This was a delightful evening's entertainment with quite a lot of unexpected audience participation, fortunately regarded by most us as a comic bonus.

In more serious circumstances, for example the Tokyo String Quartet in a Bartok cycle or with a less able and less experienced soloist, the continual audience interruptions and latecomer walkabouts would have proved disconcerting, even disastrous, but happily Miss Isbin, secure in her art, shone like a beacon throughout.

Musically it was a very interesting programme with, naturally enough, quite a lot of Spanish music, but there was also some very well contrasted repertoire in The Prelude, Gigue and Double from Lute Suite in E minor by Bach, a lovely set of variations from "The Magic Flute'' by Mozart and "The Black Decameron'' written especially for Sharon Isbin by Leo Brouwer.

The guitar is not an easy instrument to project in solo recital. It is limited in dynamic range, and in spite of performer's unquestionable mastery, there were times when her pianissimo playing was barely audible. For the most part however she displayed, as part of a superb technique, excellent control of dynamics and an associated sense of the dramatic. This was seen very clearly in "The Black Decameron''. These pieces are really a sort of orchestral programme music for guitar with a very definite literary theme. Inspired by African Folk Tales they relate the story of a young warrior and his lover.

Miss Isbin played two movements from the work -- new to me but very enjoyable and very convincing.

Sharon Isbin has, and this was fortunate, a warm and relaxed attitude to her audience. She chose to spend a little time on introductions and these were welcome and informative and helped to encourage the more intimate atmosphere one would expect in a recital of this nature. However, she did make the strategical error of reorganising the set programme to such an extent that no-one really knew where they were and consequently a short break for her offstage was misinterpreted as the intermission.

Once the audience had begun to stream towards the distractions of the foyer it was reminiscent of the Bull Run at Pamplona with the charge impossible to deflect. As Miss Isbin succinctly inquired when we all finally got together again -- "Where were you? I came out and you had gone!'' The only benefit here was the camouflage offered to those members of the audience still arriving!! In the second part of the programme we heard two very virtuosic pieces by the South American composer Agustin Barrios and the wonderful "Invocation and Dance'' by the ever popular Spanish composer Rodrigo.

The success of the concert artist is more dependent on visual impression than one would imagine and if Sharon Isbin is a joy to hear, she is equally a joy to behold. She is the consummate artist, totally at one with the instrument -- almost physically part of it.

She ended her programme with two pieces by the Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro dedicating the performance to the memory of Alexander Schneider, at one time Director of the Brandenburg Ensemble.

The Maestro, with whom Miss Isbin first came to Bermuda thirteen years ago, died three weeks ago. He was a great man and will be much missed. Her wonderful interpretation of the Lauro was a fitting tribute.

This was an excellent recital which ended with two well-deserved encores, one of which was a transcription of the lovely "Andaluza'' by Granados. On Tuesday Miss Isbin is offering a new and exciting programme. For those of you who don't already have tickets she is very well worth while hearing -- a splendid contribution to the Bermuda Festival 1993. -- Marjorie Pettit.

Guitarist Sharon Isben.