Sean Shibe: Scottish guitarist unbound

A musician described as “the most interesting voice on the guitar for a generation”, Edinburgh-born Sean Shibe is as at home on the electric guitar as he is on the classical acoustic one. Winner of awards including the 2018 Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award and the 2022 Leonard Bernstein Award, he was nominated in 2023 for a Grammy, and continues to prove himself as an original mind at the frontier of contemporary classical music. In this conversation, Sean demystifies the electric guitar while eloquently introducing us to a deliciously diverse selection of music. He has an inspiring approach to both the acoustic and electric guitar which embraces tradition while pushing boundaries. Sean Shibe performs with the Australian Chamber Orchestra under artistic director Richard Tognetti for Scotland Unbound around Australia until November 18, with performances at the City Recital Hall on November 9, 12 and 13, and at the Sydney Opera House on November 10.