Irish Heritage – Afternoon Recital

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.

Luke Lally Maguire is a London based pianist currently studying at Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he has recently completed his Masters in Performance. Luke is currently continuing his studies at Guildhall on the Artist Diploma programme under the tutilege of Carole Presland, Charles Owen and Ronan O’Hora.

An experienced performer both in competitions and on the concert platform, Luke made his solo recital debut in the National Concert Hall, Dublin in January 2023. In February 2023, Luke performed in Wigmore Hall as part of the Irish Heritage Music Bursary auditions where he was the recipient of the Music Bursary for Performance valued at £5000. Most recently, Luke won first prize in the 2024 Glass Sellers Beethoven Prize at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

A versatile pianist, Luke is also in demand as an accompanist and chamber musician, frequently performing in collaborations for recitals and concerts. He is a member of Trio Casella, a multiple award winning piano trio based in London

Luke himself has engaged in several piano masterclasses and lessons with Richard Goode, Paul Lewis, Finghin Collins, Christopher Elton, Barry Douglas, Vanessa Latarche, Leon McCawley, Hilary Coates and Therese Fahy among others.

Programme:

Sacha Bistany (Guitar)

– Planxty Irwin – Turlough O’Carolan

– Down By The Sally Gardens – anon.

– Suite Venezolana – Antonio Lauro

i. Registro

ii. Danza Negra

iii. Cancion

iv. Vals

– Tango En Skaï – Roland Dyens

Luke Lally Maguire (Piano)

– Moladh go deo le Dia (Praise Always to God) – John Gibson

– Go Quiet Gradually – Jonathan Nangle

– Brahms Intermezzo in B Minor, Op. 119, No. 1

– Blame it on my Youth – Oscar Levant and Edward Heyman arr. Luke Lally Maguire

– Danny Boy – anon arr. Luke Lally Maguire