Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground was born of New England mandolinist Ethan Setiawan’s yearning to return to bluegrass roots. Taking time-honored traditions and imbuing them with original tunes and exceptional songwriting, Fine Ground comprises some of the finest bluegrass musicians to come out of the Northeast. At the helm is Ethan Setiawan, an accomplished mandolinist who has won both the National Mandolin Championship and the Rockygrass Mandolin Championship. Ethan Setiawan & Fine Ground plan to release their debut album in summer 2026.

Originally from Goshen, Indiana, Ethan Setiawan tried out numerous instruments before finding his way to the mandolin, making a name for himself when he won both the National Mandolin Championship and the Rockygrass Mandolin Championship. Years later, Setiawan has become a leading voice of the mandolin, his path wending its way through traditional bluegrass, to Bach partitas, and free jazz. He performs regularly with his progressive bluegrass band Fine Ground, and Scottish fusion duo Hildaland. His previous solo albums “Flux” and “Gambit” (produced by Darol Anger) were made up of original tunes drawing from all these wells, and employed a traditional full band format. On his most recent record, “Encyclopedia Mandolinnica”, he explores the many possibilities of mandolin music through duets and trios with friends, mentors, and heroes.