Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra
Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra
Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra in 2017
The Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra (MMO) traces its origins to 1900, and at 125 years old, it’s outlived every local jazz orchestra and rock band and even makes the Florentine Opera look like newcomers.
Nowadays, the mandolin is associated with that hazily drawn genre called Americana. In 1900, it was Italian and other European immigrants who brought the instrument to the fore through mandolin orchestras that sprang up in many American cities. Their repertoire was the pop music of that era, back when middle-class homes were furnished with pianos and families gathered around for tunes played from sheet music.
According to MMO’s board president Fred Pike, the orchestra survived in part from the dedication of long-lived members. He cites two examples, Jake Skopir and Ewald Timm, who joined shortly after World War II. “They were with the MMO for some 60 years, and for a while the MMO rehearsed in Jake’s basement. (Lisa Lyons, who is a member of the MMO and is Jake’s daughter, remembers those rehearsals, though she was just a little girl.),” Pike says. “Another dedicated member, Paul Ruppa, joined in the ‘80s, and helped move the orchestra in a more professional direction, getting gigs on ‘Prairie Home Companion’ and with guest artists like Mike Marshall.”
A mere 10 years ago, Rene Izquierdo joined as music director. “Holy cow, what a gift he's been to the orchestra,” Pike continues.” A world-class classical guitarist and teacher who concertizes around the world, he's brought passion, nuance and (some!) precision to our playing.”
The MMO’s repertoire is wide and includes Vivaldi and others from the classical canon as well as newer pieces. However, “while we play a variety of music, our specialty is the music of the golden age of the American mandolin orchestras. Basically, it’s fun, interesting music,” Pike says.
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Currently, MMO has around 25 regular members with rehearsals every Monday night. “We are always looking for new members, on either mandolin, mandola, mandocello, guitar or acoustic bass. There’s no formal audition process,” Pike says. “We invite people to come to three rehearsals and either listen or join in. At that point, they may join the orchestra.”
Aside from touring Wisconsin, the MMO played Japan in 2019 and Italy in 2022 for the inaugural Venice Mandolin Festival. “In 2023 we played with two different mandolin orchestras in Austria,” Pike says. “We are planning a trip to Germany in 2026 and possibly another trip to Italy in 2027. Plus, it’s Rene’s dream to have us play at Carnegie Hall. We have some ambitious plans!”
In the near future, MMO will perform a pair of joint concerts in Milwaukee with a young German mandolin orchestra, the Jugendzupforchester Baden-Wurttemberg. The shows are scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 at Best Place and 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24 at Fox Point Lutheran Church. Tickets can be purchased by visiting milwaukeemandolinorchestra.org or at the doors.
