“A first class artist” , expressed María Luisa Anido when she first heard Margarita Escarpa play in 1990. Ever since then, has continually reaped many successes and she is now considered one of the main contemporary classical guitarists.
In 1992 Margarita Escarpa won the Extraordinary End of Studies Prize of the Royal Superior Music Conservatory of Madrid were she studied under the most distinguished music teachers as well as receiving the advice of the most outstanding guitarists. Shortly after, she obtained her Bachelors degree in mathematics from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
While still a student, she won eight international prizes in addition to various national ones. Her triumph in the international "20th Solo Guitar Competition" of the Guitar Foundation of America was a decisive moment in her career as a performer and ever since she has been at the top of the international guitar scene. She regularly participates in the most important festivals of Europe, Asia and America.
Margarita Escarpa masters a broad solo and orchestral repertoire and her talent and character turns every performance into a unique musical experience: every note and every silent moment transforms into a magical perfection. Arturo Tello Ruiz-Pérez confirms that Margarita Escarpa rightly occupies the highest echelons of the guitar Parnassus.
Her versions of composers such as J.S. Bach, J.P. Rameau, el Padre Soler, S. Alberto, I. Albéniz, M. de Falla, or C. Debussy have been showered with critic's acclaims and have become a bench mark for contemporary performers, as far as transcriptions and performances are concerned.
Margarita Escarpa plays a Matthias Dammann guitar (Germany) and since 2011 she is one of the "D'Addario artists" because she exclusively plays on D'Addario strings (http://www.daddario.com) As a solo artist she recorded CDs for RTVE (Spanish Radio and Television group) , Opera Tres, Naxos, La Ma de Guido and GHA Records and she is currently preparing other recording projects. Her latest album "Estampes" has received excellent reviews.
Critics and audiences alike emphasize her artistic sensitivity and technical competence she has obtained through her extensive musical education:
“ … Escarpa held the audience under her seductive and bewitching spell. She indeed is a musical sorceress ...” JEFF MANOOKIAN, “THE TRIBUNE”, Salt Lake City (US).
" … the best balance of intelligence and artistic style I have ever heard from a guitarist" DAVID LETKEMANN, GUITAR MAGAZINE, Winnipeg, (Canada)
“ … one of the giants of our small world… Intense, penetrating, engrossing, fascinating, spectacular, pure joy”. MATANYA OPHEE, ON-LINE MAGAZINE OF EDITIONS ORPHÉE., US.
“ … Brillante, audace, dal suono tafliato come prezioso diamante, … scultrice di rilievi chiaroscurali, poi pittrice generosa di tinte pregiate … … ascoltando Margarita Escarpa, o meglio, dedicando al suo recital línterezza dei sensi, si coglie senz´indugio quella cifra ineffabile e altresi immediata e percettibile detenuta solo dall´altra metà del cielo …”. PAOLO SANFILIPPO, GUITART (Italia).
“ … l’interprete vive davvero quello che sta suonando. Non ce lo racconta, non ce lo proietta come un film, ma lo partecipa dal profondo della sua sensibilità coinvolgendoci e commuovendoci. … Sa drammatizzare, sognare, danzare lanciandosi in ritmi serratissimi e galleggiare in una cantabilità liberissima. E così può osare. E osa, con l’autorità di chi può perché ha capito il linguaggio, il senso, il messaggio di quelle opere… Le sue interpretazioni sono forti, autorevoli, commosse, sentite con l’animo, oltrechè intelligentissime. L’artista sembra non sforzarsi per entrare nello spirito dei pezzi, perché questo spirito è già in lei … Ed è per questo che il pubblico ha vibrato insieme a lei. Ecco la magia che dovrebbe succedere nei concerti! NUCCIO D´ANGELO, Dotguitar.it (Italia)
“ … habitante por derecho en las laderas altas del parnaso guitarrístico… ARTURO TELLO RUIZ-PÉREZ. ROSETA (España)
“ Wie Perlen an einer Kette flossen die klaren, reinen Töne in unglaublicher Virtuosität im Kontrast zu den vollen temperamentvollen Akkorden von den sechs Saiten ihres Instrumentes… Margarita Escarpa verzaubert mit meisterhaften Klängen …” ROTENBURGER KREISZEITUNG (Germany)