Sharon Isbin Press Clips 7-22-09

June 16, 2009 http://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=5973

Sharon Isbin, guitar - Journey to the New World - (with Joan Baez and Mark O’Connor) Sony Classical The sounds of both instruments are beautifully captured on the recording, and the cardboard jewel-box alternative packaging is well-designed.

Sharon Isbin, guitar - Journey to the New World - (with Joan Baez and Mark O’Connor) Sony Classical 88697-45456-2 *****: Sharon Isbin is one of today’s pre-eminent guitarists. She was the first classical guitarist to receive a Grammy in 28 years (for her Dreams of a World). She asked contemporary English composer John Duarte to write a piece for solo guitar honoring folksinger Joan Baez. When Joan heard Isbin performing the work, she volunteered to sing on her next recording, which this is. Baez is heard on two folksongs before and following the word premiere recording of Duarte’s Joan Baez Suite: the traditional "Wayfaring Stranger" and Go ‘Way from my Window" by John Jacob Niles. Her voice is not what it once was, but these tracks nicely bookend the guitar suite. The Mark O’Connor-composed and performed suite, Strings & Threads, traces the journey of his Irish ancestors across the country to the West using various folk songs. He mentions how he tried to show how folk music styles hundreds of years apart are interconnected. When Sharon Isbin heard O’Connor playing his suite for solo guitar she asked him if he would re-do it as a duo for guitar and fiddle, and this is the result. The Texas Dancehall Blues and Swing near the end of the suite really...well...swing. The sounds of both instruments are beautifully captured on the recording, and the cardboard jewel-box alternative packaging is well-designed and filled with interest notes and photos of the glamourous Isbin. I can imagine this CD has very wide appeal, and not just among classical collectors. TrackList: Four Renaissance Lute Works, Two English Folksongs, YORK: Andecy, ANON.: Wayfaring Stranger, DUARTE: Joan Baez Suite, NILTES: Go ‘Way from my Window, MARK O’CONNOR: Strings & Threads Suite

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En s'affranchissantdes frontidresdu repertoire classique,SharonIsbin est devenueune vdritablestat de la guitare.Mais son golt pour |esmusiques "populaires"ne lui fait pasoublier la rigueur de I'approcheclassique.Un herituge qu'elle transmet auxjeunes guitaristesdu monde entier e h Julliard School,prestigieuseinstitutionamericaineau seinde laquelleelle a crd1 la classede guitare en 1989.Bret cette guitaristede charmeabordeIa musiqueavecune insatiablecuriositd.Moteur !

Carnmenpnrpar eotre nouoeau CD Jolottreyto the New Wodd, gui eousreun large do,tentailde style. Cohttuenta1)ez-1)ous effectud

Les guitaittes sont lelrlus soui)mt hab;tuis Ajouer et d traoa;ller seuls. Comment sbstPatsle Ia ollabontiox aoec eesdeus artistes ?

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Joan est venue chez moi iLNew York pour la premidre rdp€tition. Avant que nous commencions,elle m'a denandd dejouerpour elle. Elle s'est assisei environ un mdtre de moi et, tandis quejejouais, j'ai lt des larmes couler le long de sesjoues. Qa a 6t€ un moment

J'ai biti mon programmeautour d'une id€e simple : retracerl'€volution de la musique populaire am€ricaine depuis ses origines, au X\4e sidcle,sur les iles britanniquesjusqu'aux musiquespopulaires du )fie sidcle.Le CD s'ouwe sur des duos €crits d l'origine pour luth Renaissanceque j'interprdte seule en rerecorditg: Dreurie\ attordes(unryrne), Lmd Itilloaghby'sWhane Hone @avlend} Rassignol (arLotyme)et Greensleazer (Johnson).Ce sont desmorceauxquej'ai d6couvertsily a six ans en lesjouant avecl'un de mes 6tudiants de la Juiliard School.J'6tais certaine de les enregistrerun jour, mais il fallait que je les integre dans un programme. Sur les paties r€p€t6es, je varie les couleurs,l'attaque, 1esornements pour explorer difftrentes ambiances.Le programme se poursuit avecde trds beaux arrangements du compositeur anglaisEdward Flower srt DrunAen Sailor, chanson irlandaise du XVIIe sidcle,et l ild Mauntain Thyme qti 6voque ufle chanson €cossaisedu XVIIIe sidcle.Nous ttaversons ensuiteI'oc6anavecAndrew York (membre du Los Angeles Guitar Qrartet et compositeur prolifique) et sa trdsbelle pid.ceAndeq4 qui Iui a €tdinspir6epar la musiquefolk qu'avaientI'habitudedejouer son pdre et son oncle. YosduosavecIa ebanteuse Joan Baez, igerie dufolh song,et le violoniste Mark O'Connor sont lesmomentsforts du d;sque.Pouvez-,uousnausen dire plut sar cesrencontres? John Duarte a 6crit laJoan Baez Suite po,tr guitare solo en 2002 i mon attention. Cette suite inclut plusieurs chansons c6ldbresde Joan Baez qui,lorsqu'elle l'a entendue, m'a propos6 d'enregistrer des chansons guitare-voix sur le disque. J'ai silectiotn€ l ayfaring Stranger et Gauay from my toindoz.tqui se prdtait bien au duo avecJoan. Qrant au violoniste Mark O'Connor, c'est une star ici aux USA dans 1estyle que nous appelons "country {iddle". Sa virtuosit6 est vraiment impressionnante. Lorsque j'ai entendu sa suite StringsU Threadspour violon solo,je lui ai demand€s'il pouvait en faire une version pour duo guitare-violon. Et voi1i, nous 1'avons enrcgistr6eI

waiment intense,comme une communion totale de nos ames.Cette plemidre rencontre 6tait un peu le pr6lude id6al de notre travail d venir Je dois dire que gaa 6t6 un grand plaisir de travailleravecJoan, tant sur le plan humain que sur le plan artistique.Il y a une chimie spdcialeentre nous. C'est fondamental pour un duo. Elle f€te cette anndeses50 ans de carridreaveci la cl€ pas mal de concertsautour dnmonde.Jaume! ta theNeu World estrnhommage suppldmentaire iLson immense talent, Et MarA OConnor... Nous partageons€galementune grande complicit€ musicale.Il faut savoir que Mark n'est pas seulement un violoniste virtuose mais aussiun redoutable guitariste de flatpicking fa u au mddiator en ligne mdlodiquesauventsur destem?osbAsenleeds,ndt), ce qui explique son 6criture parfaite pour la guitare, i la fois sophistiqu6e et colorde. Sa Suite r€sume i elle seuleparfaitement le programme du disque, puisqu'elleretracele lien entre les musiquesceltiqueseurop€ennes et la musique amdricaine.La famille de Mark a quitt6 l'Irlande lots de la grande famine. Aprds s'6tre €tablie i I'Est, el1ea €migr€ vers

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l'Ouest au d€but du )O(e siecle. Les treize mouvementsde la Suite reprdsententdiff6rents stylesde la musiquepopulaireamdricaine et montrent son evolution de

et Larry Coryell. On faisait u:.-: sorte de "crossover",ce qui. i I'dpoque,6tait considdr6comrr<

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Reoenonsi la loan Baex Suite" et totre callaboratiox attecJobn Duarte. Quelle estllmportanee de cettereneanh.eda t ,uotrecarriirc ?

guitare classigue? Qa m'a certainementpermis d'y arriver mdme si ce n'dtait pasma motivation. Je cherchaissimplement ijouer la musique qui me plaisait avec des musiciens que j'admirais.Mes parentsdonnaient

Au fil desanset de nos rencontres, j'ai pu nouer une relation particu1i€reaveccette grande figure de la guitare, h€las disparue en 2004. l'al er|fegrsttt sa suiteAppalachian

des cours de dansesfolkloriques des et organisaientr6gu1i€rement f€tes qui 6taient de merveilleu-x moments d'observation pour la petite fille que j'6tais alors.

Dreams E. 12 1 en2001 sv le CD Dreamsof a World,d\sqte qi m'a permis de devenir la premidre guitariste classique )Lrecevoir un Grammy Award. Dans son €critu.re,JohnDuarte est toujouJstrds cr€atif. Dans la Joan Baez Suite en particulier,il utilise toutesles possibilit6s de la guitare pour illustrer le thdme abord€ dans la chanson et provoquer 1'apparition d'images dans l'esprit de l'auditeur, ce qui est trds stimulant pour l'interpr€te.Il y a par exemple,les harmoniques dans Barbara Allen pour simuler les clocheslors de fun€railles, une ligne chromapour rcpr6senter tique ascendante un enfant qui grandit dans The Treestheltdo Grou High... C'est

ttArr d6but des ann6es 8(), jrai cornrnenc6 h rrawailler sur ef A rne lqroduire ave( deur guilarisles

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du jazz et du verraienl jazz/r.ock: Laurindo el Larry Co.yell. Alrneida une sor.le de On faisail tt(rossoterrr.

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toujours une grande chance de pouvoir travailler et 6changeravecun compositeur Eo tant qu'interprdte, nous devons stimuler les cr6ateurs pour dlargir le r6Pertoite de la guitareclassique,c'estpourquoij'ai demard6,parfoisavecinsistance,desceuwesd descompositeutscommeJohn Corigliano, Lukas Foss,JosephSchwantner,Christopher Rouse... I/ousaimez crier deslipns e ! rc difcrc nts stlles de musique,rcmmesi oous 'uouliezsortir la guitare de son cadrestrictement classiqueou contem?orain.Paurquai ? Tout simplement,parcequej'adore€coutertoutessort€sde musiques. Il me semble naturel de d6couwi des styles diffdrents et, €ventuellement, de crderdesliens avecla guitare classiquem6me si la relation peut d'abord sembler tres lointaine. C€tte curiositd s'estvraiment d6velopp6eau dibut des anndes80,lorsque 1eCarnegie Hall m'a demand6de cr6erla "Semainede la Guitare".J'aiconsid€r€alorsqu'il 6tait impensablede se cantonner i la seuleguitare classique-etj'ai choisi de programmer des concerts dans tous les styles : classique,fo119 jazz, bluegrass,rock... afin de montrer l'exceptionnellerichessede notre instrument. Au m€me moment, j'ai comnenc6 i travailleret i

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J'entendais etje voyais tous ces stvl€stels qu'lls devaient ctr€ jou6s dansla "vraievie" pour permettre auxgensde danseret de s'amuser. Pour l'anecdote,N4imi,la tantede Joan Baez,venait r6guliirement danser chez mes parents.Je I'ai renconE€elonque j'avais cinq ans, bien avantquej'efltendeparlerde Joan ! Cette euiasiti musicalefait gu'an a du mal drqrousealleru edt;quette \tylistique'... Mais c'estparcequej'aime sincdrement tous lesstylesquejejoue, m€me si j'ai un penchantparticulier pour Ie r6pertoire espagnol.

Ce qu'il y a de stimulant dans les styles"non-classiques",c'est que !a nous contraint i trouver des doigt6s inhabituels, de travailler le rlthme en cherchanti "groover",comme le font lesmusiciensPoP . . aoez crdd14dassedeguitare au sei';'Ie Pour ret,enir au classique.Ilous IalrestigieuseJulliard School.Sur quelspoints insistez-t'otts.i:;-:zt Je considdrequ'i1estimportant d'apprendreatx 6tudi,r:::' un bon legato et aveclyrisme, de chercherune bor: :et une grande diversitdde couleurs,de projeter ' " ' a r e cu n el a r g e p a l e n e d y r a m i q u e . d e c o m p r e ' ' . - :. ar wes et comment elle conditionne l'interrr-' -:--: :: ' sensqnhmiqueet erfn de s'ccoute'.'. points peuventrepr6senterun viritabi: ;::iicnge rquel que soit leur niveaud'ailleur.. Prenonsles
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Rosalyn Tureck aveclaquellej'ai eu la chance de travailler Je leur conseille de travailler nos dditions des Szriespour Luth (G. Schitmer) etd'€coutermon disqueB^ch: Cotn?lete L te Jzler, paru chezVirgin en 1995. l/atreparte vous?ermet de rcfituntrer desitudiants du mondeentien Quel re&ard?ortez-x,aus sur lesnouqellet gAnArutiafisdeguita stes? Les 6tudiants d'aujourd'hui soot vraiment €tonnants ! D''ailleurs i ce sujet,j'aiune anecdoter6v6latricede notre dpoqueetdes nouvear.Lir moyenstechniquesqui sont i notre disposition.Toutr6cemment,l'un desmes dldvestravaillaitle Nocturnal deBritten, et lors de I'audition ill'a interpr€t6 de manidre magistrale.J'avaism6me du mal i croire qu'il ait pu progresserde manidre aussispectaculairedans un iaps de temps aussicourt, alorsje lui ai demand€comment il avait fait.

poru moi lors de la creation d\ ConcertoTraubadours,tcrit d mon aft€ntionparJohnCoigliano. Dans cetteceuwe,jecommenceijouer en coulisses,puis j'affive sur sc€neen marchant tout en continuant ijouerJ'ai trouvi la solution ffes discreteet surtout trdsperformante, c e q u i f a i t q u ej e l ' u t i l i s eq u a s i m e npt o u r t o u cm e . c o n c e r t "i.c i aux USA. Rettezaous f di Ieaunguitarcsfa briq ades? ar Ielut hi.eramericain Th omas Humphrey (tragiquement ddcddddun arrit nrdiague en aoril2008, d lkgz de 59 ans) ? I'ai enteglstrd Joarnel ta the Nelt Warld avec ma guitare Humphrey de 2007, avec tabie en cddre. Le son est trds beau, trds lyrique,

Il m'a rdpondu qu'il s'6tait enregistr6une quinzaine de fois le jour avant I'audition et qu'i chaque€coute,il regardaitmes annotations

chaleureux,avecde la rondeur et une belle r6sonance.C'est i'un des derniers moddles qu'i1a fabriquds et 1'un d€s trois seuls avecune peinture sur le dos repr€sentantdeu-xchamantes Gmmes. Aujourd'hui, je joue sur une superbeguitare fabriqu€e par le luthier irlandais Michael

sur la partition. En dcoutant, il se rendait compte que ce qui lui semblaitbon lorsqu'ilj ouait ne 1'6taitenfait pasdu tout. En intdgrant petit i petit toutes les corrections et suggestionsque j'avais pu lui

O'Leary ft nepas con;fondrearec lefondatear de la rcmpagnieairienne Ryanair gui porte le nime nom, ndr). Cet instrument possedeune Iargepalettedynamiqueet une grandevai6td de timbres.C'estr,rai-

faire,ilest parvenui un r6sultatwaiment convaiflcant,aubout de la... quinzidme pdse I I1 avait f impression d'avoir mes oreilles aveclui dans

ment une guitare extraordinaire.

lapidce,cequi lui permettait de comprendreseserreu$ et dravoirune ."." ^1.,"" I" ; .. .t . I '- ,. ,,,.

trlotrejm estA lafois dlro traetd etPrdcir. Daks quelle directian doiztent trat;ailler lesdlittet pour arriver d une telle maitr;se ? Merci pour vos compliments. Il faut simplement de 1adiscipline -

Imaginons gue aous soyezune didtdticienne de la guitare. Quel serait votre?ragramme iddal guotidien pour garder laforme ?

dans I'approche musicale et le travail technique pour trouv€r la libert€ d'interpr6tation i I'int6rieur de la structuredesGuvres.

A mon avis,il est primordial de pratiquer quotidiennementles arpCges,les gammeset 1esli6s de la maingauche.Poules arpiges,on peut ttavailler l'Etude z? de Villa-Lobos avecle doigt6 normal de la main droite, puis seulementavec"i" et "m", "i" et "a" et enfin, "m" et "a". Pour les gammes,je suisadeptedu programme Sigovia.

Comment taillez-vaus oasongles? Je m'applique i suivre1etour du bout de mes doigts en arrondissant soigneusementles cdt€s et en €vitant toute aspdrit€.J'approchele tmvail du son comme unpeintre qui regardeson nuancierdecouleurs faced satoile. Pour obtenir une grandevari6tdde timbres,je modifie

Vausjouezun peapartout dansle monde.Quel estle rccretpour rester au to? malgrd lesddcalagerhoraires,Iafatigue destayages... ? Qa fait partie du m€tier !Je m'exercementalement,sansla guitare. C'est un aspect que j'explique en ddtail dans mon livre C/asslral

non seulementlaposition delamain droite entrele chevaletet le bout delatouche,mais6galementl'angledu doigt pour avol plus ou moins

Guitar Ansuer Bool (EditionsAcousticGuitar Ga;des, niquenenten anglais,ndr).1'essaiede maintenir 6galementma forne physiqueen

Paul'terminer, aurons-nous Ia chancede vous entendreen Frcne ddns

d'ongle ou de pulpe.

unfuturproche ?

couJan! en faisant de 1armdonn6e et depuispeu de temps en prati-

J'adorejor.reren France.J'y 6tais tout r€cemment d I'occasiondes

quant les cours de danse latine,

MIDEM ClassicalAwards, eo janvrer 2009. En f6vrier 2005,

ce qui est trds plaisant. Yousutilisez une amqlif&t;on IdgAreavet un slstime sansftl de-

je me suisproduite pendant une semaineau Thditre du Chitelet i Paris,oirj'ai donn€ trois concerts,

?uis quelguesafikies ,ka;ntenant. En quoi celaa changioatreaq?ro.he

I'un avecorchesffe,l'autre en mu-

Tout d'abord,je vetx pr6ciserque

avait 6cdt spdcialementun duo pour nous.J'aieu lachanced'ap-

l'amplificationapporter6ellement un confort suppl6mentaire au

siquede chambre,etle troisidme avecle guitariste Steve Vai qui

prendre le frangaisi neufaos lors-

musicienet i I'auditeur.Bien sirr, il faut que ce soit bien fait et que

que mes parentssesont install6s

9a respectele timbre de la guitare acoustique,la magie de sa sonorit6.Une fois qu'on a essay6

un 6tablissementfrangais, c'est pourquoi jouer dans votre pays

un€ solution performante,on ne peut plus s'enpasserLe systdme sansfil a €td congu spdcialement

en Italie. J'6tais scolaris€edans

me donneI'impressionde rentrcr i la maison !Je reviendrai donc avecbeaucoupde plaisir ddsque I'occasions'eop16sentera.

Disco Sha*on

Isbin

Par Mar< Rouv6

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la guitared l'6gede neuf ansalorsqu'ellevit en ltalieavecses Nded Minneapolisen | 956,SharonIsbin decouvre pianistesp'ciatistede Bach, RosalynTureck Dipl6m6e EIleltudie avecAldo Mine a, Andr6sSegovia,oscarGhiglia,Alirio Diaz et la

prestigieux: TorontoGuitarcompetition,Concoursde MadridReineSofiaet etteremporteptusieursconcours de YaletJniversity, lui ont de Munich.E e cr6eta classede guitareau seinde taJuttiardSchoolen 1989.De nombreuxcompositeurs Ie Concours Ellea rempor6un Grammy d6di6 deseuvres: Johncorigliano,TanDun,Howardshore,John.Duarte,LeoBrouwer,SteveVai.. of a World. Awarden2001pourso, dlsgueDreams

Discogyaphie de stllet Eharon Isbin a enregi:trd plus de 25 diques cout"rant an latge loextail de la musique baroque au c'rossaver(jazz,fusian). En vo;ci une sdlectian with Love (Concord) en duo avec Carlos Barbosa-Lima Ce disquereEroupe tesstandads inconbunables de la nusique bdsilienne (Antonio Carloslobin, Pixinguinha, ErnestoNazarcth). . Bnzit,

. Rhapsody in BIue, Wesl Side Storr, (Concord), toujourc avec Catlos Batbosa-Lima Un pt rarnl/,c|.e' andricain(onrtru autou de<e\tdits de cet dcu\ euwP' naieures de Leonatd Bemsteinet Ceorge Cershwin. . Road to the Sun (EMI, Mrgin classics) Un progranne plus "classique' avec des pieces in'ontoutnables (La Catedtal,Capticho Arabe, Asturias, El Decameron Negro )' . Love Songs & Lullabies (EMI, Mrgin Classics) Thonas Allen Un disquede duosguitare-voix (et percussionssur cenaines pidces)avec le baryton classiques et la sopnno BenitaValente. Le rcpettoie n:,eb chansonspopulaies et @uvres . Rodrigo I Conciefto deAtaryuez (EMl,Virgin Classics) sharcnlsbinaeulachancederencontrcrJoaq,inRodrigolo6qu'el|eagaSn6leconcoursReinesofia.Elles,estli6 d'aniti6avecleconpositeuresPalnolequietlerendaitvisitere7uli'rementFisureaussisuledisque'laFantasia est dirigq avec brio par paraun gentithonbrcet le Concertoen Rd devivaldi. L'orchestrede Chanbre cleLausanne . Nightshade Rounds (EMI, Virgin Classics) de Briften' Ies Pr6ludes I lJn prcgramne .:es anglo'saxon, volantaiement ancr' dans]e XXe sidcleavec le Nocturnal de Waltor" d 2 de Cersh||in.b, ri)e EaBdtPllP, . A,Il,e can Landscapes (EMl/Angel Classics) Prcnie|enrcEistenentfiondja|detoisconcertos,critspo|ilaguitaste:,'frcubadou|''de]ohnCari+liana,''FronAfal' de LukasFossLe Saint P.ul Chanber Orchesta estdhi4Apat Hugh wolff' de Josephschwantnet,"Anerican Landscapes"

. l.S. Bach: Comptete auteSuites(EMl,ViiSinClassics) Lesquatre suhespour Luth (995, 996, 997 et | 006) dans une prisede son qui ne sett Paswaiment I'interyfttation de Ia Suitariste . louney

to the Amazon (Teldec Classics)

lJn v'titable voyage avec P,ut Winter (saxophonesoprano) et Caudenciofhiago de Mello autourd'euvrcs d'Am'ique du Sud (pincipalenent Brcsil), en duo, solo et trio'

(Percussiod'

. Dreams of a World lleldec Classics) Avecce tou du monde rlJnissant deseuwes d'inspintion populaies nais d'4ctitute "savante"' fois' un Oanmy Award Sharon hbin a pernis e la guitare classiquede renponer, pour ta prenierc (Ieldec classics) . Christopher Rouse: conceft de Gaudi - TanDun : conceftofor Cuitar & orcheslra (Yi2) Cesdeux Concertosdedi's e Sharonlsbin, enrcsistt4s ici en prcniire nondiale' fui ont permis de recevoit sonsecond Crammy Awatd' . Sharon tshin Plays Barcque Favo tes fot Cuitar (Warner Classics) (AdaTio d'Albinoni ou de Bach) Lln ptisede son flatteuse mais unearytoche trop "easy listening' conpagnie du Zurich Chanber Orchestra' en public et enrcSist6 gand au avant tout pou cet albun destind Villa'Lobos t concetto for Guitar - Ponce : Concierto del sur . Rodrigo : concieflo de Annjuez' dtt \\esie.l" eme,i\trc er' bonnecompaqnie ltois conce(losincontou.nablPs (Newyotk Philharnonic diri86 par )os6 Serebriel Belle prise de son

Leslnfiltras' . Bandeoriginaledu film de Martinscorsese, Sharon lsbina particip' ; |enrc7istrcnent de ]a bande son siSndeHoward Shorc'

June 4, 2009 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104967667

Guitarist Sharon Isbin's American 'Journey' Listen Now [8 min 19 sec] add to playlist

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Henry Fair

Sharon Isbin calls Joan Baez her favorite folk musician. The two play together on Journey to the New World.

All Things Considered, - Sharon Isbin, the renowned classical guitarist, recently sat down with NPR's Robert Siegel to play songs and talk about her new album, Journey to the New World, which features new work written by John Duarte and Mark O'Connor. Journey to the New World is really a journey across time. It starts with Renaissance lute pieces and ends on the verge of bluegrass. One of the album's first pieces comes from the 16th century British Isles. It was written by John Dowland, a man Isbin calls "the popmusic composer of [his] time." But Isbin plays contemporary music, too, including a piece written for her by the composer John Duarte, who also wrote "Appalachian Dream Suite." She says she loved that piece so much, she asked him to write something new that draws on familiar songs. Duarte's "Joan Baez Suite" is the new work. "She was really my first musical hero," Isbin says of Baez. "And certainly my favorite folk musician." She says the suite transforms folk songs with origins in the Old World, taking themes from "The House of the Rising Sun" and "The Lily of the West." An Emotional Bond Baez sings on Isbin's album, too, on "Wayfaring Stranger." Isbin says the first time they rehearsed, at her home in New York, the results were memorable.

"I began to play, and I opened my eyes at one point and noticed she had tears streaming down her face," Isbin says. "Here's the woman whose music has made me cry for so many years, and we're having this extraordinary sharing of souls." Journey to the New World features a second world-premiere recording, called "Strings & Threads Suite," written by composer and violinist Mark O'Connor. Isbin says the work "really traces the evolution of folk music on the violin in America." In several movements, it includes everything from jigs to blues and swing to bebop, leading up to the advent of bluegrass. Despite Isbin's considerable skill, the piece wasn't so easy for her to play. "About a month before our premiere, I started to take the score out and ... no matter how hard I practiced, some of this stuff just wasn't happening," she says. "There were a lot of places that just weren't playable." The two musicians sat down and went over the whole score to make it idiomatic for the guitar — because, as it turned out, O'Connor had never tried to play the piece on Isbin's instrument. Isbin's says her running joke was, "Mark, if you can play it, then I'll play it."

INTERVIEW WITH SHARON ISBIN FOR GENDAI GUITAR MAGAZINE (Japan), June 2009 Issue

Could you tell us about the concept of Journey to the New World, the first CD with Sony label? The music explores the evolution of American folk music through several hundred years beginning in the British Isles with 16th and 17th century Renaissance lute duets in which I perform both parts: Drewrie’s accordes (Anonymous), Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home (Dowland), Rossignol (Anonymous) and Greensleeves (Johnson.) I vary the colors and embellishment in repeats to explore different characters, moods and textures. I follow with English composer Edward Flower’s brilliant arrangements of Drunken Sailor with its 17th century Irish origins, and Wild Mountain Thyme which evokes an 18th century Scottish song. The journey then crosses the ocean to America where the transformation of these roots takes on a new and distinct vernacular.

John Duarte wrote his Joan Baez Suite for solo guitar for me in 2002, and it includes many songs that Baez performed in her early career. After hearing my performance of the music, she offered to sing on my recording. I

selected Wayfaring Stranger and Go ‘Way from my Window to perform with her. She was a joy to work with, her voice is magnificent, and artistically we share a very special chemistry together. This album is in homage to her.

The journey concludes with Mark O’Connor, the finest folk violinist in America in a style we call country fiddle. He is truly amazing! When I heard his Strings & Threads Suite for solo violin, I suggested he arrange it for the two of us to perform. We premiered it in concert November 2007 and recorded it the following month.

You can hear samples of the music, watch a video of my performance with Mark, and see photos of me with Joan Baez on my website:

http://www.sharonisbin.com

I understand that Joan Baez is your music hero. When and by which song Joan attracted you?

Do you have any

special memory about her? “Sweet Sir Galahad” was one of my early favorites, then later “Diamonds and Rust,” but I love so many of her songs it’s hard to single out a few. She was the only person in my life I ever wrote a fan letter to, back when I was just out of college. Her music has always moved me to tears. When we had our first rehearsal in my home in New York, she asked me first to play for her and placed a chair about a meter in front of mine. As I began to play, she had tears streaming down her face. It was a very powerful, intimate and poignant experience to have shared with her, a total unity of souls.

Could you tell us about Joan’s recent music activities? Joan has been touring the world this last year to promote her latest recording, Day After Tomorrow, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her career.

Are there any episodes about her in making recording of the CD? When I took a taxi from the airport to Joan’s home, the driver got completely lost and I arrived 1.5 hours late. He wasn’t too bright… But we finally found her house and it all worked out. We rehearsed with her 94-yr old mother in attendance, ate persimmon fruit from her garden, and had a beautiful next day driving across the Golden Gate Bridge to the California countryside where the Skywalker Sound Studio is located. On the way to our recording, she was learning a song called “The Rose of Sharon” and humming it in the car. We spent ten wonderful hours together that day.

Could you describe in detail how John Duarte composed Joan Baez Suite? After the success of Duarte’s Appalachian Dreams suite, I asked him to write another work for me, this time honoring Joan Baez whose artistry I’ve long admired. Baez loved the idea and gave it her full support. John and I each came up with a list of songs, and from these he created the seven-movement suite. Included are some especially famous ones like “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,”

“House of the Rising Sun,” “Barbara Allen,”

and “Lily of the West.” His approach was very beautiful and creative, using harmonics to suggest funeral bells in “Barbara Allen,” parallel fifths in the bass of “Unquiet Grave” to suggest a pacing ghost, a rising chromatic line in

“The Trees they do Grow High” to create the image of a young boy growing up, a bass drone in the second variation of “Silkie” to give the feeling of Scottish bagpipes, the bugle call of “Taps” played in American military funerals at the end of “Where Have all the Flowers Gone” to evoke fallen soldiers, and so on. I had the opportunity to play the suite for him, ask questions, select tempi and coach with him at his home in London just a couple of months before he died. Knowing the end was near, we listened with tears in our eyes to one of his favorite pieces of music, Henry Purcell’s “Lament” from Dido and Aenaes which he added halfway through “Unquiet Grave.”

I understand Mark O’Connor wrote Strings & Threads Suite based on folksongs of 13 American roots. Could you tell us about what are 13 roots? Mark’s family emigrated from Ireland to the United States during the famous potato famine, settling in the thirteen original colonies before migrating to the West in the early 1900’s. Each movement in Strings & Threads represents a different folk style and appears in a chronological form that reflects the evolution of American folk music and his family’s journey including reels, waltzes, jigs, blues, spirituals, ragtime, swing and bebop.

Did you get any musical influences from your parents? My parents taught folk dancing and as a child, and I would listen to the recordings they enjoyed and watch them dance with their club members in our home, including Joan Baez’s aunt Mimi Kingsley who I met when I was about five years old! My mother loved classical music, and encouraged us all to study an instrument. I began classical guitar at age nine when we lived in Italy. When I was in college, it was my mother who suggested I study Baroque music with the great Bach scholar and keyboard artist, Rosalyn Tureck.

Could you tell us about Andecy by Andrew York, which is recorded in your new CD? Andecy is a hauntingly beautiful work inspired by the many early American, English and Irish folk tunes Andrew heard his father and uncle perform. I chose colors and dynamics in the repeats that would add special character and feeling to the music. I understand this year is the 20th anniversary of creation of classical guitar department at Juilliard School. How long have you been the director of the guitar department? I was asked to created the guitar department in 1989, and have been its director and sole faculty. A year ago, we added an undergraduate degree so now Juilliard offers both Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in guitar. Applications must be received by December 1, and auditions take place in New York end February or early March each year.

How many professional classical guitarists have you produced up to the present? It would be difficult to count! I’ve had students from 16 different countries and many have returned to their homelands to become leading players. Three students from Japan were Go Nagano, Kenta Kondo, and Masahiro Masuda. Other former students you may be familiar with include Antigoni Goni & Kevin Gallagher (each 1st Prize winners of GFA Competition), Mats Bergstrom, Ben Pila, Giuliano Belotti, Johannes Kreusch, Luis Quintero, and

many more.

What is your daily exercise for your good health? I enjoy a healthy breakfast and practice Transcendental Meditation twice a day which I learned as teenager. I eat organic and mostly vegetarian whenever possible. Daily exercise is either jogging, walking, hiking, cross-country skiing, or dancing (I am taking lessons in Latin dance.)

You have received many awards in your professional career. Could you tell us about your most recent awards you have received? I received Guitar Player magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Classical Guitarist for several consecutive years. Two of my recordings received GRAMMY Awards: Dreams of a World and Concerti by Christopher Rouse/Tan Dun.

Could you provide us with your message to Japanese guitar fan? If you are interested in studying with me, come to the Aspen Music Festival (http://www.aspenmusicfestival.com) where I give four weeks of master classes each July/August in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Applications are due early January. In addition to the guitar program, students can hear hundreds of concerts with top instrumentalists, singers and orchestras. You can also learn from me online at http://www.ivideosongs.com where I teach two works of Savio and Lauro and talk about my experiences.

Tell us about your schedule of concert tour, recording etc. in 2009? This summer I perform at the Ravenna Festival in ITALY, in Miami, and at the Aspen Music Festival where I direct the guitar department. Next season, I am soloist with the Detroit Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and Pacific Symphony in Los Angeles, and give solo recitals, concerts with violinist Mark O’Connor, and performances with Paul Winter and Thiago de Mello (Journey to the Amazon program). I also continue filming a documentary on my life and work.

Over

© Sharon Isbin