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Sharon Isbin

 
Stupendous, faultless, finer even than Segovia.
  American Record Guide
 
 
The high priestess of the guitar.
  Star Tribune (Minneapolis)


Music

Music   |   CD Notes

Order Sharon Isbin’s albums online from Amazon or your favorite online music store, or purchase them at your local record store.
 
Sharon Sitting with Guitar
 
NEW RELEASE (May 22, 2020)
AFFINITY
World Premiere Recordings

ZOHO Music ZM 202005
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Guests
Maryland Symphony
      Elizabeth Schulze
Isabel Leonard, voice
Colin Davin, guitar

 
Sharon Isbin - Affinity
Cover photo: J Henry Fair
 
Learn more HERE
 
WATCH VIDEO
 
“On this historic release, Sharon Isbin performs multi-faceted and virtuosic works written for her by leading composers from three continents. From the Africa-influenced El Decameron Negro by iconic Cuban guitarist/composer Leo Brouwer, through the Chinese and Spanish-inspired Seven Desires for Guitar by Tan Dun, to Richard Danielpour’s sensual song cycle Of Love and Longing and the jazz and world music-influenced Affinity: Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra by Chris Brubeck: Sharon Isbin gives her inimitable imprint to, and vastly enriches major new repertoire for guitar.” —Kabir Sehgal
 
Chris Brubeck
      Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra
      Isbin/MSO/Schulze
Leo Brouwer
      El Decameron Negro
      Isbin
Antonio Lauro / arr. Colin Davin
      Waltz #3 Natalia (for 2 guitars)
      Isbin/Davin
Tan Dun
      Seven Desires for Guitar
      Isbin
Richard Danielpour
      Of Love and Longing
      Isbin & Leonard
 
All works written for S. Isbin
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
 
NEW RELEASE (May 22, 2020)
STRINGS FOR PEACE
Premieres for Guitar & Sarod

ZOHO Music ZM 202004
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Amjad Ali Khan, sarod
Amaan Ali Bangash, sarod
Ayaan Ali Bangash, sarod
Amit Kavthekar, tabla

 
Sharon Isbin - Strings for Peace
Cover photo: Suvo Das
 
Learn more HERE
 
WATCH VIDEO
with Audio Excerpts

 
WATCH VIDEO
with Artist Interviews

 
“On this groundbreaking release, multiple GRAMMY winner Sharon Isbin explores the richness of North Indian classical music with the legendary Amjad Ali Khan, representing the sixth generation of a family of sarod masters. Khan has also been guru to his brilliant sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash also featured on this recording. Recorded in New York following a successful joint 2019 tour in India, Strings for Peace features four Khan compositions based on popular ragas specifically written and arranged for Sharon Isbin.” —Kabir Sehgal
 
By the Moon - Raga Behag
 
Love Avalanche - Raga Mishra Bhairav
 
Romancing Earth - Raga Pilu
 
Sacred Evening - Raga Yaman
 
All compositions by Amjad Ali Khan. All tracks arranged for guitar & sarod by Kyle Paul with fingering by Sharon Isbin

“The power of their performance rocked the hall!”
  Times of India
“A first of its kind truly spectacular international music experience!”
  The Asian Age
“Absolutely stunning, with all five musicians leaving the audiences enthralled.”
  Hindustan Times
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
 
Sharon Isbin & Pacifica Quartet: Souvenirs of Spain & Italy
Cedille Records CDR 90000 190
 
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at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin & Pacifica Quartet: Souvenirs of Spain & Italy

HEAR PODCAST
WATCH VIDEO 1
WATCH VIDEO 2
LISTEN TO SAMPLES
 
NEW RELEASE: Grammy winners Sharon Isbin and the Pacifica Quartet team up for their first album together in music by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Vivaldi, Turina and Boccherini. “A wonderful recording” (Third Coast Review), “beautiful disc” (WBAI-FM NYC), “Exquisite sonorities ... mesmerizing” (Santiva Chronicle). Tedesco’s Quintet is a seldom-heard gem demanding virtuosity from every player, and Vivaldi’s slow movement features “the beauty of Isbin’s gentle, improvised embellishments.” The celebrated Fandango of Boccherini’s festive Quintet is “a vigorous Spanish dance in which the guitar moves easily between refined detailing and hard-strumming flamenco effects” (Allan Kozinn).
Cover photo: Austin Ward

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
      Quintet for Guitar and String Quartet, Op. 143 (23:45)
Antonio Vivaldi, Arr. Emilio Pujol/Ed. Sharon Isbin
      Concerto in D Major, RV 93 (11:02)
Joaquín Turina
      La oración del torero for string quartet, Op. 34 (7:56)
Luigi Boccherini
      Quintet for Guitar and String Quartet in D Major, G. 448 (18:30)
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
 
GRAMMY WINNER 2018
Producer of the Year, Classical
for David Frost

Alma Española
Isabel Leonard & Sharon Isbin

Bridge Records 9491
 
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at Amazon.com
 
Alma Española: Isabel Leonard & Sharon Isbin

WATCH VIDEO
 
Multiple GRAMMY Award winners Sharon Isbin and Argentinian-American Isabel Leonard team up for the first Spanish art song recording of its kind in over 40 years, including twelve world premiere arrangements by Isbin. Duos for voice and guitar, and guitar solos are heard in performances that evoke the rich and magnificent tradition of Spain. The collaboration of Leonard and Isbin brings together one of today’s brightest vocal stars, heard on the stages of the Metropolitan, Vienna State and Paris Operas, with Isbin who is acclaimed as ‘the pre-eminent guitarist of our time’.
Cover photo: J Henry Fair

Canciones españolas antiguas by Federico García Lorca / arr. Isbin*
El café de Chinitas, Las morillas de Jaén, Anda, jaleo, Romance de Don Boyso, Zorongo, Nana de Sevilla, La Tarara, Los mozos de Monleón, Sevillanas del siglo XVIII
Leonard & Isbin

Danza española No. 5 (Andaluza) by Enrique Granados / trans. Llobet
Isbin
Aranjuez ma pensée by Joaquín Rodrigo
Granada by Agustín Lara / arr. Isbin*
Leonard & Isbin
Capricho árabe by Francisco Tárrega
Isbin
Siete canciones populares españolas by Manuel de Falla
      trans. Llobet / rev. Pujol / rev. Isbin
Cinco canciones negras by Xavier Montsalvatge / arr. Isbin*
Canto negro, Canción de cuna para dormir a un negrito
Leonard & Isbin

*World Premiere Recordings

“Feasts of beautifully sculpted phrases ... glimpses of heaven”
  Philadelphia Enquirer

“Soulful depth ... dramatic flair and contrast”
  New York Times

“Impassioned performance ... captivating sense of drama”
  Washington Post
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
 
As Seen on Public Television!
Winner 2015 ASCAP Deems
Taylor TV Broadcast Award

Sharon Isbin: Troubadour

Documentary & Performances
1hr30 minutes

DVD: Video Artists International 4580
Blu-ray: Video Artists International BD8202

 
Stream, Rent & Download Online at Amazon.com
FREE with Amazon Prime
 
Order Blu-ray at Amazon.com
 
Order DVD at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin: Troubadour
 
Watch Trailer
Visit Troubadour Website
 
An hour-long documentary of Sharon Isbin’s life and career seen by millions through American Public Television’s broadcast on PBS stations throughout the U.S., with additional full-length performances and extra scenes on the DVD & Blu-ray, as well as the online Stream, Rental and Download. The film, produced by Susan Dangel, explores Isbin’s inspiring journey with performances from international concert stages, the GRAMMY Awards, and the White House. Guests include Joan Baez, John Corigliano, Christopher Rouse, Tan Dun, Joan Tower, Steve Vai, Stanley Jordan, Mark O'Connor and Janis Ian, as well as commentary from First Lady Michelle Obama, Martina Navratilova, David Hyde Pierce and Garrison Keillor. The film showcases Isbin’s teaching at the Aspen Music Festival, and at The Juilliard School where she is the guitar department’s founding director.

“A wonderful piece that artfully shares this artist’s passion for musical creation and exploration ... Fantastic!”
  Guitar World

“Isbin has been a trailblazer both for female musicians and for the guitar’s place in the classical music world.”
  New York Times

“Winning documentary ... a testament to Isbin’s curiosity, imagination and mesmerizing command.”
  Gramophone

“The most important, beautiful, memorable, moving documentary about a musician and her mission EVER made!”
  Murry Sidlin, Conductor

“A loving, thoughtful and richly photographed documentary portrait of the world’s most eminent classical guitarist.”
  Michael Anthony, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

“A look inside a life as rich, as dazzling, as engaging and as playful as the subject’s acclaimed artistry.”
  Steve Hochman, music journalist, Los Angeles Times

“Like Isbin’s playing, the documentary and its editing flow effortlessly. A remarkable life and the wealth of cameos make this a delightful portrait.”
  Boston Musical Intelligencer
Bach for Guitar: Lute Suites
Warner Classics / Erato 8-2564617518-5
 
Order Stream Online
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
J.S. Bach: Complete Lute Suites cover
1006a in E Major, Prelude   PLAY (wav) 23 sec 
 
Suite BWV 1006a in E major
Suite BWV 995 in G minor
Suite BWV 996 in E minor
Suite BWV 997 in C minor
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar

 
“Critics’ Choice Recording of the Year”
  Gramophone

“Best Recording of the Year”
  CD Review

“An interpretive masterpiece”
  CD Review

“Isbin’s playing is marked by such textural clarity, such rhythmic vibrancy and attention to musical detail, that the only thing to do is marvel.”
  San Francisco Chronicle
 
Sharon Isbin
5 Classic Albums

(Box set)

Warner Classics 2564-62436-4
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin - 5 Classic Albums (Box set)


Ruiz-Pipo, Danza


Thiago de Mello, Pixinga


Rodrigo, Allegro con spirito


Vivaldi, Largo


Tan Dun, Andante agitato
 
This 5-CD box set features concerti by Rodrigo & Villa-Lobos performed with the New York Philharmonic, perennial Baroque favorites by Bach & Vivaldi, Latin American music with organic Brazilian percussion & saxophonist Paul Winter, plus two GRAMMY Award-winning discs: concerti by Christopher Rouse & Tan Dun (written for Isbin), and her folk-inspired solo disc Dreams of a World.

EDITOR’S CHOICE: “A magnificent new recording ... Superbly played, brilliantly executed, precise orchestral balance ... a marvelous achievement.”
  Gramophone

“[Isbin] deserves a Nobel for this recording of two terrific new guitar concertos, written for her and played with gripping persuasiveness.”
  Los Angeles Times

“Sharon Isbin—a true sorceress ... incomparable master of the guitar”
  Antonio Carlos Jobim

“Incredible breadth of tone color, shaping of phrases, and expressive depth ... consummate lyricism”
  American Record Guide

“Emotional expressiveness and stunning virtuosity”
  Guitar Player
 
Sharon Isbin & Friends:
Guitar Passions

Sony Classical 88697-84219-2
 
Guests
Steve Vai, guitar
Stanley Jordan, guitar
Nancy Wilson (Heart), guitar/vocals
Steve Morse, guitar
Romero Lubambo, guitar
Paul Winter, soprano saxophone
Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, organic percussion
Rosa Passos, vocals

 
Order MP3 & Stream Online
at Amazon.com
 
Order CD Online
at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin & Friends: Guitar Passions


Porro, Isbin


Sonidos de aquel dia, Jordan/Isbin


Adagio, Isbin/Lubambo


Adagio, Morse/Lubambo/Isbin


Allegro, Vai/Isbin


Dreamboat Annie, Wilson/Isbin


Carinhoso, Passos/Thiago de Mello/Isbin


O Presidente,
Winter/Thiago de Mello/Isbin


Read CD Notes for more info.
 
WATCH VIDEO   The Making of Guitar Passions
 
WATCH VIDEO   Sharon Isbin Performs Asturias

Porro, Gentil Montaña/arr. Gustavo Colina - Isbin
Sonidos de aquel dia, Quique Sinesi/arr. Stanley Jordan -
      Isbin & Jordan
‘Adagio’ from Concierto de Aranjuez, Joaquin Rodrigo/arr.
      Laurindo Almeida - Isbin, Steve Morse, Romero Lubambo
Asturias, Isaac Albéniz/Transcribed by Andrés Segovia - Isbin
Allegro, Agustín Barrios Mangoré/arr. Steve Vai - Isbin & Vai
Dreamboat Annie, Anne Wilson and Nancy Wilson (Heart)/arr.
      Nancy Wilson - Isbin & Nancy Wilson
Alfonsina y el Mar, Ariel Ramírez/arr. Jorge Cardoso - Isbin
Chovendo na Roseira, Antonio Carlos Jobim/arr. Carlos
      Barbosa-Lima, Romero Lubambo - Isbin & Lubambo
Carinhoso, Alfredo Vianna (Pixinguinha)/gtr. accomp. arr. Rosa Passos
      gtr. solo arr. Carlos Barbosa-Lima - Isbin/Passos/Thiago de Mello
O Presidente, Gaudencio Thiago de Mello/arr. Daniel Wolff -
      Isbin, Paul Winter, Thiago de Mello
La Catedral, Agustín Barrios Mangoré - Isbin
      Andante religioso
      Allegro solemne


“Grammy Award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin is truly a master of this genre ... Her new album elevates classical guitar to a whole new level. She masterfully captures what’s unique about each performer’s personality and style and melds it into a new guitarified creation.”
  Guitar World

“Isbin’s ‘Journey to the New World’ was a brilliant recapitulation of the flow of ideas between English and US folk and classical modes; here, the gifted guitarist turns her attention to the Spanish and Latin American tradition, with a series of dazzling accounts.”
  The Independent (UK)

“Guitar Passions is not only a fun time with respected friends, it is a beautiful collection of guitar tracks.”
  The Morton Report

“Spectacular music ... absolutely transcendent ... Sharon Isbin and her friends not only play with skill, they imbue that work with passion and excitement.”
  Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“On top of all this is Isbin’s sheer musicality: she has the indefinable ability, common to great performers, to combine diverse material and diverse musical forces, and make them all her own. A sterling example of the crossover classical guitar album.”
  AllMusic
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
 
GRAMMY WINNER
Best Instrumental Soloist
Performance (without orchestra)


Sharon Isbin
Journey to the New World
Joan Baez
Mark O’Connor

Sony Classical 88697-45456-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Journey to the New World
 

Anonymous: Mr. Drewry’s Accordes
(Sharon Isbin)


Andrew York: Andecy
(Sharon Isbin)


Arr. Barbosa-Lima: Wayfaring Stranger
(Joan Baez & Sharon Isbin)


Duarte: Lily of the West
(Sharon Isbin)


O’Connor: Swing
(Mark O’Connor & Sharon Isbin)


Read CD Notes for more info.
 
Sharon Isbin
Four Renaissance Lute Works by John Dowland, John Johnson: Mr. Drewry’s Accordes, Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home, Le Rossignol, Greensleeves;
Two English Folksongs: Drunken Sailor, Wild Mountain Thyme by Edward Flower; Andecy by Andrew York;
Joan Baez Suite, Opus 144 by John Duarte (Written for S. Isbin - World Premiere recording): Fantasia, The House of the Rising Sun, The Lily of the West, The Unquiet Grave, Silkie, Where have all the Flowers Gone, Finale

Joan Baez & Sharon Isbin
Wayfaring Stranger, Go ’Way from my Window

Mark O’Connor & Sharon Isbin
Strings & Threads Suite for Violin & Guitar by Mark O’Connor (World Premiere Recording)

 
“Sharon’s exquisite playing allowed me to revisit and fall in love with these songs all over again.”
  Joan Baez

“The beauty and range of Sharon’s guitar creates the perfect musical setting and imagery. America and the guitar have become inseparable in their musical manifestations, and Sharon’s performance on this recording expresses these connections as richly as you will ever hear.”
  Mark O’Connor

“Sharon’s Journey to the New World is an exquisite listening experience that abounds with dynamics, rich tonal colors, mastery, and control—a warm place for the inner ear to dwell and swoon.”
  Steve Vai

“Sharon Isbin’s superbly lyrical playing endows these folksongs from the British Isles and North America with poetic beauty and enchanting intensity. The singing of Joan Baez is as sweetly evocative as ever.”
  Graham Wade
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
WINNER 4 ACADEMY AWARDS: BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR
GRAMMY AWARD NOMINATION


The Departed

Howard Shore Score Soundtrack to Martin Scorsese #1 Box Office Hit
(Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon)
 
Order MP3 & Stream Online
at Amazon.com
 
The Departed
Cops Or Criminals Featuring G.E. Smith and Larry Saltzman
344 Wash Performed By G.E. Smith
Beacon Hill Performed By Sharon Isbin
The Faithful Departed Featuring G.E. Smith and Larry Saltzman
Colin Performed By G.E. Smith and Larry Saltzman
Madolyn Performed By Sharon Isbin
Billy’s Theme Featuring Sharon Isbin
Command Featuring G.E. Smith and Larry Saltzman
Chinatown Featuring G.E. Smith
Boston Common Performed By Sharon Isbin
Miss Thing Performed By G.E. Smith and Larry Saltzman
The Baby Performed By G.E. Smith
The Last Rites Featuring Sharon Isbin and G.E. Smith
The Departed Tango

 
“Sharon Isbin receives star billing and ... brings off the intricate part—writing with consummate ease. This CD compels attention. Shore’s best to date.”
  Gramophone

“Isbin’s performance brings a great sense of pathos and heart ... The various styles and flavours collected together make for an engaging listen. A great score from Howard Shore, who proves once again he’s one of the most interesting, intelligent and surprising composers in the business.”
  MusicfromtheMovies.com
Latin GRAMMY Nomination
GLAAD Media Award Nomination

Rodrigo:
Concierto de Aranjuez
Villa-Lobos:
Concerto for Guitar
Ponce:
Concierto del sur

Sharon Isbin, guitar
New York Philharmonic

Warner Classics 2564-60296-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Order MP3 & Stream Online
at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin: Rodrigo, Villa-Lobos, Ponce
Rodrigo: Allegro con spirito   PLAY (mp3) 42 sec
Rodrigo: Adagio   PLAY (mp3) 37 sec
Rodrigo: Allegro gentile   PLAY (mp3) 43 sec
Villa-Lobos: Allegro preciso   PLAY (mp3) 33 sec
Villa-Lobos: cadenza   PLAY (mp3) 1:12 min
Villa-Lobos: Allegretto non troppo   PLAY (mp3) 52 sec
Ponce: Allegretto   PLAY (mp3) 48 sec
Ponce: Andante   PLAY (mp3) 49 sec
Ponce: Allegro moderato   PLAY (mp3) 35 sec

 
A bestseller on BILLBOARD’s Top 10 Classical Chart
 
EDITOR’S CHOICE: “A magnificent new recording ... Superbly played, brilliantly executed, precise orchestral balance ... a marvelous achievement.”

  Gramophone

“Isbin sounds glorious, playing with strong-backed rhythm and an astonishing spectrum of subtly shaded colors and dynamics.”
  Boston Globe

“Sharon Isbin’s graceful, rich-hued account of “Aranjuez” ... combines the unimpeachable technical precision that has always been one of her hallmarks and an interpretive warmth. The New York Philharmonic’s performance here is as soulful and fluid as Ms. Isbin’s.”
  The New York Times

“The most lustrous orchestral performances in a guitar concerto in recent memory. Isbin’s playing is as incisive and colorful as ever. The production is truly marvelous. The balance between orchestra and soloist is excellent. Isbin’s tone is lush and full ... a joy to hear.”
  American Record Guide
Artist Portrait: Sharon Isbin
Warner Classics 2564-61591-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Artist Portrait: Sharon Isbin


Selections from Dreams of a World, Journey to the Amazon, Baroque Favorites for Guitar, Rouse/Tan Dun Concerti, Wayfaring Stranger with music by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni, Tarrega, Rodrigo, Sainz de la Maza, Lauro, Almeida, Thiago de Mello, Niles, Schubert, Martini, Takemitsu, Rouse, and Tan Dun.
Sharon Isbin Plays
Baroque Favorites for Guitar

Zurich Chamber Orchestra

Warner Classics 0927-45312-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar
Vivaldi: Largo   PLAY (wav) 32 sec 
Bach: Allegro   PLAY (wav) 41 sec 
Albinoni: Adagio   PLAY (wav) 51 sec 
Bach: Adagio   PLAY (wav) 32 sec 
Bach: Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring   PLAY (wav) 30 sec 
 
Vivaldi, Concerto in D Major R93 and A Major R82;
Albinoni/Giazatto, Adagio WORLD PREMIERE;
J.S. Bach, Concerto in A minor BWV1041 WORLD PREMIERE,
Adagio from F minor Keyboard Concerto BWV1056 WORLD PREMIERE,
Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring WORLD PREMIERE, Prelude for lute BWV999

 
Over 16 weeks on BILLBOARD’s Top 10 Classical Chart
 
“Animated and expressive throughout ... beautifully played”
  Gramophone

“True artistry ... her tone is gorgeous”
  Philadelphia Daily News

“Emotional expressiveness and stunning virtuosity”
  Guitar Player
Grammy Award Winner
Christopher Rouse: Concert de Gaudi
Tan Dun: Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra (Yi2)
Warner Classics 8573-81830-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Order Online
at ArkivMusic.com
 
Order MP3 & Stream Online
at Amazon.com
 
Christopher Rouse, Tan Dun CD cover
 
See Interview
Rouse: Allegro   PLAY (wav) 31 sec 
Rouse: Largo sereno   PLAY (wav) 33 sec 
Rouse: Svolazzante   PLAY (wav) 28 sec 
Tan Dun: Andante agitato   PLAY (wav) 25 sec 
Tan Dun: Andante agitato   PLAY (wav) 25 sec 
Tan Dun: Cadenza   PLAY (wav) 31 sec 
 
World Premiere concertos written for Sharon Isbin
 
“...the most remarkable work yet written for guitar and orchestra ... No superlative would be excessive in describing Sharon Isbin’s performance in this recording”
  Gramophone

“Tan Dun’s wonderful guitar concerto—flamenco meets Stravinsky in the Hard Rock Cafè—was stunningly played by Sharon Isbin”
  Herald (Scotland)

“[Isbin] deserves a Nobel for this recording of two terrific new guitar concertos, written for her and played with gripping persuasiveness.”
  Los Angeles Times

“[Gaudi is] uncommonly pleasing, beautiful ... here’s predicting it’s going to be performed and recorded a lot ... Its emotional impact is reminiscent of Nights in the Gardens of Spain.
  Dallas Morning News
 
Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
Grammy Award Winner
Sharon Isbin:
Dreams of a World

Folk-inspired Music for Guitar

 
Warner Classics 3984-25736-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Dreams of a World cover

Read CD Notes for more info.
Lauro, Virgilio   PLAY (wav) 38 sec 
Lauro, Romanza   PLAY (wav) 49 sec 
Duarte, Finale   PLAY (wav) 44 sec 
Theodorakis, Epitaphio   PLAY (wav) 40 sec 
Ruiz-Pipo, Danza   PLAY (wav) 40 sec 
 
Lauro, Virgilio & Romanza; Ruiz-Pipo, Cancion y Danza; Duarte, Appalachian Dreams; Takemitsu, Londonderry Air; Gismonti, Agua e Vinho; Ramon y Rivera, Brisas del Torbe; Lecuona, Canto Siboney; San Sebastian, Dolor; Shemer, 4 Songs; Theodorakis, 2 Epitaphios; Thiago de Mello, Varre-Vento; Granados, Dedicatoria; Tarrega, Recuerdos de la Alhambra
 
8 World Premieres; Music from Appalachia, Ireland, Greece, Israel, Spain, Cuba, Venezuela and Brazil.
 
“If you’re going to tour the world, you couldn’t have a better guide than Sharon Isbin and her guitar ... Lush and sultry, passion with great subtlety and rhythmic precision ... one of her most satisfying releases in recent years.”
  Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

“Incredible breadth of tone color, shaping of phrases, and expressive depth ... consummate lyricism”
  American Record Guide

“Irresistible ... a lovely vision of heartfelt dreams.”
  Commercial Appeal
Grammy Award Nominated
Journey to the Amazon
 
Warner Classics 0630-19899-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Journey to the Amazon cover

Read CD Notes for more info.
Almeida, Historia do Luar   PLAY (wav) 32 sec 
Montana, Porro   PLAY (wav) 35 sec 
T. de Mello, Armadura   PLAY (wav) 37 sec 
T. de Mello, Pixinga   PLAY (wav) 34 sec 
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Paul Winter, soprano saxophone
Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, percussion
 
Guitar & Percussion: Almeida, Historia do Luar; T. de Mello, Hug for Pixinga, Choro Alegre; Savio, Batucada; Vianna (Pixinguinha), Cochichando; Montana, Porro; Brouwer, Cancion de Cuna; Canonico, Aire de Joropo; Lauro, Waltz #3, Seis por Derecho. Guitar Solo: Lauro, El Marabino; Barrios, Julia Florida, Waltz Opus 8 #4; T. de Mello, Lago do Janauaca. Saxophone/Guitar/Percussion: T. de Mello, Chants #1 and #2, Cavaleiro sem Armadura.

 
“Sharon Isbin—a true sorceress ... incomparable master of the guitar”
  Antonio Carlos Jobim

“Sharon Isbin’s magical tone, impeccable technique and a heart full of wonder, Thiago de Mello’s Amazonian soul and versatile percussion, and Paul Winter’s enchanting soprano saxophone take us on a fascinating musical journey through the luxurious beauty of the Amazon.”
  Oscar Castro-Neves

“A marvelous recording by three extraordinary musicians.”
  Luis Bonfà

“EDITOR’S CHOICE RECORDING OF THE MONTH”
  Gramophone

Click here to read more REVIEWS (PDF)
Sharon Isbin’s
Greatest Hits

(2-CD set)

EMI/Virgin Classics 62075
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Sharon Isbin's Greatest Hits cover
1006a in E Major, Prelude   PLAY (wav) 23 sec 
Aranjuez, 2nd movement   PLAY (wav) 37 sec 
Foss, 3rd movement   PLAY (wav) 31 sec 
 
J.S. Bach: Suite BWV 1006a in E major, Suite BWV 996 in E minor
Albéniz: Asturias, Mallorca; Barrios: La Catedral;
Rodrigo: Invocacion y danza; Villa-Lobos: Etude 8
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
& Fantasia para un gentilhombre
Vivaldi: Concerto in D major
with Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
Foss: American Landscapes
with Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Rodrigo:
Concierto de Aranjuez
& Latin Romances

(2-CD set)

EMI/Virgin Classics 61627
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez cover
Aranjuez, 2nd movement   PLAY (wav) 37 sec 
Zapateado   PLAY (wav) 23 sec 
 
Joaquin Rodrigo, Concierto de Aranjuez
and Fantasia para un gentilhombre
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
Lawrence Foster, conductor
 
Joseph Schwantner, From Afar
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Hugh Wolff, conductor
 
Solos by Regino Sainz de la Maza, Joaquin Rodrigo, Agustin Barrios Mangore, Paz Abreu, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Francisco Tarrega, Leo Brouwer, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Isaac Albéniz
Sharon Isbin, guitar

 
“Magnificent Interpretation”
  Joaquin Rodrigo

“Best Recording”
  Stereo Review

“Stupendous, faultless, finer even than Segovia”
  American Record Guide

 
 
J.S. Bach:
Complete Lute Suites

EMI/Virgin Classics #59503
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
J.S. Bach: Complete Lute Suites cover
1006a in E Major, Prelude   PLAY (wav) 23 sec 
 
Suite BWV 1006a in E major
Suite BWV 995 in G minor
Suite BWV 996 in E minor
Suite BWV 997 in C minor
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar

 
“Critics’ Choice Recording of the Year”
  Gramophone

“Best Recording of the Year”
  CD Review

“An interpretive masterpiece”
  CD Review

“Isbin’s playing is marked by such textural clarity, such rhythmic vibrancy and attention to musical detail, that the only thing to do is marvel.”
  San Francisco Chronicle

 
 
Wayfaring Stranger
 
Erato 3984-23419-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Wayfaring Stanger cover

Granados, Spanish Dance #5,   PLAY (wav) 32 sec 
Rodrigo, Aranjuez, ma pensée,   PLAY (wav) 35 sec 
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Susanne Mentzer, mezzo-soprano

 
3 Guitar Solos: Granados, Spanish Dance #5; de la Maza, Zapateado; Tarrega, Capricho Arabe
Songs: Rodrigo, Aranjuez ma pensee; 3 Schubert Lieder; Sieber, 4 French Folk Songs; 4 French Bergerettes; Martini, Plaisir D’Amour
5 American Folk Songs: Wayfaring Stranger, Red Rosey Bush, Black is the Color, Nightingale, Go ’way from my window
 
“A riveting set of five American songs opens this excellent duo-recital ... marvelous ... astonishing purity of line”
  Opera News
American Landscapes
EMI/Angel Classics #67672B
 
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at Amazon.com
 
American Landscapes cover
Foss, 3rd movement   PLAY (wav) 31 sec 
 
Three world premiere concerti written for Sharon Isbin:
 
John Corigliano, Troubadours
Joseph Schwantner, From Afar
Lukas Foss, American Landscapes
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Hugh Wolff, conductor

 
“Best Classical Album of the Year”
  Guitar Player

“Critics’ Choice Recording of the Year”
  Gramophone
Nightshade Rounds
EMI/Virgin Classics #45024
 
Order Online
Great Masterworks of the Guitar
4-CD set at Amazon.com
 
Order MP3 & Stream Online
at Amazon.co.uk
 
Nightshade Rounds cover
Gershwin, 1st Prelude   PLAY (wav) 27 sec 
 
William Walton, Five Bagatelles
Bruce MacCombie, Nightshade Rounds
George Gershwin, Preludes 1 and 2
Joan Tower, Clocks
John Duarte, Folk Song
Benjamin Britten, Nocturnal
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar

 
“Best Classical Album of the Year”
  Guitar Player

“Wonderful Mastery”
  Stereo Review
Rodrigo:
Concierto de Aranjuez

EMI/Virgin Classics #59024
 
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at Amazon.com
 
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez cover
Aranjuez, 2nd movement   PLAY (wav) 37 sec 
 
Joaquin Rodrigo, Concierto de Aranjuez
and Fantasia para un gentilhombre
Antonio Vivaldi, Concerto in D major
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
Lawrence Foster, conductor

 
“Magnificent Interpretation”
  Joaquin Rodrigo

“Best Recording”
  Stereo Review

“Stupendous, faultless, finer even than Segovia”
  American Record Guide
Love Songs & Lullabies
EMI/Virgin Classics #61480
 
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at Amazon.com
 
 
Love Songs & Lullabies cover
Madriguera, Adios,   PLAY (wav) 28 sec 
Salley Gardens,   PLAY (wav) 40 sec 
 
Montana, Porro; Villa-Lobos, Estrela e lua nova; Jobim, Canta mais; Brahms, Wiegenlied; Lorca, El cafe de Chinitas, Nana de Sevilla, and Sevillanas; Anon., Salley Gardens; Britten, I will give my love an apple and Sailor-boy; Niles, I wonder as I wander and Go ’way from my window; Foster, Jeanie with the light brown hair; Anon., Drink to me only with thine eyes; Schubert, Wiegenlied; Goldfaden, Rojinkes mit Mandlen; Bonfa, Manha de Carnaval; Thiago de Mello, Cunha-tan do Andira and Varando Furos; Ginastera, Cancion al arbol del olvido; Seiber, Le Rossignol and Marguerite, elle est malade; Martini, Plaisir d’amour; Madriguera, Adios.
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Benita Valente, soprano
Thomas Allen, baritone
Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, percussion

 
“Ravishingly Beautiful Music”
  Newhouse News
Road to the Sun
Estrada do Sol

EMI/Virgin Classics #59591
 
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at Amazon.com
 
Road to the Sun, Estrada do Sol cover
Zapateado,   PLAY (wav) 23 sec 
 
Regino Sainz de la Maza, Zapateado
Joaquin Rodrigo, Invocacion y Danza
Agustin Barrios Mangore, La Catedral
Paz Abreu, Quejas
Antonio Carlos Jobim, Estrada do Sol
Francisco Tarrega, Capricho Arabe
Leo Brouwer, El Decameron Negro
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Sentimental Melody, Etude No. 8
Isaac Albéniz, Mallorca, Asturias
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar

 
“Editor’s Choice Favorite Recording”
  CD Review

“Brilliantly Played”
  Fanfare
Grammy Award Nominated
Aaron Jay Kernis
Double Concerto for
Violin & Guitar

Argo/Decca 460226-2
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Aaron Jay Kernis - Double Concerto for Violin & Guitar cover
Double Concerto, 3rd movement   PLAY (wav) 41 sec 
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Cho-Liang Lin, violin
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Hugh Wolff, conductor
 
(Includes Violin & Orchestra works played by Joshua Bell, Pamela Frank, the Minnesota Orchestra, and conductor David Zinman)

 
“The Double Concerto is pure delight” (5 Stars)
  Mark O’Connor

“One of the more exciting new pieces to come from an American composer ... Anyone interested in modern American music must hear this.”
  USA Today
Rhapsody in Blue
West Side Story

Concord Concerto #CCD-42012
 
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at Amazon.com
 
 
Rhapsody in Blue, West Side Story cover
Bernstein, America,   PLAY (wav) 27 sec 
 
Bernstein:
I Feel Pretty, Scherzo/Somewhere, Cha-Cha/Meeting Scene, Something’s Coming, Maria, America, Cool, Tonight, I Have a Love/Finale
Gershwin:
Jasbo Brown Blues, Liza, Prelude No. 3, Rhapsody in Blue
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Carlos Barbosa-Lima, guitar
Brazil, with Love
Concord Picante #CCD-4320
 
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at Amazon.com
 
 
Brazil, with Love cover
Felicidade,   PLAY (wav) 35 sec 
 
Antonio Carlos Jobim:
Luiza, Gabriella, Chovendo na Rosiera, Garoto, Felicidade, and Estrada do Sol
Alfredo Vianna (Pixinguinha):
Passatempo, Vou Vivendo, Pretencioso, and Carinhoso
Ernesto Nazareth:
Brejeiro, Apanehi-te, Cavaquinho, Bambino, and Odeon
 
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Carlos Barbosa-Lima, guitar
Black Topaz
by Joan Tower

New World 80470-2
 
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at Amazon.com
 
Black Topaz cover
Snow Dreams,   PLAY (wav) 27 sec 
 
Night Fields, Snow Dreams, Black Topaz
Très Lent, Stepping Stones

 
Joan Tower with:
Sharon Isbin, guitar
Carol Wincenc, flute
Double Edge, duo-pianists
The Muir String Quartet
André Emelianoff, cello
3 Guitars 3
ISBN: 6300377547
 
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at Amazon.com
 
3 Guitars 3


Ernesto Nazareth, Joaquin Rodrigo, Laurindo Almeida, Larry Coryell, Manuel de Falla
 
Sharon Isbin, Larry Coryell, Laurindo Almeida
Dances for Guitar
Waltzes, Fandangos
and Tarantellas

ISBN: 6300377903
 
Order Online
at Amazon.com
 
Wayfaring Stanger cover


Agustin Barrios, Enrique Granados, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Joaquin Rodrigo, Antonio Lauro, Joaquin Turina
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