Sharon Isbin

Sharon Isbin studied at St. Louis Park High School and Trumbull College. Training under Rosalyn Tureck is recorded. The recorded working language is English. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are classical music. Employment is recorded with Juilliard School.

• Name — Isbin • Landscape — yes • Born — 7 August 1956 • Birthplace — Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. • Genre — Classical, folk • Occupation — Musician • Instrument — Classical guitar • Years Active — 1970–present • Label — Sony Classics, Warner Classics, Cedille Records, Bridge Records, Zoho Music, Concord Records, Video Artists International • Website — www.sharonisbin.com

Sharon Isbin was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Katherine Brudnoy, an attorney, and Herbert S. Isbin, a nuclear scientist and professor at the University of Minnesota. She began her guitar studies at the age of nine with Aldo Minella in Varese, Italy. She later studied with Jeffrey Van, Sophocles Papas, Andrés Segovia, Oscar Ghiglia, Alirio Díaz, and for 10 years with keyboard artist and Bach scholar Rosalyn Tureck. She received a B.A. cum laude from Yale University and a Master of Music (M.M.) from the Yale School of Music. She began practicing the Transcendental Meditation at age 17.

Source: • 1999: Grammy nomination for Best Classical Crossover Album, Journey to the Amazon • 2000: Grammy nomination, Kernis: Double Concerto for Violin and Guitar with Cho-Liang Lin and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra • 2001: Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist, Dreams of a World • 2002: Grammy Award for Rouse: Concert de Gaudi • 2005: Latin Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album, Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del Sur with the New York Philharmonic • 2010: Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist, Journey to the New World

In 2005, Isbin performed the world premiere with Steve Vai of his Blossom Suite composed for her at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Her initial crossover collaborations included Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell. In 2014, she performed a 20-city Guitar Passions tour with jazz musicians Stanley Jordan and Romero Lubambo. In 2015, she performed with Josh Groban on the PBS Billy Joel: Gershwin Prize concert, and was featured on the Tavis Smiley PBS television series in February 2015. On November 5, 2015, the David Lynch Foundation organized a benefit concert at New York City's Carnegie Hall named "Change Begins Within," to promote transcendental meditation for stress control. Sharon Isbin participated alongside Katy Perry, Sting, Jerry Seinfeld, Angelique Kidjo, and Jim James.

Compact Discs (CDs) • Date — Title — Label — Catalog number — Format — Total Playing Time — Notes • 1978 — Sharon Isbin Classical Guitar — Sound Environment — TR-1010 — 1 LP — Music by Brouwer, Ponce, Sor, Lauro, Albeniz • 1980 — Sharon Isbin Classical Guitar Vol. II — Sound Environment — TR-1013 — 1 LP — Music by Bach, Britten, Brouwer • 1981 — Sharon Isbin Spanish Works for Guitar — Denon — OF-7012-ND — 1 LP — With Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony; music by Tarrega, Sainz de la Maza, Rodrigo "Concierto de Aranjuez" • 1981 — Sharon Isbin Guitar Recital — Denon — OX-7224-ND — 1 LP — Music by Dodgson, MacCombie, Scarlatti, Bach • 1984 — Dances for Guitar — Pro Arte — CDD 343 — 1 CD/LP — Music by Barrios Mangore, Rodrigo, Lauro, Vianna, Savio, Turina, Granados, Castelnuovo-Tedesco • 1985 — 3 Guitars 3 — Pro Arte — CDD 235 — 1 CD/LP — With Larry Coryell and Laurindo Almeida; music by Nazareth, Gnattali, de Falla, Almeida, Rodrigo, Coryell • 1987 — Brazil, With Love — Concord — CCD-4320 — 1 CD/LP — With Carlos Barbosa-Lima; music by Jobim, Nazareth, Vianna • 1988 — Rhapsody in Blue/West Side Story — Concord — CCD-42012 — 1 CD/LP — With Carlos Barbosa-Lima; music by Gershwin and Bernstein • 1989 — J.S. Bach Complete Lute Suites — EMI/Virgin Classics — VC 7 90712-2 — 1 CD (DDD) — 78:45 — Sharon Isbin performs landmark editions for guitar created in collaboration with Rosalyn Tureck • 1990 — Road to the Sun — EMI/Virgin Classics — VC 7-59591-2 — 1 CD — Music by Sainz de la Maza, Rodrigo, Barrios Mangore, Abreu, Jobim, Tarrega, Brouwer, Villa-Lobos, Albeniz • 1991 — Love Songs & Lullabies — EMI/Virgin Classics — VC 7-91750-2 — 1 CD — With soprano Benita Valente, baritone Thomas Allen, organic percussionist Thiago de Mello • 1991 — Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez — EMI/Virgin Classics — 07777-59024-2 — 1 CD — Sharon Isbin with Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne conducted by Lawrence Foster in Rodrigo Fantasia para un gentilhombre, Concierto de Aranjuez and Vivaldi Concerto in D Major • 1994 — Nightshade Rounds — EMI/Virgin Classics — VC 5 45024 2 — 1 CD (DDD) — Five bagatelles/ William Walton (13:54) – Nightshade rounds / Bruce MacCombie (10:06) – Preludes for piano/ George Gershwin;arr. Carlos Barbosa-Lima (5:48) – Clocks/ Joan Tower (9:07) – Folk song from English suite: op. 31/ John W. Duarte (4:20) – Nocturnal: op. 70/ Benjamin Britten (17:53). • 1995 — American Landscapes — EMI/Angel — 72435-67672-2 — 1 CD (DDD) — With Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra conducted by Hugh Wolff. World premiere recording of concertos written for Sharon Isbin by John Corigliano, Joseph Schwantner and Lukas Foss. • 1995 — Black Topaz — New World Records — 9322-80470-2 — 1 CD — With flutist Carol Wincenc performing world premiere recording of Snow Dreams by Joan Tower written for Isbin and Wincenc. • 1995 — The Slatkin Years: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra — LSC — LSC 51204 — 1 CD — Sharon Isbin and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin—World Premiere live in concert January 1988 of Joseph Schwantner From Afar...A Fantasy for Guitar & Orchestra commissioned by SLSO for Sharon Isbin • 1997 — Journey to the Amazon — Warner Classics — 0630-19899-2 — 1 CD — With Paul Winter, and Gaudencio Thiago de Mello. Music by Almeida, Lauro, Barrios Mangore, Thiago de Mello, Montana, Savio, Brouwer, Canonico, Vianna. 1999 GRAMMY Nomination • 1998 — Wayfaring Stranger — Warner Classics — 3984-23419-2 — 1 CD — With mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, music by Schubert, Seiber, Niles, Sainz de la Maza, Rodrigo, Granados, Martini, Tarrega, • 1999 — Ami Maayani: Viola & Guitar Concerti — FONS — FONS 36-2007 — 1 CD — Sharon Isbin with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi—Live in Concert in Jerusalem November 1979 • 1999 — Kernis Double Concerto for Violin & Guitar — Decca/Argo — 289-460226-2 — 1 CD — With violinist Cho-Liang Lin and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra conducted by Hugh Wolff. World premiere recording of concerto written for Sharon Isbin by Aaron Jay Kernis. • 1999 — Dreams of a World — Warner Classics — 3984-25736-2 — 1 CD (DDD) — Folk-inspired Music for Guitar. 8 World Premieres; Music from Appalachia, Ireland, Greece, Israel, Spain, Cuba, Venezuela and Brazil. 2001 GRAMMY AWARD • 2001 — Rouse: Concert de Gaudí/Tan Dun: Guitar Concerto Yi2 — Warner Classics — 8573-81830-2 — 1 CD (DDD) — With the Gulbenkian Orchestra conducted by Muhai Tang. World premiere recording of concertos written for Sharon Isbin. 2002 GRAMMY AWARD, ECHO KLASSIK AWARD • 2002 — Sharon Isbin's Greatest Hits — Warner Classics — 2435-62075-5 — 2 CDs — Rodrigo, Vivaldi, Bach, Albeniz, Barrios, Villa-Lobos, Foss • 2003 — Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar — Warner Classics — 0927-45312-2 — 1 CD — With the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and Howard Griffiths (conductor), music by Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni • 2004 — Sharon Isbin – Artist Portrait — Warner Classics — 2564-61591-2 — 1 CD — Music by Vivaldi, Bach, Rodrigo, Sainz de la Maza, Lauro, Almeida, Thiago de Mello, Niles, Tan Dun, Albinoni, Takemitsu, Tarrega, Martini, Schubert, Rouse • 2005 — Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur — Warner Classics — 2564-60296-2 — 1 CD — With the New York Philharmonic conducted by José Serebrier. 2005 LATIN GRAMMY Nomination • 2006 — The Departed — New Line — 39078 — 1 CD — Howard Shore's soundtrack to Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning film. 2008 GRAMMY Nomination • 2009 — Journey to the New World — Sony Classical — 88697-45456-2 — 1 CD — Guest artists: folk singer Joan Baez and violinist Mark O'Connor. 2010 GRAMMY AWARD • 2011 — Sharon Isbin & Friends: Guitar Passions — Sony Masterworks|Sony Classical — 88697-84219-2 — 1 CD — Guest artists: Steve Vai, Stanley Jordan, Nancy Wilson, Steve Morse, Romero Lubambo, Rosa Passos, Thiago de Mello, Paul Winter • 2011 — Sharon Isbin - Great Masterworks of the Guitar — Warner Classics — 50999-083412-2 — 4 CDs — Rodrigo Concerti, Schwantner Concerto, Nightshade Rounds, Romances for Guitar, JS Bach Complete Lute Suites • 2014 — Sharon Isbin: 5 Classic Albums — Warner Classics — 2564-62436-4 — 5 CDs — Journey to the Amazon, Dreams of a World, Baroque Favorites, Rouse-Tan Dun Concertos, Rodrigo/Villa-Lobos/Ponce Concertos with New York Philharmonic • 2015 — Sharon Isbin: Troubadour — Video Artists International — DVD 4580 — Blu-ray 8202 — Award-winning documentary presented by American Public Television. Guests include Joan Baez, First Lady Michelle Obama, Martina Navratilova, Garrison Keillor, Steve Vai, Stanley Jordan, Mark O'Connor, John Corigliano, Christopher Rouse, Tan Dun, Joan Tower, Romero Lubambo, David Hyde Pierce, Janis Ian & more. WINNER 2015 ASCAP TELEVISION BROADCAST AWARD • 2017 — Alma Española: Isabel Leonard & Sharon Isbin — Bridge Records — 9491 — 1 CD — Composers: Federico García Lorca, Joaquín Rodrigo, Agustín Lara, Manuel de Falla, Xavier Montsalvatge, Francisco Tárrega, Enrique Granados • 2019 — Souvenirs of Spain & Italy: Sharon Isbin & Pacifica Quartet — Cedille Records — CDR 90000 190 — 1 CD — Composers: Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Vivaldi, Turina, Boccherini • 2020 — AFFINITY: World Premiere Recordings — Zoho Music — ZM 202005 — 1 CD — Guest artists: Maryland Symphony Orchestra & conductor Elizabeth Schulze; Isabel Leonard, voice; Colin Davin, guitar • 2020 — STRINGS FOR PEACE: Premieres for Guitar & Sarod — Zoho Music — ZM 202004 — 1 CD — Sharon Isbin with Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, sarods; Amit Kavthekar, tabla • 2024 — LIVE IN ASPEN: Recorded Live in Concert at the Aspen Music Festival — Zoho Music — ZM 202405 — 1 CD — Sharon Isbin with Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, sarods; Amit Kavthekar, tabla • 2025 — ROMÁNTICO — KL2 — KLM026 — 1 CD — Sharon Isbin with Orchestra of St. Luke's & conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez World Premiere recordings of Latin dance-inspired music for guitar by Karen LeFrak including her Miami Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra

Awards and Recognitions • Won first prize at the Toronto Guitar Competition (1975) • Won the Munich ARD International Music Competition (1976) • A winner of the Madrid Queen Sofia International Competition (1979) • Concert Artists Guild Virtuoso Award (2013) • Germany's Echo Klassik Award (2002) • Musical America Worldwide Instrumentalist of the Year (2020) • JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) • Guitar Foundation of America HALL OF FAME and Artistic Achievement Award (2023) In 2020, Isbin became the first guitarist named Musical America's Instrumentalist of the Year. She was also the first guitarist to win the Munich ARD International Competition. She received a 1999 Grammy nomination for "Best Classical Crossover Album" for her recording Journey to the Amazon. She played on Aaron Jay Kernis' Double Concerto with violinist Cho-Liang Lin and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. This album received a Grammy nomination in 2000 for "Best Contemporary Classical Composition" for Kernis' Air for Violin. Isbin won a Grammy in 2001 for her album Dreams of a World: Folk-Inspired Music for Guitar (Warner Classics), becoming the first classical guitarist to win a Grammy in 28 years. On September 11, 2002, Isbin performed for the memorial tribute at Ground Zero, which was televised live throughout the world on international networks. Her recording of world premiere concertos written for her by Christopher Rouse and Tan Dun won a Grammy in 2002. She received a 2005 Latin Grammy nomination for "Best Classical Album" and a 2006 GLAAD Media Award nomination for "Outstanding Music Artist" for her recording of Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with the New York Philharmonic. The recording also featured concertos by Mexican composer Manuel Ponce and Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos. Isbin was the first guitar soloist to perform with the New York Philharmonic in 26 years; this was the orchestra's first-ever recording with the guitar. In November 2009, Isbin performed at the White House by invitation of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. In 2010, Isbin won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist for her CD, Journey to the New World (Sony) in which Joan Baez and Mark O'Connor performed with her as guests. The album spent 63 consecutive weeks on Billboard charts and ranked as the number one bestselling classical CD on Amazon and iTunes during that time. The PBS American Public Television documentary Sharon Isbin: Troubadour won the 2015 ASCAP Television Broadcast Award and has aired internationally and on more than 200 PBS stations across the U.S.

• Toronto Guitar competition, first prize, 1975 • Winner Munich ARD International Music Competition, 1976 • Madrid Queen Sofia International Competition, 1979 • Echo Klassik Award, Winner Best Concert Recording, 2002 • Best Classical Guitarist, Guitar Player magazine • Concert Artists Guild Virtuoso Award, 2013 • ASCAP Television Broadcast Award, 2015 • Little Orchestra Society's Artistic Excellence Award, 2019 • Musical America 2020 Instrumentalist of the Year Award • Guitar Foundation of America HALL OF FAME and Artistic Achievement Award, 2023