Isabella Abbonizio is an Italian-naturalized American classical guitarist and musicologist.

Her passion for music manifested early in her life and brought her to pursue both instrumental and theoretical studies. After graduating in guitar at the G. B. Martini Music Conservatory of Bologna (Italy) she graduated with honors in musicology, and earned a Ph.D. from Tor Vergata University of Rome. In 2012-2019 she was a Visiting Scholar at New York University’s Centre for European and Mediterranean Studies.

As a guitarist Isabella studied under the guidance of Argentinian guitarist Griselda Ponce de Leòn and attended master classes with Judicael Perroi, Paulo Bellinati, Roland Dyens, Piero Bonaguri, Frédéric Zigante, Martha Masters and Joao Luiz from Brasil Guitar Duo. She performs both as soloist and in chamber ensembles. Isabella is half of Artemis Duo with guitarist Katty Mayorga, and performs with flutis Sarah Rulli. She has performed and recorded with the Contemporanea Guitar Duo (I. Abbonizio/J. Olson). Her repertoire is focused on 20th and 21st century music and she premiered a number of works for guitar. In 2018 she was featured by Ramirez Guitars at NAMM Show in Anaheim CA.

As a musicologist, her current research interests focus on 20th century Italian and French music, colonial/postcolonial studies, Italian music and politics, music and identity, and music education. She realized the first extensive study on Italian music and colonialism in Africa during the Fascist period. And her analysis of the guitar works of Maurice Ohana (1913-1992) was published in the journal Il Fronimo. Her works are presented at international conferences, including the International Musicological Society IMS Quinquennial Congress, Italian Society of Musicology SIdM, Bristol Conference on 20th century Music and Politics. Isabella has given lectures in academic and cultural institutions, such as New York University and Guitar Foundation of America. And her works appear in international scholarly publications, in Italian and English.

A professional music and guitar teacher, Isabella has more than fifteen years of teaching experience at any level, in public and private schools, in Italy and USA. She is a member of The Royal Conservatory of Music RCM College of Examiners and a RCM Certified Teacher since 2016. A music and guitar advocate, Isabella is co-founder and CEO of DalMaestro, and co-founder and artistic director of Lanciano International Guitar Seminar with Michael Newman and Laura Oltman from Newman&Oltman Guitar Duo. Isabella plays an Andrea Tacchi guitar.