About Mike
Mike Christiansen is a versatile guitarist who is as comfortable playing music by The Eagles, Hendrix, Beatles, and Sting as he is playing Jobim, Bach, jazz standards and show tunes. Mike has played for audiences from New York to Hawaii. He works as a soloist, with the Brazilian group, Evening in Brazil, with the Lightwood Duo, and the band, Mirage. He has backed up artists including: Johnny Highland, Joe Diorio, Jack Peterson, Tommy Emmanuel, Glen Frey (the Eagles), Natalie Cole, and Take Six. Recently, he worked with Broadway stars Alfie Boe, Sutton Foster, Sutton Foster, Brian Stokes Mitchel, and the Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. He has performed from coast to coast doing concerts and providing background music for corporate events, restaurants, and receptions. He has recorded music for television and film, including the guitar work on the film, Surviving Picasso starring Anthony Hopkins. Mike’s sound is just as amazing live as it is on recordings. With a repertoire ranging from classic rock and pop to classical, his noticeable, but not distracting, style can please any audience and add class and comfort to any occasion.
Mike is Professor Emeritus at Utah State University where he was Professor and Director of Guitar Studies for 39 Years. His awards include: Utah State University Professor of The Year, Caine College of the Arts Professor of the Year, and a U.S. Carnegie Professor of the Year. He has been a TED speaker and has authored/co-authored over 40 guitar and ukulele instruction books and appears on hundreds of instruction videos.
Mike is currently co-owner and Director of Curriculum for Consonus Music (cmilearn.org).