Welcome to my bio page. I was born in California, and lived the greater part of my younger life as a military child. I was saved in Michigan at twelve, and Christian music became important to me around the time I was an older teenager. It had a great influence on the music I played for years afterward. I have retained a collection of those styles in my playing today, although they have matured somewhat. I don't apologize for any of the techniques, styles, or ways that I view music, because I feel my music is as individual as my own relationship to God. I do, however, accept constructive criticism, so feel free to email me if you have suggestions. If you have been playing mandolin yourself, you may have a better rendering for a song than I do, and I would like to hear it. Keep in mind that this website does not have a secular agenda, so you will not see some of your favorite mandolin tunes here (like "Salty Dog"), but you will see a lot of hymns. Also bear with me as I play, for each day I get better at mandolin techniques. Since I am mostly self-taught, I may have some different ways to play. I do not claim to be a master mandolin player.

So why did I create The Christian Mandolin Website? My main focus is about playing the Mandolin for worship. In fact, I play guitar, autoharp, banjo, violin, and mandolin. Backup and other instrumentals found within this website are generally played by me as a track recordings, mixing the mandolin in last, especially in the videos. The reason behind this is that the Mandolin (in this site, at least) is the lead or solo instrument. I have been looking for good Christian mandolin tablature for a very long time. It just doesn't exist. If it does exist, it is obscure and hard to find. Yet, in many churches, especially in the South of the United States, mandolins are played for worship service more every day. The fact is, the mandolin is an exceptionally beautiful sounding instrument, and since it is merely made of wood, bone, metal, glue, and plastic, it is only what its master makes of it. If you would like see my resume, among other personal data, please visit http://www.underpressurefineart.com/, and enjoy some artwork as well.

Presently, I work as an adjunct instructor at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Lakewood, Colorado. I am the printmaking instructor there for Art Education, and I teach drawing, design, and digital imagery for the Foundations Department. Lithography is my strength artistically, as you will see if you visit the UnderPressure Fine Art Website. I have yet another site for music, which is a mix of all kinds of music, found at http://www.redrockramblermusic.com/. Feel free to visit that site if you wish. Besides the music, I enjoy the company of my family. My husband, Paul, encourages me to play and perform, and gives me chances to do that through a ministry in Denver. My mom, Lona Lasal, provides me with the heritage to distinquish good music from bad music. My dogs (Gizmo and Angel) love me for myself and expect nothing else. They are musical, though, as they dance the "welcome home" dance when I have been gone and return to the house. Colorado is a beautiful place and I enjoy the weather and blue skies, even with the snow.

Thanks for visiting my bio page, and I hope that you at least get something from this website to help you play more mandolin. If you are playing mandolin in a spiritual setting because of the encouragement and aids from this site, then I have done my job and fulfilled the calling I feel God has for me in building The Christian Mandolin Website. Don't forget that if you have learned to do something useful, then God expects you to teach someone else. The Bible tells us to go forth and spread the message - we musicians have a special gift to give to others, both in playing and nuturing other musicians and singers. Don't let it stop with you, keep the music going for the glory of God - and play that Mandolin 'til your fingers hurt and your heart is full!

Respectfully,

Marcia Phillips Sanders