. At home on a number of stringed instrument,s including mandolin, bass, and guitar, Noah is known for his instrumental creativity and fluid improvisation across folk, chamber, and jazz styles. Noah has played across the United States and Europe with his own projects and with bands like Frigg, Alisa Amador, and Mike Block Trio. He also writes music for film and television and teaches at music camps.
Steve Roy is a multi-instrumentalist who plays and teaches mandolin, bass, guitar, fiddle, and ukulele. He is fluent in a wide array of musical styles, including bluegrass, jazz, folk, jam, country, old-time, and rock. He is a member of Old Hat Stringband and has been a sideman with many national and local acts. He regularly teaches at many music camps.
Registration / Ticket Purchase:
To register for the workshops or buy tickets for the Saturday evening concert at Concord Community Music School, visit https://www.ccmusicschool.org/event/david-surette-mandolin-festival-2026/
For tickets to the Friday night kickoff concert at the Music Hall (Kittery, ME), visit their web site at https://www.thedancehallkittery.org/
About the Concord Community Music School:
Located at 23 Wall St. in Downtown Concord, the Concord Community Music School employs more than 50 faculty who teach more than a thousand students each week. Music lovers of all ages participate in individual instruction, workshops, classes, choruses, ensembles, expressive art therapy, and recitals. Financial aid is available. For more information, visit ccmusicschool.org.