Episode Notes

**Did you know you can support my podcast for as little as $1 a month? You can do that by heading over to my Patreon HERE!!

Well, this week is a special one! My guests are Mike Guggino, Sheri Mignano Crawford, and Nino Vicari.

They have recently collaborated on a new collection of Giovanni Vicari’s compositions titled “Dances for Mandolin” available HERE!

SONOMA, CALIF. — Giovanni Vicari: Dances for Mandolin is a new publication celebrating the artistry and legacy of Italian mandolin virtuoso Giovanni Vicari, now available to the global mandolin community. This thoughtfully curated collection features 53 of Vicari's original compositions, meticulously transcribed and edited by mandolinist Mike Guggino of the Grammy Award winning Steep Canyon Rangers and renowned author and educator Sheri Mignano Crawford.

Drawing from Vicari's own handwritten scores generously provided by his son, Nino, this project represents a significant effort to preserve and share this music with contemporary audiences. Known for his expressive phrasing, technical brilliance, and lyrical sensibility, Giovanni Vicari's work occupies a unique and important place in the evolution of the mandolin.

Mignano Crawford and Guggino approached the material with a deep respect for authenticity, striving to remain faithful to Vicari's original manuscripts while making the pieces accessible to today's players. The result is a collection that balances historical integrity with practical usability, offering clear, accurate transcriptions that invite both study and performance. From elegant, song-like melodies to virtuosic showpieces, these polkas, waltzes, mazurkas, tarantellas, and tangos highlight the depth and diversity of Vicari's compositional output.

Guggino states: "We were already lucky enough to have so many of Giovanni Vicari's compositions recorded for posterity. Now with this published collection of the original scores, his music can be more easily studied and shared by mandolin players all around the world. This music speaks for itself. Our goal was to present Vicari's intentions as clearly as possible, allowing mandolinists to connect directly with his artistry."

The Giovanni Vicari collection is now available and is expected to become an essential addition to mandolin libraries worldwide.

Here are links to more info about my guests:

Mike Guggino

Sheri Mignano Crawford

Link to Godfather of Strings Vol.1 available at Acoustic Disc

Songs featured in this episode:

“La Bohmeme” by Giovanni Vicari Godfather of the Strings Vol. 1

“Tarantella Napoletana” by Mike Guggino and Barrett Smith (Mia Dolce Farfalla)

“Mio Dulce Sogno” by Butch Baldassari (To Rome with Love OMPS)

As Always a HUGE thank you to all of my sponsor’s that make this podcast possible each week!

Mandolin Cafe

Peghead Nation promo code mandolinbeer