MISTER G brings infectious joy to the communities across New York City which we serve. It has been a pleasure presenting him and witnessing the reaction to his inspiring music.
Central Park SummerStage, New York
Monique Martin Director, Family Programming Arts and Cultural Programs
MISTER G's performance at Wolf Trap Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods was absolutely fantastic! Catchy tunes, bilingual lyrics, and audience participation had parents and children singing and dancing along the whole show. MISTER G is a big-energy performer who brings the joy of language and music together.
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
Cate Bechtold
I highly recommend booking MISTER G if you are looking for a high caliber, energetic, and educational performance for a family or student audience. MISTER and MISSUS G had our young student audience engaged from the moment they stepped on stage.
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Susan Larson Senior Educator, School & Performance Programs
The family visitors thoroughly enjoyed MISTER G's lively concerts and many left not only smiling, but glowing. To see so many kids of all ages and their adults jumping, moving and dancing on stage along with the music and rhythms was gratifying. I appreciate MISTER G's warmth of spirit as well as the humor and language play in his songs and lyrics.
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
Kathleen Lomatoski, Family Programs Coordinator
I'm still in awe of what an amazing performance I witnessed on so many levels. How one person can coax such raucous sound out of an acoustic guitar and bass drum is simply beyond my comprehension. Great music mixed with big-energy dancing... isn't that every parents dream?
Symphony Space, New York
Darren Critz, Director of Performing Arts Programs
Concerts & Programs
MISTER G (Ben Gundersheimer) tours internationally, engaging audiences of all ages at a wide range of notable venues, from Lollapalooza and Central Park Summerstage to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. His dynamic, interactive, bilingual performances aim to dissolve borders and foster cross-cultural connections. Also an author, Ben has published numerous picture books with Penguin Random House based on his original songs, and incorporates readings into his multimedia performances.
Señorita Mariposa: A Bilingual, Eco-Adventure
¡A Volar!
Take flight and discover Señorita Mariposa’s mundo maravilloso as we follow her miraculous journey from Canada to Mexico. ¡A Volar!
Programs that harness MISTER G’s multi-faceted work as an artist, author and educator to impact the largest number of community members through live or virtual events.
Señorita Mariposa chronicles the extraordinary annual migration of monarch butterflies from Canada to Mexico. The dual language book aims to inspire the next generation of eco-activists and spark dialogue about butterfly habitat.
Based on Based on Ben’s original song by the same title, this lyrical lullaby celebrates the beauty of our world and the spirit of resilience in a refugee family.
"Children are the most creative and resilient drivers of social change. My work leverages the power of music to educate, inspire, and empower young people to help solve the most pressing issues of our time."
~ BEN GUNDERSHEIMER
Cross-Cultural Connections
Ben has released four bilingual Spanish/English albums, including the Latin GRAMMY Award Winning Los Animales. His albums The Mitzvah Bus and Seeds of Shalom interweave Hebrew, Yiddish, English, and Spanish. In 2019, he published his first dual-language book with Penguin Random House, Señorita Mariposa, a collaboration with Mexican illustrator, Marcos Almada Rivero.
As an educator, Ben understands the importance of multi-language acquisition, and as a world traveler, he strives to help young people connect with one another as part of a global community. Leveraging music as a common language, his multi-lingual performances aim to dissolve borders and foster cross-cultural connections.
Environmental Activism
Many of Ben’s original songs and stories are inspired by his love of the natural world. A committed environmentalist, he’s performed at the National Climate Rally and headlined multiple concerts for the activist group Moms Clean Air Force on Capitol Hill. As part of his long-standing partnership with the United States Forest Service, they have commissioned him to write songs, produce a series of virtual Earth Day events and create curricula to be used nationwide.
Ecological awareness and nature appreciation are the central themes in Ben’s albums Mundo Verde/Green World and Seeds of Shalom, as well as his picture books Señorita Mariposa and Lilah Tov Good Night.
Early Childhood Education
A graduate of Amherst College, and recipient of the first songwriting scholarship awarded by Berklee College of Music, Ben received a full fellowship for his Master of Education degree at Smith College. For his Master’s thesis, Ben created a curriculum that focuses on songwriting as a learning tool. He incorporates this approach into his performances with children, using music as a vehicle to promote literacy, and early language acquisition.
For educators, Ben offers professional development seminars, and musical keynotes to help teachers learn how to incorporate music, environmental awareness and bilingual learning in the classroom.
Moms Clean Air Force is a community of over one million parents united against air pollution to protect our children’s health. They arm members with reliable information and solutions through online resources, articles, action tools, and on-the-ground events. MCAF works across the US on national and local policy issues, through a vibrant network of 18 state-based field teams. MISTER G headlines MCAF's annual Play-in for Climate Action on Capitol Hill, with families from all 50 states.
The EcoNiños program was created in partnership with Mom's Clean Air Force and Green Latinos to celebrate grassroots organizations that address critical environmental issues in their communities while fostering youth leadership as part of the solution. The collaboration was launched at the Grow Haus, a nonprofit indoor farm in Denver dedicated to food production, education, and economic opportunity.
PJ Library is an international nonprofit that distributes free award-winning books and music that celebrate Jewish values and culture. PJ commissioned two MISTER G albums of original music which incorporate English, Hebrew, Yiddish, and Spanish lyrics. In 2020, PJ will distribute MISTER G's second picture book Lilah Tov, Good Night to tens of thousands of families around the world.
Jumpstart is a national early education non-profit organization working toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Jumpstart delivers a research-based and cost-effective program by training college students and community volunteers to work with preschool-age children in low-income neighborhoods. Jumpstart's initial collaboration with MISTER G took place at the Brooklyn Public Library, with volunteers from New York University.
"Mister G’s music blends bluegrass, Latin rhythms and folk with a storyteller’s flair.”
“With captivating Latin rhythms and melodies, the songs appeal to parents as much as their children.”
“The musical equivalent of a tasty chocolate bar infused with a spicy chili kick!”
The Global Citizen Ensemble
Founded by Gundersheimer in 2017, The Global Citizen Ensemble is an internationally acclaimed cast of musicians who have recorded and performed with Ben throughout his career. The group delivers a bold and energetic performance that immerse the audience in a polycultural soundscape, exploring musical heritage through rhythm, story, and song. The show celebrates music as the universal language - spanning ethnicities, nationalities, and geographical divisions - with the power to united people of all backgrounds through appreciation, participation, and education.
NOTE: The ensemble varies depending on region and availability.
