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SHARA WORDEN
My Brightest Diamond is spearheaded by Shara Worden. Her paternal grandfather was an Epiphone-strumming traveling evangelist, her father an accomplished accordionist and her mother a classical organist. As a young person, Worden sang in church with her family and competed internationally with her high school chamber choir. Having decided to pursue a degree in opera, she attended The The University of North Texas and received a BA in Opera. After moving to New York and recording three albums of her songs, Shara decided to focus on arranging and began studying composition with composer/performer Padma Newsome (Clogs, The National). During this time she composed music for several off-Broadway theater productions.

In 2004, Worden recruited a string section via craigslist. Rob Moose responded, joining her dream cast of musicians (Earl Harvin, Chris Bruce & Zac Rae) to create the sound of My Brightest Diamond, which combines elements of rock and classical music. Their first record, Bring Me The Workhorse, was released on Asthmatic Kitty Records in 2006. Their sophomore album entitled, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth, was released in 2008.

Recent years have found Worden collaborating as much as songwriting. She sang the role of The Queen for The Decemberists’ rock opera, The Hazards of Love. She was heard on Sufjan Stevens’ albums Illinois and The Age of Adz, dueting with David Byrne for his album Here Lies Love, as well as singing in Padma Newsome’s chamber ensemble, Clogs, for The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton. Worden also performed with Bryce and Aaron Dessner in The Long Count theater production at BAM. In the summer of 2010, Worden gave birth to her son, and six weeks later was filming, Khu, the Detroit installment of Matthew Barney’s seven-act opera, Ancient Evenings. Last October, new music composer Sarah Kirkland-Snider released the song cycle, Penelope, featuring Worden’s voice.

More info at www.sharaworden.com