Tribute to Sasha Levtov
It was a tremendous shock to all of us to learn that Sasha passed away on 19th October, 2025. Alexander Levtov was born in August 1950 in the rural town of Voronezh. One of Sasha’s earliest experiences was joining The Children’s Choir of Leningrad Radio, where he proudly sang the part of ‘Alarm Clock’. Violin lessons at the age of 7 were the great dream of his mother but proved unsuccessful. Sasha discovered his own way back to music during a Trans-Siberian adventure at the end of his first year of university which formed his strong ideas against the political regime. The journey back to ‘civilisation’ by way of joining a number of expeditions as a labourer and meeting wonderful people along the way – many of them misfits and outcasts. Friendships and a love of the guitar were formed as a result of many nights of songs and stories by the campfire. On Sasha’s return to Leningrad, he met a wonderful lady by the name of Galina Garnishevskaya, who created a completely inclusive class of young and old people alike, meeting regularly in her flat, copying guitar music by hand and listening to each other. Around this time, Sasha’s cousin managed to secure him a job of handyman at the Leningrad Conservatoire, where faulty light bulbs changed his life – Sasha met Nina. Some years later, shedding their Soviet passports, Sasha and Nina, Joe and Ilya, then 6 and 1, two suitcases and a guitar set off on a journey through Vienna and Rome, arriving in England and driving to their new home in Bognor Regis in the early hours of 3rd January 1980.
Without any knowledge of English, Sasha started a job as a nurse-attendant at Ashley House in Bognor and gave a lot of pleasure to its residents entertaining them with his guitar, and delighting them with his carpentry and handyman skills. His first concert there in aid of Amnesty International secured his musical prospects. Pupils followed – and grew steadily, Sasha started teaching at the Adult Education College and later the Rikkyo School in Rudgwick. The end of term student concerts in the living room of 16 Lyon Street, with pupils lining up along the stairs waiting for their turn, became untenable and there emerged the need for a bigger space for concerts. The Old School in Bersted was renovated in 1993 after a summer of knocking through walls, installing plumbing, painting, wallpapering, many late nights and even last minute painting on its opening night, but The Old School saw the beginning of the West Sussex Guitar Club. For three years, The Old School saw inspiring musicians from around the world grace our little town, and then in 1996, Sasha and Nina’s musical dreams transferred to The Regis School of Music with its beautiful Recital Hall in Sudley Road, which this year, celebrates its 30th year.
To say that the impact that Sasha has had on the musical community both close to home and further afield is immeasurable would not be an understatement. From Sasha’s youngest pupils experiencing their first strums of the guitar, to adults discovering – or rediscovering a love of music. From young musicians just starting out in their careers to fully fledged stars from across the globe and yet continuing to grace our very own miniature Wigmore Hall, to the countless participants in the Chichester Festival of Music, Dance and Speech, Sasha leaves behind him an undeniable legacy.
The Levtov family arranged a time for quiet reflection with Sasha at the Recital Hall on 24th November and then a joyous Celebration of his life through words and music at the Avisford Park Hotel, which was attended by 250 people including life-long friends, new friends and many famous faces from the world of classical music.
Sasha's eldest son Joe gave an extraordinary eulogy, which many requested to read again after the event, and is available to read here.