mittelhessen

05.08.2025

Gitarre Pur

Weimar Guitar Quartet

The ensemble made a musical statement with works by Patrick Roux and Marty Peran, two composers who are particularly committed to expanding the repertoire for guitar quartet. Quieter nuances were offered by pieces from Jesús Guridi, a Spanish composer who works with impressionistic colors and folkloric elements, as well as by Sean Robert Silva, a young representative of contemporary guitar music.

Uwe Röndigs

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Badische Neueste Nachrichten

06.05.2024

23. Durlach Organ Night

Handbell Choir Karlsruhe

... but it was especially the world premiere of the 'Studies on Musical Phenomenology' by Sean Robert Silva, who conducted himself on this occasion. Not to conduct in the traditional sense, but to use a stopwatch and cards to indicate to the handbell choir which specific tone and playing technique, as specified in the score, they should use. This led to a variety of musical events, from block-like clusters to the dynamic ringing of rhythmically overlapping motifs.

Jens Wehn

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Badische Neueste Nachrichten

20.12.2021

Die Verlorenen

Premiere Report

The family scenes are illustrated and deepened through a series of songs composed by Sean Silva, which are performed by a vocal quartet (Sean Silva, ShiChao Cheng, Franziska Fait, and Kim Gadewoltz) with piano accompaniment (ZiHao Lin), ultimately turning the piece into a chamber opera. Some parts are late-romantic and accessible, while others are modern, featuring fitting dissonant tone clusters and harsh accentuated passages. The musical interludes symbolize the fragile foundation upon which the achievements of the Baden democracy movement were built.

Daniel Hennigs

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Badische Neueste Nachrichten

30.06.2020

Summer Concert

German Musicians' Association

A remarkable contribution came from the 29-year-old composer and guitarist Sean Robert Silva, who presented two of his own compositions: "Pathetische Fantasie" Op. 1 and "Liebeswalzer" Op. 10. While the "Fantasie" was characterized by minimalist structures—gradually changing through repeated sections—the "Liebeswalzer" drew attention with its jazzy elements and flageolet effects—the playing of subtle overtones by plucking the strings at specific points. For his skillful and, where required, virtuosic playing, Silva received much well-deserved applause.

Danel Hennigs

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kraichgau.info

18.10.2015

Rittersaal Concert

Sean Robert Silva / Mou Zhang

Together, they opened the concert with the piece 'Sanzen-in' by Andrew York, one of the most innovative guitar composers of our time. Following that, Sean Silva captivated the audience with the 'Prelude from Lute Suite No. III BWV 995' by Johann Sebastian Bach, before, as he explained, jumping a few centuries forward to the Cuban composer Leo Brouwer with two short works. He then presented the fascinated audience with one of his own compositions: 'Pathetische Fantasie (The Will to Power) - S10, Op. 1.' Enthusiastic applause concluded the first part of the concert.

Ulrich Hintermayer

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Schwäbische Zeitung

15.01.2014

Hochschule für Musik Trossingen

Sean Robert Silva

... starting with a sonata by the Baroque composer Francesco Maria Veracini for violin, cello, theorbo, and harpsichord. Anna Liisa Eller then presents a piece by Louis Couperin on the kannel, a type of zither from her native Estonia. The American soprano Taylor Haines takes us back to Germany and the Romantic era with a song by Johannes Brahms, accompanied by guitarist Sean Silva (San Francisco). Further program pieces follow, including a duet with Glen Grey on the mandolin and the composition 'Pathetische Fantasie (The Will to Power)' – composed by the performer Sean Silva himself.

Schwäbische.de

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