During the performance, Zenkl will play original music crossing the tracks of folk, bluegrass, jazz, new age, flamenco, gypsy, Irish, and classical music, combined with Czech and eastern European traditional songs and instrumentals. Along the way, he will talk about the specific woods used in the construction of his instruments, as well as his original “Zenkl style” technique, in which a single mandolin sounds like two. 

Event Details:

Date/Time: Friday, September 29, 2017, 6:30-8:30 pm

Location: U.S. Botanic Garden - Conservatory Garden Court
100 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20001      

Admission: Free, pre-registration required, visit www.USBG.gov/Programs

Biography      
Radim Zenkl studied dendrology and botany at the University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, with a particular interest in the trees of Eastern Europe. Furthermore, he is an accomplished musician, composer, and instructor. His style features bluegrass, jazz, flamenco, classical, Eastern European traditional and original music. As the U.S. Mandolin Champion, his style remains at the cutting edge of the mandolin's future. He has invented a masterful technique, the "Zenkl style," in which a single mandolin sounds like two. According to David Grisman, "Zenkl has re-invented the mandolin in several different ways." Besides collaborating with top musicians of the acoustic music scene, he has recorded eight solo CDs (released on Acoustic Disc, Shanachie and Ventana) and has appeared on more than sixty other recordings. His worldwide performing and teaching credentials include guest appearances at prestigious music institutions such as the Berklee College of Music in Boston and Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. Originally from the Czech Republic, Zenkl has resided in California since 1989. For more information, please visit www.zenkl.com.