PROGRAM
Joaquín Turina: La Oración del torero, Op. 34
Joaquin Malats: Impresiones de España, No. 2, Serenata Española
Joaquín Turina: Dos sonetos del amor oscuro
José María Usandizaga: Souvenir, Op. 41
Antonio Vivaldi: Guitar Concerto in D Major RV 93
Luigi Boccherini: Grave - Fandango from Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D Major, G. 448
Interval
Enrique Granados: Intermezzo from Goyescas
Enrique Granados: Andaluza from Spanish Dances Op. 37, No. 5
Isaac Albéniz: Asturias
Isaac Albéniz: Suite Española, Op. 47, No. 1: Granada
Isaac Albéniz: Suite Española, Op. 47, No. 3: Sevilla
Joaquín Rodrigo: Dos miniaturas andaluzas: Preludio y Danza
Manuel de Falla: Four Selections from El Amor Brujo, arr. for strings
Sharon Isbin
Hailed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time,” multiple GRAMMY winner Sharon Isbin was named Musical America’s Instrumentalist of the Year, the first guitarist in their 59- year award history, and received the 2023 Guitar Foundation of America’s Hall of Fame Award. She has been soloist with over 200 orchestras, premiered nearly 100 works written for her by some of the world’s finest composers, and given sold-out performances in celebrated halls across 40 countries. Winner of the Munich ARD, Madrid and Toronto Competitions, Germany’s Echo Klassik, and Guitar Player’s Best Classical Guitarist awards, she performed in Scorsese’s Oscar-winning The Departed, the White House by invitation of President Obama, and as the only classical artist in the 2010 GRAMMY Awards. The documentary seen by millions on PBS and abroad, Sharon Isbin: Troubadour, won ASCAP’s Television Broadcast Award. Latest in her discography of over 40 recordings are Romántico (2025) featuring Latin dance-inspired world premieres and Live in Aspen (2024) with Amjad Ali Khan. Other titles include Affinity and Strings for Peace named Best of 2020, Souvenirs of Spain & Italy with the Pacifica Quartet, her GRAMMY-winning Journey to the New World with guest Joan Baez which spent 63 weeks on top Billboard charts, and her Latin GRAMMY-nominated disc with the New York Philharmonic, their only recording with guitar. Recent highlights include a commission for her by Carnegie Hall, a 21-city Guitar Passions tour with jazz greats Stanley Jordan and Romero Lubambo, and a collaboration with Sting. She is the founding director of guitar departments at The Juilliard School and Aspen Music Festival.
CONCERTO MÁLAGA
Spanish String Orchestra of International Renown
Concerto Málaga is a distinguished Spanish string orchestra founded in 1996 by a group of young Andalusian musicians, inspired by the musical legacy of the Generation of ’98 composers. The ensemble is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Western classical music with a distinctly Hispanic influence. Acclaimed for its interpretations of Spanish music, the orchestra comprises European artists committed to the research, study, and performance of string repertoire spanning from the late 17th century to the present day. According to the renowned German publication Ensemble Magazine, Concerto Málaga is “one of the finest Spanish ensembles,” and as described by WFMT Chicago Classical Radio, “one of Spain’s most important ensembles.” The celebrated guitarist Pepe Romero has praised the orchestra, stating, “Concerto Málaga will give Málaga what I Musici has given to Italy.”
Founded in honor of the immortal Málaga-born painter Pablo Picasso, the orchestra debuted at what is now the Málaga Museum of Fine Arts. In 2005, it was renamed by musician and broadcaster Fernando Argenta on Spanish National Television. The chamber ensemble is composed of six violins, two violas, two cellos, a double bass, and a harpsichord, led by Málaga-born violinist José Manuel Gil de Gálvez, with the support of the Hispania Música Foundation and the sponsorship of the City Council of Málaga. The orchestra collaborates regularly with institutions such as the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the European Union's Culture Commission, the European Investment Bank, and the European Music Council. Additionally, it is an official member of the International Music Council under UNESCO as a "Specialized National Institution."
In 2010, Concerto Málaga was awarded the Silver Bus Award by Málaga’s public transport company for its cultural contributions to the city. It served as the Resident Orchestra of County Donegal, Ireland (2008–2010). In 2015, the Málaga town of Nigüelas named a plaza after the orchestra, and in 2018, it received the Don Bosco Foundation of Granada Prize for its continuous cultural work benefiting at-risk youth. In 2020, Málaga’s City Council unanimously petitioned the Andalusian Government to grant the orchestra the prestigious “Manuel de Falla” Andalusian Music Award.
Since its inception, Concerto Málaga has performed over 1,000 recitals, sharing the stage with world-renowned artists such as conductor José Serebrier, harpist Anneleen Lenaerts, violinist Mariana Sîrbu, and guitarist Pepe Romero. The orchestra has collaborated with a host of distinguished guest artists and conductors, including Marc Chisson, Joaquín Clerch, Gonçal Comellas, Mihai Dancila, Andreas Frölich, Alexander Hülshoff, Ramon Jaffé, Judith Jáuregui, Yunah Lee, Hee-Young Lim, Massimo Mercelli, Jordi Mora, Benjamín Moreno, Edgardo Rocha, and Michael Wolf, among many others. Composers such as José Luis Turina, Marc Satterwhite, Salvador Brotons, Tomás Marco, and Jordi Cervelló have dedicated works to the ensemble. Its principal conductors have included Davor Kulieric (1997–2002), Massimo Paris (2003–2012), and, since 2013, founding member and concertmaster Dr. Gil de Gálvez.
The orchestra has captivated audiences worldwide, performing in countries including Germany, Finland, France, South Korea, Croatia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, the United States, Italy, Ireland, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom. It has appeared in iconic venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Prinzregententheater Munich, Rosengarten Mannheim, Seoul Arts Center, Busan Cultural Center, the Basilica of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the Royal Palace of El Pardo Chapel, Balboa Theatre, Majestic Empire Theatre, Valley Performing Arts Center, and Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. Noteworthy festival appearances include the Euriade Festival (Netherlands), L’Été Musical en Bergerac (France), Kalevi Aho Festival (Finland), Festival International de Musique Symphonique d’El Jem (Tunisia), International Summer Music Festival Zadar (Croatia), and the International Music and Dance Festival of Nerja Cave (Spain).
The ensemble is artistically based at the Illustrious Official College of Physicians of Málaga, where it has held its chamber music season since 2003. The season focuses on its hallmark concert series, CIVE: The Four Seasons Concert Cycle, and the MasClásica series. It also serves as the resident orchestra for FIAPMSE: International Forum for Advanced Musical Training in Southern Europe and SIMCE: International Week of Spanish Chamber Music.
Concerto Málaga made history as the first Iberian orchestra to record with Deutsche Grammophon, releasing a best-selling album (Germany, 2011) alongside Los Romeros. The ensemble has also recorded internationally with labels such as Naxos, Genuin Classics, SOMM Recordings, and its own audiovisual label, Belsuono Strings Records. It is the first Andalusian chamber ensemble to receive a Latin Grammy Nomination for Best Classical Album.
