by Mike Telin

On her debut solo album, Obsession (Blue Point Studios Label), young classical guitarist Krystin O’Mara firmly establishes herself as “someone to watch.” Her performances of works by Regino Sainz de la Maza, Ian Krouse, Viet Cuong, Fernando Sor and Augustin Barrios Mangore are truly impressive.

O’Mara, a Strongsville native, describes Obsession as a “concept album that explores the darker side of the classical guitar repertoire, based on the self-indulgent, often unspoken idea that sometimes it is just fun to be sad.” But listeners need not worry, O’Mara’s performances are anything but self-indulgent: she possesses wonderful technique as well as keen musical sensibilities, and her auspicious choices of repertoire easily hold your attention.

Opening with an energetic performance of Spanish guitarist and composer Sainz de la Maza’s Zapateado, O’Mara beautifully captures the work’s title, which comes from the Spanish word zapatear, meaning to hit with one’s shoe. [Read more…]