< Sharon Isbin has received a B.A cum laude from Yale University, studied with the likes of Aldo Minella, Sophocles Papas and Andres Segovia among others, as well as won multiple Grammy Awards, toured the world, became the founding director of the Guitar Department at the famed Juilliard and well, you get the idea; Isbin is a very talented lady, possibly without equal in the world of classical guitarists.
Recently Isbin performed to a large, appreciative crowd at Princeton University's McCarter Theater. The stage was set with a single chair and two microphones and she strode upon it, taking her rightful throne at 8:05 p.m. EST. This royalty of guitar held her audience spellbound from the first notes of, "Spanish Dance #5" by Enrique Granados until the last notes of her encore; on this night, "Waltz Opus 8, #4."
The evenings second offering was an exquisite adaptation piece written in 1981 specifically for her called, "The Black Decameron," taken from the 1939 work titled, "Negro Cameron," by Leo Brouwer. The three movements, "Lovers Fleeing through the Valley of the Echos," "The Harp of the Warrior" and "The Maiden in Love," were seamed together flawlessly as Sharon's more than capable hands floated across the frets like butterflies over a meadow.
Filling the few gaps between selections with some poignant anecdotes and her pleasant disposition, Isbin revealed herself to be as charming as she is talented. The next piece was of the 19th century, written by Francisco Tarrega and called, "Capricho Arabe" and also contained the follow up,"Recuerdos de la Alhambra." "This was written to capture the essence of the fountains and waterfalls in Granada, Spain and if you watch the motion of my right hand you'll see why," she stated with confidence then proceeded to gracefully recreate the movement with said right hand caressing the strings in an endless open handed, almost spider-like rhythm akin to cascading water, further showcasing her mastery of the instrument.
"Asturias," penned by Isaac Albeniz and transcribed for guitar by the great Andres Segovia ended the approximate 40 minute opening set and took us to intermission.
"Nightshade Rounds," written specifically for Isbin circa 1979 by Bruce MacCombie led off the second set just after 9 p.m. Inspired by the deadly Nightshade flower, "Which is both beautiful and poisonous," he wrote it based solely on Sharon's incredible ability. He was quoted as saying, "In the manner of emerging petals, the piece gradually unfolds in a series of arpeggiated patterns. Ms. Isbin's extraordinary technical abilities and innate feel for balancing a sense of timelessness with movement-in-time played a large role in the shaping of this piece." Isbin did not disappoint as she played the piece which she recorded for EMI to perfection.
Folk influences based in the UK and early American artists provided the impetus for the Andrew York composition entitled, "Andecy." Written by York while staying in a small village of the same name in France; Sharon relayed its eerie melodies without fail.
Even the great classical composer Bach was represented on this magical evening as the collaborative efforts of Isbin and Rosalyn Tureck brought, "Suite BWV997: Gigue & Double," to fruition. Isbin studied with Tureck, a Bach scholar, for a decade and the pair created many editions of Bach pieces, in particular from the lute suites due to its similarity to the guitar. This particular work can be found on the recording, "Sharon Isbin: Bach for Guitar."
The Agustin Barrios Mangore works of "La Catedral" and "Waltz, Op. 8, No. 4," put the finishing touches on a splendid evening of culture, classical music, immeasurable talent and jaw dropping performances by this statuesque brunette from Minnesota. Isbin is both stunningly efficient and miraculously gifted as well as a true virtuoso who has honed her craft to perfection.
To discover more about Sharon Isbin, please visit, www.sharonisbin.com.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
Backstage at Championship Bar
931 Chambers Street Trenton
Fri. 5 p.m. The Bunny The Bear, Gears, Scarlet View, Dreams Of Demise, Ashes Of My Regrets, For Those Who Fall, Twisting Life. All ages, $12/$15
Sat. 5 p.m. Joe Billy, Alamo Alex, Delta Falling, Red Hymns, DogParc, The Infinite Vacation, The Stewart Dolly. All ages, $10
Bill's Olde Tavern
2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-0192
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke Contest (Cash prizes)
Ages 21+
Blend Bar & Bistro
911 Highway 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam
Bowman's Tavern
1600 River Road New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2972
Thurs. 8 p.m. David Dales Trio
Fri. 8 p.m. CJ Steinway
Sat. 7:30 p.m. David Dales Trio
Sun. (12 p.m.) Brunch With Ottmar (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic Street Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m. Carrie Jackson Quartet. $10 (cover charge/$10 Minimum includes buffet)
Chickie's & Pete's
183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-9182
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night
Wed. 9 p.m. Quizzo Trivia
City Streets
510 Highway 130 South East Windsor
(609) 426-9400
Mon. 9 p.m. "Malibu Mondays" w/ DJ Brett Gash
Tues. 9 p.m. Trivia w/ Jessie and Chelsea
Wed. 6:30 p.m. "Wine Down Wednesdays" w/ Rich Genoval
COARadio.com
Main Street Hightstown
(609) 241-7103
Check web site for programming
Dadz Bar & Grill
744 Main Street Lumberton
(609) 267-4344
Thurs. 10 p.m. "Pong Tournament"
Fri. 10 p.m. Sanctuary
Sat. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Byrd
Sun. 4 p.m. Billy Walton
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Superstar Entertainment
Dempster's Pub
437 Pine Street Mount Holly
(609) 261-0500
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. DJ DNIAL
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Chris
Dog & Bull Brew House
810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.
(215) 788-2855
Thurs. 8 p.m. Brian Wilson
Fri. (4 p.m.) "Happy Hour" feat. Keli Vale & Nick Bucci (9 p.m.) Soul Custody Trio
Sat. (11 a.m.) "Saturday Brunch Jam" feat. David Dzubinski Group (9 p.m.) Henry Walther Band
Sun. (11 a.m.) "Sunday Brunch" feat. Dick Gratton (4 p.m.) Michael Leggerie
Wed. 8 p.m. Joe Robinson
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.
(215)862-5539
Fri. 8 p.m. Full Grown Men
Sat. 9 p.m. Zeke Sky Band
All shows age 21+
Freddies Tavern
12 Railroad Avenue Ewing
(609) 882-0978
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Joe Vadala
Grover's Mill Coffee House
Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction
(609) 716-8771
Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Anker
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.
(215) 862-9897
Fri. 8 p.m. "Steal Your Peach" A Tribute to The Allman Brothers band and The Grateful Dead. Ages 21+, Doors at 6 p.m., $15
Sat. 8 p.m. FM Band
Sun. (2 p.m.) "Shad Fest" feat. The Naturals (6 p.m.) JB Kline Blues Band
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 8 p.m. "Local Original Music Series" Hosted by Pat Foran
Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn
15 East Broad Street Hopewell
(609) 466-9889
Fri. 8 p.m. Open Mic.
Hopewell Valley Vineyards
46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Thurs. 6 p.m. James Popik & Friends
Fri. 6 p.m. Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz Ensemble
Sat. 6 p.m. John & Carm
Sun. 2 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Al Oliver
Hurricane Jacks Bar and Grill
7759 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(267) 914-4517
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paul Kircher
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula & Sam
Iron Plow Vineyards
26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 6 p.m. The Williamsboy
Sat. 1 p.m. Grouser Girls
Sun. 1 p.m. Bob O & Jess
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 9 p.m. Gunsmoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Polish Nannies
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Eric Americ
Fri. 9 p.m. Nikita Tiriko
Sat. (3 p.m.) the Mondays (9:30 p.m.) Eric Sommer
Sun. (3 p.m.) Miss Pumpkin's Drag Show (9:30 p.m.) Astrokatz
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Wed. 9:30 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+
Killarney's Publick House
1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166
Thurs. (5 p.m.) Dave Murray (9 p.m.) Lip Sync Battle "TBT Edition"
Sat. 10 p.m. DJ Jimmy
Sun. 3 p.m. Classic car Show
Laurita Winery
85 Archertown Road New Egypt
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. 7 p.m. "2017 Laurita Idol Singing Showcase" Adult Idol Semi-Finals.
Sat. "Laurita Bacon Fest" feat. (11 a.m.) The Tone Rangers (2 p.m.) Nikki Briar and the SweetBriar Band (6 p.m.) Kindred Spirit
Sun. "Laurita Bacon Fest" feat. (11 a.m.) Shore Syde Band (1:30 p.m.) Pennington Station (5 p.m.) The Polish Nannies
Wed. 6 p.m. "Girls Night Out"
Mamma Rosa's
572 Klockner Road Hamilton
(609) 588-5454
Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Richard Schneider
McStews Irish Sports Pub
5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 949-9570
Thurs. 10:30 p.m."Beer Pong" w/ DJ RV & MC Slim
Fri. 10 p.m. "Frisky Fridays" w/ DJ Favs and MC Fredo
Sat. 10 p.m. (TBA)
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo hosted by Mike
Millhill Basement
300 S. Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-1600
Tues. 10 p.m. "Local Artist" Hip Hop, Experimental EDM and Bass Music Showcase
Nook's PourHouse
2043 Route 130 South Florence
(609) 447-0927
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia Tuesday w/ Quizoholics
Olde Liberty Tavern
2114 Liberty Street Trenton
(609) 396-2262
Sat. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Road Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21 +
PANJ Radio
Bridge Street Lambertville
(609) 460-4673
Sun. 7 p.m. "Rock On Radio" feat.
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Sat. 9:30 p.m. (TBA)
Randy Now's Man Cave
134 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 424-3766
Sat. 8 p.m. PXYL8R / Ambient Music. All ages, $10
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 10 p.m. "College Night" feat. DJ Bob E. Luv. Ages 21+, $5 (with college ID0 $15 (without college ID)
Salt Creek Grille
1 Rockingham Row Princeton
(609) 419-4200
Fri. 8 p.m. Carrie Jackson
Sat. 8 p.m. Michael Bernabe
Small World Coffee
14 Witherspoon Street Princeton
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Black Cat Habitat
1867 Sanctuary
101 Scotch Road Ewing
(609) 392-6409
Fri. 7 p.m. 4th Friday Open Mic
Sat. (3 p.m.) Little Wolf Players Present: "Wait, That's Not Disney" $15 (8 p.m.) John SaFranco, Steve Citan and Yvonne. $20
Sun. (3 p.m.) Little Wolf Players Present: "Wait, That's Not Disney" $15 (7:30 p.m.) Danny Carvalho and Bill Wynne. $20
Tara's Tavern
1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown
(609) 286-2300
Fri. 10 p.m. Infinite
Sat. 10 p.m. Billy Walton
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main Street Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. (7:30 p.m. Upstairs) "Jazz at the Lake" feat. Shamie Royston Quintet. Doors at 7 p.m., $25 (9 p.m.) Smoke & Mirrors
Sat. 9 p.m. Round Trip
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
Temperance House
5 South State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8050
Thurs. 7 p.m. Blues Open session w/ Steve Guyger
Fri. 7 p.m. Slamm Duo
Sat. 7 p.m. Jim Walter
Wed. 7 p.m. Live Jazz
The Cool Cricket
216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Radio Fiction
The Dubliner
34 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1816
Fri. 8 p.m. Seamus Kelleher
Sat. 8 p.m. Mike Brill
Mon. 7 p.m. "Monday Night Session"
The HOB Tavern
146 Second Street Bordentown
(609) 291-7020
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Entertainment
Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Wed. 8 p.m. (TBA)
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Rockin' Ron
Fri. (8 p.m.) CP Fundraiser w/ Karaoke (10 p.m.) DJ Rockin' Ron
Sat. 10 p.m. Little Mac and the People's Champ
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. "Wednesday Wheel Night Spin To Win Karaoke" w/ DJ Rockn Ron
The Pines Tavern
6217 North Radcliffe Street Bristol, PA
(215) 788-1659
Sat. 9 p.m. Vermillion
Sun. 3 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Bill Monach Jr.
The Raven
385 West Bridge Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2081
Thurs. 5 p.m. Russell Eiffert
Fri. (9 p.m.) Michael Ferreri (10 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sat. (9 p.m.) Russell Eiffert (10 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Wed. 6 p.m. Dena Underwood
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Sat. 8 p.m. Alexis P. Suter Ministers Of Sound (New Release Party). All ages, Doors at 7:30 p.m., $20 (advance)
The Roost
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-0050
Fri. 9 p.m. Take 5
Sat. 9 p.m. El Ka bong
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad Street Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. Branded Ink Society
Sat. 9 p.m. No Way Out
Tues. 7 p.m. Karaoke
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check website for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Sat. 9 p.m. The Williamsboy
Wed. 6 p.m. "Fundraiser for the Billy Briggs Scholarship Fund" w/ Guest Bartender Wayne DeAngelo feat. music by the Williamsboy.
All shows 21+
Trenton Buzz
702 Pine Street Trenton
(609) 392-6000
Fri. 8 p.m. Live Band & Open Mic.
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. "Audio History of Funk and Soul" w/ Professor DJ Tangency
Mon. 9 p.m. Monday Night Karaoke w/ Benny P
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Benny
Wed. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. Steve (the band). $5 (cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Tigerman. ($5 cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Stage Night (Sign ups at 6:30 p.m.)
All shows 21+
Triumph Brewing Company (Princeton, NJ Location)
138 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 924-7855
Fri. 10 p.m. John Francis & the Midnight Choir
Sat. 10 p.m. Core Four Ensemble
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Road Pennington
(609) 773-2392
Sat. 9 p.m. DiRty ReD
Mon. 9 p.m. "Moonshine Mondays" Trivia
Ages 21+
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
