Irish Heritage – Afternoon Recital – with Sinead Walsh, Philip Howard & Sacha Bistany

The ICC is delight to host another magical afternoon of classical music from three extraordinary Irish Heritage performers.

Sinéad Walsh, Flute 

Sinéad Walsh is quickly developing a diverse career as a flautist. She was a postgraduate scholar at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she studied under Michael Cox. She previously received a first class honours degree from the Royal Northern College of Music and was awarded the Sir John Manduell award upon graduation, the college’s top prize, for exceptional contribution and outstanding potential. In 2023, she was awarded the ‘Young Musician of the Year’ at the Clandeboye Festival. Sinéad is an experienced solo, orchestral and chamber musician performing regularly across the UK and Ireland, having performed with the Philharmonia, Ulster Orchestra and Halle Orchestra. Sinéad is also an enthusiastic teacher and is a tutor at the Oxford Flute Summer School, and previously taught at Chethams School of Music.

Philip Howard, Piano

Philip Howard studied composition and piano at the Royal Academy of Music. At the age of 15 he won joint First Prize in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Composer Award, and later as a pianist won First Prize in the ‘International Gaudeamus Interpreters’ Competition in Rotterdam, the first British winner in 35 years. He has released a solo piano album and his performance of Chopin’s ‘Raindrop’ Prelude can be heard on the soundtrack to Ridley Scott’s film “Prometheus”.

 Sacha Bistany, Guitar

Sacha Bistany is an Irish classical and jazz guitarist based in London. He is a graduate of the Royal College of Music (RCM), in which he received a Bachelors in Performance with First Class Honours. Sacha currently teaches and performs a wide variety of music in various concert settings throughout the city. 

Upon first picking up a guitar at age seven, Sacha studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in his youth under Marion Hyland and Peter Katona, receiving five scholarships throughout his time there. Sacha has had the opportunity to play with a number of Irish guitar ensembles including the ‘GuitaRIAM’ ensemble and the Irish National Youth Guitar Orchestra, conducted by David Brophy. He has also competed in many music competitions including Ireland’s national competition, The ‘Feis Ceol’ – winning was a great achievement. 

At RCM, he studied under professors Gary Ryan and Christopher Stell. During recent years, Sacha has participated in a number of masterclasses with well-renowned guitarists including Xuefei Yang, Laura Snowden, Carlos Bonell, Tariq Harb, Sean Shibe, Gabriel Bianco, Dale Cavanagh and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet – all of which have helped broaden his scope as a player. He recently received the Homan Potterton Bursary for String Instruments from Irish Heritage, a charity that supports Irish artists. The final audition culminated in a performance at the Wigmore Hall. 

Aside from classical music, Sacha has a great love for all things, jazz, funk and pop. He frequently collaborates with the RCM Big Band led by Mark Armstrong and a number of jazz and function band groups, playing electric guitar and electric bass. He is a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra with whom he recently performed a musical tribute to James Baldwin at the Southbank Centre. 

 Programme:

Bach – ‘Flute Sonata in E minor’

Gaubert – ‘Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando’

Buckley – ‘Airflow’ for solo flute

Boulanger – ‘Nocturne’

Higdon – ‘Poetic’

About Irish Heritage. Irish Heritage is a registered charity, established in London in 1974, whose objective is to advance public education and appreciation of the arts, particularly those of Irish and Anglo-Irish music, arts, literature and drama of all genres and traditions to the benefit of the community. To find out more: https://www.irishheritage.org.uk/