Maria Isabel Siewers
(Maria will give a concert on Monday, 2 April 2007, 19:30 at the International Guitar Festival Rust 2007)

Question: Who do you think is the most overrated and the most underrated composer for the classical guitar?

Maria Isabel Siewers: I cannot think in these categorical terms about a composer. Perhaps I could think of a certain overrated or underrated piece....

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Question: Which „Slogan“ would you use in advertising for the classical guitar?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Magical sound

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Question: With which prejudices – that are connected with the classical guitar – would you like to get rid of?

Maria Isabel Siewers: That you have to be a guitarist in order to be able to compose for it.

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Question: Which attributes do you find typical for classical guitarists?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Developinig their art mainly in or for a circle of guitarists.

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Question: What things in your life do you definitely want to learn and what do you regret not having done?

Maria Isabel Siewers: I´m happy and fulfilled , so I cannot easily say I regret not having done anything. I stil want to continue learning to play the guitar!

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Question: What dreams do you have that you would like to fulfil?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Tramping around the beautiful Argentina and other countries of the world, without any hurry. Having a horse .

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Question: What is embarrassing for you?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Forgetting an appointment

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Question: What short phrase would you use to describe your lifes philosophy?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Have confidence in what your heart says.

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Question: Which abuse in your native country would you like to do away with?

Maria Isabel Siewers: The extreme gap between rich and poor. The decadence of the public school and of the health system.

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Question: In relation to world history, which personalities fascinate you the most?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Women that have contributed to world´s peace, like Cecilia Grierson, the first woman doctor in Argentina, who worked in a small village, Los Cocos.

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Question: Which question would you like to be asked and what is your answer to this question?

Maria Isabel Siewers: I would prefer a dialogue or a discussion instead of question and answer.

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Question: Which guitar virtuoso today has the makings to follow in the footsteps of Andres Segovia?

Maria Isabel Siewers: Segovia didn´t happen „today“ . If I could follow the career of a virtuoso till his eighties perhaps I could say.

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Biography María Isabel Siewers

Acclaimed for her extraordinary lyricism, refined artistic temperament and outstanding technique, Maria Isabel Siewers has performed in many of the greatest halls, including the Wigmore Hall (London), Konzerthaus (Vienna), Martinu Hall (Prague), Carnegie Hall (New York) and the Théatre des Champs Elysées (Paris), and has played in many important music festivals. She has regularly toured, taught and adjudicated in international competitions throughout Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. She has occupied several teaching posts in Argentina and, since 1989, she has been head of a guitar department in the Arts University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.

She has appeared as soloist with, amongst others, the Argentine National Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Virtuosi, the Radio/TV Orchestra of Zagreb, the Bohemian Chamber Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Cuba, the Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestras of Mayo and Morón (Argentina).
As a chamber musician Ms Siewers shows remarkable versatility and has enormous experience. She performs regularly with violinists Amiram Ganz, Rafael Gintoli (“Duo de Buenos Aires”) and Dorothea Sessler, and with the Stamič Quartet (Prague) , Martinu Quartet (Prague) and “Divertimento Innsbruck”. Her repertoire in this field ranges from Giuliani or Paganini to Kurtag, Takemitsu, Guastavino, Piazzolla, and premières of new works.
Ms Siewers' recordings reflect her special interest in and love for 20th-century masterpieces for the guitar, also for the rich and enchanting Latin American repertory (also cross-over) and for chamber music with guitar, a field in which she has considerable experience. Her recordings have received many awards, including “Critic’s choice” (Gramophone) and “Best record of the year” (Acoustic Guitar).
In seeking to expand the repertory of the guitar she has commissioned new works and has premièred numerous solo and chamber works and concertos. She premièred the Concierto de Estio, written for her by the Prague-based composer Sylvie Bodorova with the Bohemian Chamber Orchestra conducted by Leos Swarowsky in 2000 . Other eminent composers have dedicated works to her: José Luis Campana, Jorge Cardoso, John Duarte, Helmut Jasbar, Gustavo Kantor, Máximo Diego Pujol, Larry Traiger, Marios Elias, and Sergio Parotti.
Maria Isabel Siewers studied in her native Argentina with Maria Luisa Anido and at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory, finally receiving a Gold Medal. A scholarship from the Spanish government enabled her to participate in masterclasses with Andrés Segovia in Santiago de Compostela, and another from the Italian government supported her attendance at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, where she studied with Oscar Ghiglia, Ruggero Chiesa and Alain Meunier, and was awarded the “Diploma de Merito”. Later she studied with Abel Carlevaro and Nikolas Harnoncourt.
with Segovia in Santiago de Compostela

Despite her busy international career Ms Siewers retains a strong interest in the musical life of her native Argentina, where she founded the “Seminario de guitarra Musicampus” in 1987 and has conducted a music series for young people on National Radio.