A versatile artist, Penelope Shvarts has studied both classical and flamenco guitar since she was just 5 years old with teachers Gohar Vardanyan, Elysa and Jason Hochman, and Grisha and Dmitry Goryachev. She has played in masterclasses with many well-known artists, some of which being Sharon Isbin, Eliot Fisk, Jason Vieaux, Ana Vidovic, and Meng Su.
In the fall of 2023, Penelope began her undergraduate degree in classical guitar performance at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she studies under Maestro Manuel Barrueco. At Peabody, she has taken on many influential roles, one of which being the Treasurer-Secretary of the Peabody General Assembly.
While playing, she has worked with the organizations Notelove and Midori & Friends, where she helps to promote free music education. She currently serves as the Event Intern and member of the Student Advisory Committee for the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, streamlining communication between conservatory-level and professional musicians.
Recently, she has been awarded the Peabody Archives Recital Research Grant to continue her work in researching non-male composers and the works that they have written for the classical guitar. She hopes to continue this research in order to diversify the standard classical guitar repertoire and make music more inclusive as a whole.
