Ethan Setiawan: The Mandolin Genius Breaking All the Rules

From Goshen, Indiana, to the national stage, Ethan Setiawan has established himself as one of the most formidable and versatile mandolinists of his generation. A two-time champion—winning both the National Mandolin Championship and the Rockygrass Mandolin Championship—he honed his craft at Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship. His playing moves fluidly from traditional bluegrass to Bach, free jazz, and beyond, with original albums like Flux, Gambit, and the collaborative Encyclopedia Mandolinnica, plus work with Fine Ground and the Scottish-fusion duo Hildaland. Praised as creative, virtuosic, and a leading voice on the instrument, Setiawan joins us now to talk about his musical path, new music, and the evolving sound of the mandolin.