Sasha Savaloni and Mark O’Keefe

Mark O’Keeffe

Mark O’Keeffe has held the post of principal trumpet with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since December 1996. He began his musical studies at the age of seven.

In 1992, Mark was chosen as the winner of the RTE Musician of the Future competition. He was subsequently appointed Associate Principal Trumpet of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, a post he held for four years.

He has appeared as soloist with the BBCSSO performing new works by Judith Bingham, Mark Anthony Turnage, Thea Musgrave and Tansy Davies, as well as concertos by Telemann, Haydn, Hummel and Shostakovich.

In addition to his career with the BBCSSO, he plays chamber music with Scottish based Red Note Ensemble and also London Sinfonietta, and has been guest Principal Trumpet with the World Orchestra for Peace, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Halle Orchestra.

He teaches at the RCS Glasgow, the RNCM Manchester and was awarded a distinguished alumnus of Cork School of Music in 2018.

Sasha Savaloni

Classical guitarist Sasha Savaloni is the winner of two of the most prestigious guitar competitions in Europe; the Sevilla International Guitar Competition (2018) and the New Elizabethan Award (2022).

As a soloist he has given concerts across Europe and throughout the UK, performing recitals in venues such as the Wigmore Hall (London), Kings Place (London), Usher Hall (Edinburgh), Sage Gateshead, The Shoe Factory (Nicosia), City Halls (Glasgow), Holyrood Palace (Edinburgh), DIT Conservatory (Dublin) and the Leeds College of Music as well as performances in festivals such as the London Guitar Festival, St Magnus International Festival, Sul Tasto Paris, Festival de la Guitarra de Sevilla, Big Guitar Weekend and Festival Corde d’Autunno.

He has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the European Union Youth Orchestra, and his playing has been broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 3 in addition to German and American radios.

Sasha is a guitar professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 2023 he also completed a doctorate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and University of St Andrews focusing on performance of Schubert’s music on guitar.