Mandolinists Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg will perform a free concert at St. Paul’s following a three-day mandolin retreat and workshop. (Courtesy photo)

Acclaimed mandolinists Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg have come all the way from Germany to instruct people in Benicia on how to play the plucked string instrument. It will all culminate in a free concert at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Sunday.

This is the third time Marshall and Lichtenberg have come to Benicia to host a three-day workshop with Peppino D’Agostino, a world-renowned acoustic guitarist and Benicia resident. The mandolin is widely popular in European classical music and has also made its way into popular music, most notably songs like Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” and R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” D’Agostino, who was born in Sicily, says the instrument is “a trademark of Italy.”

“In Italy, there’s a very rich tradition of mandolin music,” he said. “They even had mandolin orchestras in the beginning of the 18th century. ”

Additionally, D’Agostino is friends with Lichtenberg and Marshall, who have played on some of his records. The two mandolinists, who are married to each other, are considered virtuosos of the instrument. Marshall began playing the instrument at a young age and performed at Carnegie Hall at the age of 20 with exalted jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli as a member of the David Grisman Quartet, led by the namesake bluegrass mandolinist. Marshall would go on to tour with the likes of Bela Fleck, Mark O’Connor, Darol Anger and Tony Rice. He was also a member of the American bluegrass supergroup Psychograss.

Marshall is married to Lichtenberg, a renowned classical mandolinist and full-time mandolin professor at the Cologne Music Conservatory in Germany.

Donna Wapner, D’Agostino’s wife, said Marshall and Lichtenberg play a wide variety of genres with the mandolin between the two of them. Lichtenberg is largely trained in classical, and Marshall plays everything from jazz to Brazillian to bluegrass. The two split their time between Germany and the Bay Area.

Wapner said she and D’Agostino, along with colleagues from Scotland, host a few music workshops in Benicia each year. D’Agostino often hosts acoustic guitar seminars with fellow musicians like Scottish jazz guitarist Mark Taylor and American jazz guitarist Adam Rafferty.

“All of these people are internationally acclaimed musicians that Peppino knows or has worked in the past,” Wapner said. “He is either co-teaching with them, or he is hosting them.”

For this weekend’s mandolin workshop, D’Agostino and Wapner are hosting Marshall and Lichtenberg as they teach techniques to students. Wapner said the workshops always bring people from outside Benicia.

“They stay in the local hotels, and we eat our meals on First Street,” she said. “They get about 16 hours of instruction in a relaxing environment, also get to play and jam together.”

Space for the workshop is closed, but fret not! A free concert will be held Sunday at St. Paul’s, featuring performances by Marshall, Lichtenberg and all the students. D’Agostino will host the event.

“The atmosphere is very relaxed and joyous,” D’Agostino said. “It’s not like a strict conservatory. It’s very loose and relaxed and friendly. The whole thing is about learning really well from professional musicians and having fun.”

The Global Mandolin Concert will be held at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at St. Paul’s, located at 120 East J St. The event is free, but donations are accepted. For more information, call the church at 745-0307.

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