Mark Plays Memorial Service
2023-10-05 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | OR
I have played at literally hundreds of weddings and memorial services over the decades. I play another one in Portland on October 5.

Mark Plays in the Neo-Natal Facility at OHSU
2023-11-17 13:00 - 14:30 | OR
Mark plays his soothing lullaby and ballad solo guitar repertoire in the neo-natal unit at OHSU hospital in Portland.

Mark's "Acoustic Guitar Summit" Trio In Concert in Ridgefield, Washington
2023-12-02 08:00 - 17:00 | Old Liberty Theater, 115 North Main, Ridgefield, WA, 98642, United States
Fingerstyle guitar virtuosos Doug Smith and Terry Robb join Mark in this annual concert at the Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield, Washington, on the mighty Columbia River, 45 minutes northwest of Portland.
What a great, historic venue this is, with a joyful, responsive audience! We always arrive just as the town square’s huge Christmas tree is lit. Happy people everywhere!

Mark & Greta HoLiDaY PaRtY!
2023-12-16 14:00 - 16:00 | American Legion Post 136, Salem, Oregon, 4774 NE Lilac Lane, Salem, OR, United States
Mark and Greta perform again for the American Legion Post 136 in Salem, Oregon. We’ve had such fun with these folks over the years!

Acoustic Guitar Summit Concertizes in Portland!
2023-12-16 20:00 - 22:00 | Artichoke Music, 2007 SE Powell Blvd., Portland, OR, 97202, United States
Mark and his longtime fingerpicking guitar buddies Terry Robb and Doug Smith play at Artichoke Music in Portland on Saturday, December 16, 8:00-10:00 p.m. To be heard and SEEN!!!

Mark's "Acoustic Guitar Summit" Concertizes -- TWO SHOWS! -- on the Oregon Coast, December 17.
2023-12-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Manzanita House Concerts, Manzanita, OR, 97130, United States
Fingerstyle guitar virtuosos Doug Smith and Terry Robb join Mark for two shows — 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. — at the Manzanita House Concert Series in Manzanita, Oregon. To attend, email Mark B at: mark @ thebalmers . net. (Delete all the spaces when emailing.)

Photo: Martin Guitar booth at the NAMM show in ’20. We won’t be playing these guitars… although a Martin will be onstage!

Mark Plays for Premies at a Portland Hospital
2024-01-19 12:30 - 13:30 | Portland Hospital, Portland
Mark plays his monthly gig for the premature babies at the Portland hospital. They are so small their eyes don’t focus yet, but they turn their heads towards the music! VERY gentle music!

Mark & Greta In Concert in Sacramento!
2024-02-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Side Door, 2900 4th Ave., Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
Mark Hanson and Greta Pedersen bring their high-spirited, fun program of hotshot guitar, uke, and soaring vocals to John Green’s SIDE DOOR venue in Sacramento, California. It’s the first stop on their weekend swing through Central California.

Mark & Greta in Concert in Berkeley, California!
2024-02-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Timbre Folk & Baroque, 801 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA, 94710, United States
On Saturday evening, February 3, 2024, Mark Hanson and Greta Pedersen bring their high-spirited, fun program of hotshot guitar, uke, and soaring vocals to Mark Wahlstrom’s intriguing TIMBRE, FOLK and BAROQUE shop in Berkeley, California. Please attend, as the music will be great, and Mr. Wahlstrom’s wonderfully eclectic collection of instruments is fascinating… and for sale! It’s the second stop on Mark and Greta’s weekend swing through Central California. Famed fingerstylist/music journalist/Peghead Nation founder TEJA GERKEN opens. Perhaps some trios will end the evening! nation

Mark and Greta Join Fred Cummins at Foothills Congregational Church
2024-02-04 10:00 - 23:00 | Foothills Congregational Church, 461 Orange Avenue, Los Altos, United States
Mark Hanson & Greta Pedersen join old friend Fred Cummins at Foothills Congregational Church for the service Sunday morning, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m.

Mark & Greta in Concert in Los Altos, California!
2024-02-04 14:00 - 15:30 | Foothills Congregational Church, 461 Orange Avenue, Los Altos, United States
On February 4, 2024, Mark Hanson and Greta Pedersen bring their high-spirited, fun program of hotshot guitar, uke, and soaring vocals to Foothills Congregational Church in Los Altos, California. It’s the final stop on their concert swing through Central California. Free Will Donation.

Mark & Greta Perform at Artichoke Music in Portland!
2024-02-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Artichoke Music, 2007 SE Powell Blvd., Portland, OR, 97202, United States
Mark and Greta bring their fun and scintillating show to the venerable Portland, Ore., venue Artichoke Music. It’s a great, relative small listening room for intimate concerts. We’ll have fun!

Annual House Concert (& Workshop) in Wenatchee, Washington!
2024-03-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Casa Wicheta/Allan, bwicheta @ nwi.net, Wenatchee, WA, 98801, United States
Greta and I travel to Wenatchee, Washington, in the majestic Cascade Mountain range for our annual Wenatchee house concert. Reservations are filling up quickly, but to query the hosts about attending, email Bill at bwicheta @ nwi.net (eliminate the spaces when emailing). I will teach a 90-minute guitar workshop beforehand at 4:00 p.m.

Mark in His Hometown of Rochester, Minnesota
2024-04-08 18:00 - 21:00 | OR
Mark visits his hometown of Rochester, Minnesota, to be inducted into the Rochester Quarterbacks Club Athletic Hall of Fame (!). Mark’s high school basketball team won the Minnesota State Championship his senior year. Quite an honor for a long-ago success!
To read the newspaper lead-up article use this Rochester Post-Bulletin newspaper url:
https://www.postbulletin.com/sports/mark-hanson-headlines-rochester-qb-club-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024

Mark Performs with Stanford Mendicants at Reunion 2024
2024-04-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Mendicants, Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford, CA, 97035, United States
Mark joins his college vocal group cohorts — the Mendicants — at the 60th anniversary reunion concert on the Stanford University campus. A public concert, featuring ensembles from all six decades, highlights the event. The original a Capella group on campus (we corrupted the group with guitar music in the ’70s “wooden music” era!), the Mendicants continues to this day and has performed for presidents and around the globe. To hear our 1972 group click on this link:
1972 group live concert
To attend the reunion concert, click on the Mendicants link:
Mendicants 60th Reunion.

Mark Plays for the NeoNatal Unit
2024-04-26 12:30 - 13:30, 2024-05-10 12:30 - 13:30 | OR
Mark continues his appearances at Portland’s hospitals-on-the-hill to play for the preemies, their parents, nurses and volunteers. It is heart-warming to watch how these tiny people, who largely cannot yet see, turn their heads towards the music — all gentle, quiet, slow and loving. Good for the soul.

Performances and Workshop at La Conner Luthier Fest, May 17-19
2024-05-17 - 2024-05-19 | La Conner, La Conner, WA, United States
Once again Mark attends the annual La Conner Luthier Fest in La Conner, Washington, in May 17-19 as a performer, demo artist and workshop instructor. Lots going on in those three days! Mark will demo beautiful guitars from six talented luthiers: John Kinnaird, James White, Kathy Wingert, Tim Reede, Jay de Rocher and Luca Canteri. The workshop topic is “The Essence of Smooth Fingerpicking” with a concentration of timing, tone production and musicality — part of what makes Mark’s playing so beautiful. Vocalist Greta Pedersen will join Mark for a full concert if she has recovered fully from her March surgery. To register, and for specific schedules, see:
La Conner Luthier Festival

Acoustic Guitar Summit Concertizes Just Outside Portland, Oregon
2024-08-03 15:00 - 17:00 | The “Heider” Hill, 42919 SE PAGH RD, Sandy, OR, 97055, United States
Mark and his virtuoso fingerstyle buddies Terry Robb and Doug Smith concertize in a public concert in the beautiful forested lands east of Portland.
The particulars:
Saturday August 3, 2024
3:00 to 5:00 –– gate opens at 2:30
$20 Free-Will Donation
Bring chairs, a snack and beverage of choice, sit back and enjoy the music!
Address:
42919 SE PAGH RD
SANDY, OREGON 97055 (approximately 7.5 miles east of Sandy)
Please R.S.V.P
Dianne:
Cell 503-913-7167
Home 503-826-0428
Email diheider106@aol.com

Pre-Concert Guitar Workshop in Hillsboro, Oregon!
2024-09-27 15:30 - 17:00 | Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 East Main Street, Hillsboro, CA, United States
Acoustic Guitar Summit — Mark Hanson, Doug Smith and Terry Robb — present a hands-on fingerstyle guitar workshop at Walters Cultural Art Center in Hillsboro, Oregon, on September 27 from 3:30-5:00. p.m. It precedes their concert in the same venue that evening, which starts at 7:30 p.m.
These three award-winning masters share their insights into tone production, technique, interpretation, smoothness and speed. TAB will be handed out for you to develop your skills and repertoire afterwards. Great fun will be had by all!
Register here:
Workshop Registration

Acoustic Guitar Summit at Walters in Hillsboro, Oregon!
2024-09-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 East Main Street, Hillsboro, CA, United States
T
Acoustic Guitar Summit — Mark, Terry Robb & Doug Smith — once again bring their scintillating trio sound to the beautiful Walters Cultural Art Center in Hillsboro, Oregon, on Friday, September 27, 2024.
These shows regularly sell out so get your tickets in advance! There will be a 90-minute guitar workshop in the late afternoon as well!
Here is the link for concert tickets:
https://cityofhillsboro.ticketspice.com/acoustic-guitar-summit-2024.

Acoustic Guitar Summit at Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield, Washington
2024-12-07 20:00 - 22:00 | Old Liberty Theater, 115 North Main, Ridgefield, WA, 98642, United States
Mark and his virtuoso fingerstyle buddies Terry Robb and Doug Smith present their annual December concert at the Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield, Washington, along the mighty Columbia River. 8 p.m on Saturday, December 7.

Acoustic Guitar Summit Holiday Concert in Portland
2024-12-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Reedwood Friends (Quaker) Church, 2901 SE Steel Street, Portland, OR, 97207-, United States
Mark and his virtuoso fingerstyle guitar buddies Terry Robb and Doug Smith present this year’s holiday concert on Saturday, December 14, at Redwood Friends (Quaker) Church in Portland. Location: 2901 SE Steel Street, Portland, Oregon, 97202.

Mark & Greta Perform and Lead Caroling Party
2024-12-21 15:00 - 17:00 | OR
One of the varied experiences in our musical careers has been leading caroling parties. We did it last weekend and do it again this Saturday, Dec 21, at a private gathering in Oregon City, across the Willamette River from our home. We mix it up with sacred and secular, including a rousing vocal harmony/scat version of “Jingle Bell Rock” and Greta’s ecumenical songs “Holiday Time” and “Kwanzaa is Here.” To hear a sample and to download the audio of her two songs, visit Songs For Teaching: https://www.songsforteaching.com/store/greta-pedersen-c-1047.html

Mark & Greta Concertize Again in Central Washington State!
2025-03-01 19:30 - 21:30 | Casa Wicheta/Allan, bwicheta @ nwi.net, Wenatchee, WA, 98801, United States
We visit Casa Wichita-Allen again for our annual house concert in Wenatchee, Washington, a lovely town on the upper Columbia River, not far from the famed Bavarian-styled village of Leavenworth. (When we visit there we adopt our disguise of ‘Hanson & Greta’!) This is in the midst of the majestic Cascade Mountain range, with the Columbia River gaining strength as it travels south from its source in British Columbia, Canada.

Mark & Greta Concertize in Sacramento, California
2025-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | The Side Door, 2900 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95818, United States
We travel to Californian in late March for gigs in Sacramento and Los Altos.
Sacramento: The Side Door, 2900 Franklin Blvd.
Thursday the 27th at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: TheSideDoor.net

Mark & Greta in Los Altos, California
2025-03-30 10:00 - 11:30 | Foothills Congregational Church, 461 Orange Avenue, Los Altos, United States
We sing and play for old musical compatriot Fred Cummins in Los Altos, Calif., Sunday morning, March 30.

Mark & Greta Concertize in Massachusetts in April!
2025-04-27 11:00 - 12:00 | Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center, MA, United States
Mark & Greta concertize again at Marlborough, Massachusetts’ NEFFA folk arts convention. We play Sunday morning, April 27, at 11:00 a.m. This is a great assembly of hundreds of folk artists — musicians, dancers, in dress of wild and varied types. Great fun!

Concert, Demos & Workshop at La Conner Guitar Festival in May!
2025-05-16 - 2025-05-18 | La Conner, La Conner, WA, United States
Mark is busy again this year at Brent McElroy’s La Conner Guitar Festival, an hour north of Seattle. Mark & Greta will give their annual concert, Mark teaches a workshop and demos for several topnotch luthiers who are displaying at the show. Come see us, and put your hands on some custom-built guitars! This is a guitar player’s heaven on earth!
See the Festival calendar for exact times and locations around town.

Mark & Greta Concertize at Reustle Vineyard in Southern Oregon
2025-07-05 12:30 - 15:30 | Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyard, 7612 Oak Hill Rd, Roseburg, OR, 97471, United States
We travel to Sutherlin, Oregon (not far from Ashland, famed for its all-year Shakespeare Festival), to perform at the beautiful Reustle Vineyard. It is an outdoor setting (it rains a lot in Oregon, but not on the 5th of July!), serving as the gateway to the magnificent Umpqua Valley. The published address is actually Roseburg, the town just south of Sutherlin on I-5.
