Sean Shibe (Guitar)

Saturday 16 February 2019 at 7:30pm

St James’s Church, Pottergate, Alnwick NE66 1JW

A recital by the outstanding young Scottish guitarist Sean Shibe featured at Alnwick Music Society’s first concert of 2019, held at St James’s Church.

Sean opened with rapt performances of an Etude and two Preludes by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. His fine control of dynamics was appreciated by the audience, largely due to the excellent acoustics of the venue which proved ideal for an intimate performance of this sort. Next, in complete contrast, came a wonderful guitar transcription of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Lute Suite No.2, which inhabits a completely different sound world.

After the interval, Sean played a series of arrangements from 17^th Century Scottish lute manuscripts. These fascinating works combine elements of folk and classical music with influences from continental Europe. They were sensitively played, with many wistful glimpses of popular Scottish melody.

These were followed by yet another impressive performance of transcribed lute music by Bach, this time the Prelude Fugue and Allegro in E flat. This is a work that demands both delicacy and virtuosity, all handled with aplomb by this fine artist.

In response to enthusiastic applause from an appreciative audience, Sean closed with a lovely transcription of Peter Maxwell Davies’ piano composition, Farewell to Stromness.

Genius, a term which should rarely be applied to performing musicians, but at 25 he has it.
Arts Desk, East Neuk Festival 2017