Author: Sean Shibe

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When playing the Fantasy op.9 by Arnold I've always borne in mind Donald Mitchell's biography, in which he is likened to Dickens - both were communicators of great joy and comedy, but pointedly aware of the human predicament. In introducing the Fantasy over the course of the last season I've often returned to these words, [...]

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I passed through Royal Leamington Spa today, the town my Grandmother grew up in. The last time I was there I must have been 12 or 13, my Dad was driving me around, and we were on the hunt for a guitar that would, when I finally found it, last me most of my teenage [...]

Brighton Coffee Concert review

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Strings Attached (Andrew Polmear): http://www.stringsattachedmusic.org.uk/coffee-concert-29th-january-2017-review-andrew-polmear/#more-1828 I was astounded by this concert. I don’t know enough about the guitar or the repertoire to write about them knowledgeably. But Sean Shibe’s performance was enough to sweep away what preconceptions I had, both about the limitations of solo guitar and about the mediocrity of some English 20th century [...]

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After two evening recitals this week it felt refreshing to give a coffee concert - 6am alarm, Southern Rail cancellation joys, but coffee and pastries before playing at Brighton Dome/Attenborough Arts Centre! This was the final time I played the full English programme before the final recording session with Delphian Records, and I don't think [...]

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Last night I was walking through the cloisters of the church of St. John the Evangelist and came across a poster detailing the forthcoming season, then realised that I'd actually performed at this church once before - around 10 years ago, with the National Youth Guitar Ensemble of Great Britain! NYGE is steadily growing in [...]

Maxwell Davies: An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise

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Several reviews have come through for the Maxwell Davies CD collaboration with the ever amazing Scottish Chamber Orchestra, from The Observer and The Financial Times among others. The Herald: "So back to the new disc: and we must say a word about Sean Shibe, the still-young Scottish guitarist...with the most beautiful, resonant and soulful performance of Max's [...]

Outreach near Bath

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I feel like outreach is something often talked of critically, but when it works well (as it did here) it is one of the most rewarding things. The aim here was a humble, noble one - simply to help those of primary/secondary school age become better listeners to works of classical music. The works I [...]

Apollo Music London

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I had an amazing time yesterday visiting two primary schools in North London for Apollo Music Projects. It was pretty rewarding to hear the kids respond with "this is my FAVOURITE BIT!" when they were asked to use their imagination in describing how a piece made them feel. I think that this skill is actually [...]

Brutally Early Club

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I feel like I moved to London, in part, because I there was a single day where I realised that most of my friends had moved South. But, as Ai Weiwei points out, in the larger cities things today, things are decided weeks in advance and it's difficult to pin people down: I actually don't [...]