About Sarah

Bio

Sarah enjoys a unique career, drawing on her equal expertise in her interpretation of jazz, classical, and early music repertoire. Beginning her career as a jazz singer, Sarah won best vocal solo in a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. She went on to study classical singing at Oberlin Conservatory, earning a Bachelor of Music degree. Since moving to New York City from her native California, Sarah has toured the United States and Canada with her jazz quartet, her crossover project, Nuove Musiche, and her early music ensemble, Galileo's Daughters. She has performed as both professional chorister and soloist on all the great stages in New York City, including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Her performances in operatic works have resulted in critical praise, with “a genuinely genre-busting voice, full and vivid” by The Washington Post in modern operas by Gisle Kverndokk; and “splendid” and “radiating calm” by The New York Times for her portrayal of the Queen in the early 13th-century “Play of Daniel” at the Cloisters and Trinity Wall Street Church. In addition to her own projects, Sarah enjoys appearing with early music ensembles Ayreheart and The Baltimore Consort as a guest performer. Her most recent recording, with composer and percussionist husband Marc Wagnon titled "Interesting Times", is available on Buckyball Records and via download and streaming on iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. More information about Sarah can be found at galileosdaughters.com and buckyballmusic.com

Reviews

​"Ms. Pillow has a lovely, natural-sounding tone and a versatile gift for interpretation..."
- The New York Times

The music on this CD ("An Afterthought") features the vocals (and lyrics) of Sarah Pillow, who turns in a first rate performance.... two tracks that really stand out are "Venus Incognito" and "The Warrior", which blend great lyrics and vocal delivery." 
-Progression Magazine

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"In other words, Sarah swings. Her scat version of Bird's "Confirmation"had her rising up into the stratosphere, displaying a formidable vocal range". 
- Jazz Now



​"...after hearing Sarah Pillow's delivery of the Improvisation on the Passacaglia I was not surprised to learn that she is also an accomplished jazz singer. "
- Gramophone



​"...Sarah Pillow's singing of "O Maria Dei Genetrix" is gorgeous...."
​- The Sunday London Times

"...Sarah Pillow sings with considerable allure in the beautiful soaring melody of the lament "Proserpina Gelosa" and the beguiling low register of "il mio cocente ardore"..."

- BBC Music Magazine