Peter Luha
Genre-blending guitarist | Vocalist | Composer | Producer | Educator
Slovak guitarist and composer who fuses slap, tapping, fingerstyle, sweep picking, alternate picking and live looping into a true one-man orchestra. Official artist for Ibanez, Ortega Guitars, Elixir Strings, G7th, K&K Sound and TheBone travel guitars.
From street musician to one-man orchestra
From music school and university choir to international stages, art residencies and award-winning projects.
Peter Luha is a Slovak musician, guitarist and composer, combining classical training with rock energy and a love of experimentation. After early years on the violin and guitar studies at the Elementary School of Arts and the Folk Conservatory, he went on to university – studying guitar and music at the Faculty of Education at Comenius University and singing with the Comenius Academic Choir, earning multiple awards at home and abroad.
During his studies he often performed as a street musician, which shaped his connection with audiences and his natural stage presence. Alongside that he formed his first bands and instrumental projects – from rock bands Fajront, Astro Songs Orchestra and Silent Duo to the street-jazz Living Street Band and the acoustic project Acoustic Gangsters.
His debut solo album Viaje del Alma received excellent reviews from international music media, a nomination for the Independent Music Awards (Best Instrumental Album) and the Harvest Prize at the Tais Awards. Since then Peter has appeared on stages all over Europe, in the USA, Mexico and India – both as a soloist and with various projects.
Alongside touring he spent many years teaching at music schools, and today he continues as an online guitar tutor and creator of video courses, always combining solid technique, musicality and the pure joy of playing.
Highlights from the road
Mexico, India, cruise ships, symphony halls and intimate clubs – different places, always the guitar at the centre.
Guitar tours & workshops
Together with Mexican guitarist Hector Hellion he played a series of concerts and guitar workshops in several Mexican cities in 2016 – bringing modern slap techniques on the guitar to local audiences.
Concerts & film awards in New Delhi
In India (2018–2019) he twice performed at the Slovak Embassy in New Delhi and, together with visual artist Lucia Černeková, received an award for their short animated film Finlandia at an international film festival in New Delhi.
The trip also included a guest lecture at the AAFT School of Animation (Marwah Studios, Film City Noida, New Delhi).
Progressive Nation at Sea & Dream Theater
With prog-rock band Persona Grata he was invited by Mike Portnoy to perform at Progressive Nation at Sea 2014 (Miami – Bahamas), sharing the bill with artists like Mike Portnoy, Jon Anderson, Haken, Periphery, Animals as Leaders and many more. Later, Persona Grata also supported Dream Theater at arena shows in Prague (2014) and Bratislava (2019).
Artists & projects
From symphony orchestras through gypsy swing and flamenco to progressive rock.
Selected collaborations:
- Igudesman & Joo & Wiener Symphoniker, Tonkustler Orchestra, Wiener KammerOrchester
- Futurelove Sibanda, Hector Hellion, Stochelo Rosenberg, Ninine Garcia, Shaun Ferguson
- From Slovakia: Richard Müller – Müller/Koller: Kryl
- Jarolím Emmanuel Ružička – Magic of 11 Strings
- Nedvědovci, Jana Hubinská, Ján Berky-Mrenica Jr., Juraj Griglák, Janais and many others.
Shared stages with:
- Dream Theater, Michael Angelo Batio, Ewan Dobson, Felix Martin, Dagmar Andrtová-Voňková
- Progressive Nation at Sea 2014 – Mike Portnoy, Jon Anderson, Periphery, Haken, Animals as Leaders…
Full list of collaborations (expand)
Igudesman & Joo, Wiener Symphoniker, Tonkustler Orchestra /AT/,
Stochelo Rosenberg /NL/, Ninine Garcia /FR/, Futurelove Sibanda /ZW/, Shaun Ferguson /CA/,
Hector Hellion /MX/, Ben Woods /US/, El Amir John Haddad /ES/, Pierre Jonel /HT/, Flaco de Nerja,
Richard Müller, Jarolím Emmanuel Ružička, Nedvědovci, Jana Hubinská, Richard Scheufler /CZ/,
Ján Berky-Mrenica Jr., Stano Palúch, Juraj Griglák, Janais, Marián Jaslovský, Peter Uličný,
Janko Lehotský, Remedios, Jozef Scheiner, Richard Ciferský, Červený bicykel, El Gioia, Tiktaci,
Sima Martausová, Veronika Strapková, Lucia Briestenská, Barbara B., Zuzana Suchánková, Silvia Josifoska,
Peter Szabadoš, Žena z Lesoparku, Peter Janků, Jana Daňová, Oľga Záblacká, Trampas, Maduar, Azathoth…
ACOUSTIC GANGSTERS /2015–…/ – acoustic project, Juraj Griglák – bass, Jozef Scheiner – mandolin, Dino de Valeria – percussion
TRUE COLORS /2015–…/ – project with blues singer Zuzana Suchánková
FREE N‘ LOOP /2015–…/ – project with Marián Jaslovský (winds) and violinist Ján Berky-Mrenica Jr.
PERSONA GRATA /2013–…/ – progressive rock
NATURAL FUSION PROJECT /2013–…/ – instrumental project with banjo player Richard Ciferský
SUSIE HAAS BAND /2010/ – old-time jazz band
BIGGER BANG /2008–…/ – rock band
SILENT DUO /1999–2011/ – unplugged rock music
COURTHOUSE /2006/ – metal opera
FLACO DE NERJA BAND /1996–2008/ – occasional collaboration with flamenco guitarist Flaco de Nerja and his band
ASTRO SONGS ORCHESTRA /1995–…/ – instrumental project – classical, jazz, rock, newgrass, gypsy swing, flamenco…
DARYMORA /1995–1997/ – rock music
LIVING STREET BAND /1992–1998/ – street jazz band
FAJRONT /1988–1994/ – rock band with original music
Current projects & formats
Solo shows, duos, bands and multimedia projects – each different, all built around the guitar.
A unique one-man performance blending virtuoso playing, slap, tapping, percussive techniques and live looping – ideal for clubs, festivals and corporate events.
View project →A project with violinist Jarolím Emmanuel Ružička – a meeting of classical music and modern arrangements for 7-string guitar and violin.
View project →A joint programme with flamenco guitarist Flaco de Nerja, where modern guitar meets the fire of flamenco.
View project →An award-winning animated project with visual artist Lucia Černeková, selected for more than 20 international film festivals.
Open project website ↗If you are looking for stories that inspire, teach and turn dreams into reality, Capitan Crescendo is the right choice for you and your children.
Open project website ↗A proprietary line of thumbpicks developed over many years for maximum comfort, tone and flexibility – for both fingerstyle and flatpicking.
Open Luha Picks ↗- 2017 – Children’s Short Film Festival residence program, Hallein (Austria)
- 2013 – 2014 – Bridge Guard, Štúrovo (Slovakia)
- 2013 – Ateljé Stundars, Solf (Finland)
- 2012 – Centre d´Art La Rectoria, Sant Pere de Vilamajor (Spain)
- 2012 – Bains Connective, Brussels (Belgium)
- 2012 – Mecklenburg Inspiriert, Kuhlungsborn (Germany)
- 2011 – Cité des Arts, Paris (France)
- 2011 – Nau Coclea, Camallera (Spain)
- 1993 – 1998 – Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Education – guitar, music
- 1992 – 1994 – summer jazz workshops & guitar courses (Gróf, Kellenberger, Jakabčic, Šeban…)
- 1987 – 1991 – Folk Conservatory – guitar
- 1979 – 1987 – Elementary School of Arts – violin, art
For me, music is probably the best way to express feelings, desires and opinions – better than words. It doesn’t really matter which instrument I use (even though guitar and voice fit me best) or what the genre is. Any kind of music that manages to say something deeper influences me. When it comes to technique, I explore not only traditional approaches but also very unorthodox ones.
I love to experiment, and over time I’ve developed my own personal way of playing – a style that’s strongly connected to who I am. I’m fascinated by the quality of life and the philosophy of being human. Not so much in an abstract, general way, but in a very concrete way for myself. I keep coming back to these questions throughout my life, and all of this naturally shows up in the way I play.
Influences & inspirations
Peter grew up listening to Deep Purple, The Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Extreme and many other rock and pop legends. Guitar influences include Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Steve Morse, Tommy Emmanuel, Paco de Lucía, Gary Moore, as well as bassists and multi-instrumentalists like Victor Wooten.
In terms of vocal inspiration, he feels a strong connection to artists such as Freddie Mercury, John Farnham, David Coverdale, Michael Kiske, Glenn Hughes and others.
Other passions
Beyond music, Peter is drawn to all kinds of creative work – audio, video, animation, graphic design, painting and drawing. He loves nature, animals and sports, and his favourite seasons are spring and summer.