Programme

G. Bizet            Carmen Suite No. 1                             J. Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez                                                           Simon Schembri (guitar)F. Mompou Canciónes y danzas, No. 7 & 5           orch. Philip WalshM. Ravel           Pavane pour une infante défunte         M. da Falla The Three-Cornered Hat Suite No. 2     

Programme F. Weingartner (1863 – 1942)               Quintet in G Minor op. 50                                                              J. Haydn (1732 – 1809)                         Piano Trio no. 39 in G Major Hob. XV:25                                                                M. Bruch (1838 – 1920)                         8 Romantic Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Pianoforte op. 83 L. van Beethoven (1750 – 1827)          Piano Trio in Bb Major op. 11 (‘Gassenhauer’)                                                                A. Piazzolla (1921 – 1992)                    Oblivion Florian Mühlberger studied at the Tyrolean State Conservatory with Maximilian Bauer and continued his advanced studies in concert performance at the famous Mozarteum, Salzburg, with Alois Brandhofer, graduating with distinction in 2009. This was followed by postgraduate courses at the University of Arts, Graz, with Gerald Pachinger. Florian has been the solo clarinettist with the Vienna Volksoper since 2011. Apart from his stature as a formidable soloist, Florian is also an avid chamber music player and participates regularly in chamber concerts of diverse formations. Anne Harvey-Nagl was born in Australia but currently lives in Vienna. She is the Concertmaster of the Vienna Volksoper. Prize winner of several competitions and scholarships in her native Australia, Anne has performed extensively with countless orchestras both in Australia and across Europe. She is also the Concertmaster of the Vienna Opera Ball, Ensemble Kontrapunkte, Beethoven Philharmonie, Baden, Vienna Mozart Orchestra (with whom she also performs as soloist), and the guest Concertmaster with the Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra. Solo performances have seen her touring in Australia, Austria, Switzerland, and Bulgaria, among others. Anne is also a member of the Koehne Quartet, Ensemble 5, Chamber Ensemble of the Vienna Volksoper, Trio Krasa,and Trio 37. Laeticia Lermer was born into a family of musicians in Salzburg in 2007. She commenced her viola studies at the precocious age of three. She majored in viola performance at the famous Mozarteum, Salzburg, and ten years ago, together with her sister, Franziska, she founded the Doppler String Quartet. She is currently studying in Vienna under the tuition of Prof. Thomas Selditz, as well as reading for an undergraduate degree at the University of Music, Drama and Media, Hanover. She is the recipient of numerous awards, not least the highly esteemed Prima la musica Competition. She has also performed Britten’s Lachrymae with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Musikverein. Despite her young age, she has gained considerable experience in both solo and ensemble playing, and has attended master classes with world-class viola players, not least Thomas Riebl. Franziska Lermer was born in Salzburg in 2009. The sister of Laeticia, growing up in a musical family gave her the best musical formation before commencing her violoncello studies at the young age of five. A co-founder of the Doppler String Quartet with her sister, she has performed the major quartet repertoire extensively. She is the recipient of the prestigious Prima la musica Competition as well as other contests, most prominently the Giovani Musicisti, Treviso, and the Heran Cello Competition, Czech Republic. Franziska is furthering her studies with Maria Grün at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. She has performed Haydn’s Concerto in C Major for Violoncello and Orchestra and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations as soloist with the Lyra Chamber Orchestra and the Sinfonietta Vratsa in Vienna. She has also gained valuable orchestral experience with diverse orchestras. Future engagements will see her perform at the famous Vienna Konzerthaus later this year, after winning the Musica Juventutis audition. Biliana Tzinlikova is at home as a soloist and also as a chamber musician/accompanist. Her intellectual curiosity and spirit of discovery and innovation enable her to look back on a multi-faceted discography which largely includes world premiere recordings of overlooked piano literature, especially by women composers. Biliana developed the broad spectrum of her pianistic abilities during her vast studies, influenced by diverse piano traditions, most notably the Russian Piano School when she was pursuing studies at the State Academy of Music, Sofia, as well as the Leygraf Piano School when she was pursuing postgraduate studies at the Mozarteum. Intensive study with Ruggiero Ricci as well as with Ferenc Rados was particularly formative on her career. More recently, Biliana’s career as a concert pianist has focused on the rediscovery and performance of forgotten piano music, a passion that is showcased in her numerous recordings of these works. Her recording with Naxos of Franz Anton Hoffmeister’s Piano Sonatas on a 3CD set catapulted Biliana on the world stage, receiving rave reviews from critics and academics alike. Since 2017, Biliana has also been working together with actresses and actors to organise cross-genre concert programmes that focus on female composers’ works in music history. As a sought-after chamber music partner, she collaborates often, locally and abroad, with internationally renowned artists such as Christian Gerhaher, Adrian Eröd, Thomas Selditz, Klara Flieder, Thomas Riebl, Colin Jacobsen, Ulf Schneider, Ann Harvey-Nagl, Vesna Stankovic, Stephan Picard, Patrick Demenga, Gustav Rivinius, Dany Bonvin, Esther Hoppe, Christophe Pantillon, Marta Sudraba, Andreas Schablas, Christoph Zimper, as well as with members of the prestigious Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. As a soloist, Biliana has performed extensively, most notably at the Mozart Week Festival, Salzburg, and with Stefan Sanderling with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has given concerts across the whole of Europe as well as in the U.S.A. Biliana teaches at the legendary Mozarteum, where she leads a class for pianoforte and chamber music. She is also the founder and artistic director of the Festival Kammermusiktage Erika Frieser, a project dedicated to works by female composers. Since May 2023, Biliana Tzinlikova has been a co-founder and member of the Ehrbar Chamber Music Society, Vienna.

Programme 50th Anniversary Celebrations P.L. da Palestrina (c. 1525 – 1594)                      Ave Maria (SATB)                                                                              Vulnerasti cor meum (SSTTB) L. Perosi (1872 – 1956)                                       O Sanctissima anima (SATTBB)                                                                               Benedictus (SATTBB) D. Bartolucci (1917 – 2013)                                Qui biberit aquam (SATTBB)                                                                              Veni Sanctae Spiritus (SATTBB)                                                                               Super flumina Babylonis (SATTBB) J. Vella (1942 – 2018)                                          O panis dulcissime (SSATB)                                                                               O memoriale mortis Domini (Soprano Solo, TTBB)                                                                               Sicut cervus (SSA) G. Caruana (1880 – 1931)                                    T’adoriam, Ostia divina (SSAA) (arr. J. Vella) P.L. da Palestrina                                               Credo (SATTBB)                                                                               Missa Papae Marcelli The Laudate Pueri Choir was formally set up in 1976 on the initiative of then seminarian Joseph Farrugia, later Archpriest of the Basilica of St George, Victoria – Gozo. Nevertheless, it knows its roots to a much earlier and deeply established tradition of sacred music performed at the principal parish church of Gozo. Since its inception, the main objective of the choir has been the cultivation and promotion of sacred music within the liturgical context, with particular emphasis on sacred polyphony. In this regard, the choir has established for itself a sound reputation as leading interpreter of polyphonic music of both the classic and the contemporary idioms. The choir is also the first and, to date, the only Maltese one to perform as an all-female ensemble (SSAA). For the past fifty years, the Laudate Pueri Choir has enhanced the musical tradition at St George’s Basilica and won for it a reputation that has spread beyond the shores of the island of Gozo. It has performed in Italy, France, England, and New York. Among many initiatives, the choir has masterminded the restoration works carried out on the prestigious Santucci 1781 Organ at St George’s Basilica, and has hosted the Ely Cathedral Choir, Canterbury Cathedral, The London Festival Singers, Oxford Girls’ Choir, Portsmouth Cathedral Choir and, three times, in 2007, 2013, and 2017, the most famous choir in the world, Cappella Musicale Pontificia ‘Sistina’. In 2019, the Choir also welcomed and hosted the Symphonischer Chor Hamburg. For the past twenty-nine years, the Choir has also been organising the Victoria International Arts Festival, which has become Malta’s biggest and longest-running early Summer Festival, attracting artistes from all over the world. The Laudate Pueri Choir has been instrumental in the performance of big choral works, such as Verdi’s Requiem (1988, 2002), Orff’s Carmina Burana (1989, 2005), Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (1990, 1996), Lloyd Webber’s Requiem (2005), Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms (2011, 2015), Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms (2016), as well as opera productions such as Turandot (1995, 2008), Macbeth (1997, 2007), Aida (1999, 2016), La Gioconda (2000), Un Ballo in Maschera (2002), Lucia di Lammermoor (1988. 2017), Otello (2003, 2013), Tosca (2004), La bohème (2005, 2015), Suor Angelica, Pagliacci, Cavalleria Rusticana (2006), Norma (2011), Madama Butterfly (2012), Otello (2003, 2013) and Nabucco (2014), and many more, all staged at Teatru Astra. In June 2007, the Choir was invited by then director of the Cappella Musicale Pontificia ‘Sistina’, Mgr Giuseppe Liberto, to officially participate in the Papal Mass celebrating the canonisation of Dun Gorg Preca. On that same day the Choir was also invited to sing High Mass, presided by Mgr Charles Scicluna, now Archbishop of Malta, at one of Rome’s most famous Basilicas, San Andrea della Valle. The success with which the Choir has met is in no small measure due to its young members, most of whom are university undergraduates, postgraduates, and professionals in their respective fields.  The director of the Choir is Rev George J. Frendo, and the leader is his sister, Maria. The Choir has issued 10 CDs, a handful of which are the result of an ambitious project that involved the recording on CD of some of the finest sacred and secular music by Maltese composers, most of which is housed at the Mdina Cathedral Archives. A high-powered event in the choir’s calendar was an invitation by the Maltese Embassy in France to give a prestigious concert at the exclusive Cathedral of St Louis, known as L’Invalides, Paris, to mark the French Presidency to the EU in 2008. This was followed by High Mass at Sacré Coeur, Montmartre. Fifteen years ago, the choir was officially invited by Dr Lawrence Gonzi, then Prime Minister of Malta, to record a CD of Dun Karm hymns on the national poet’s 50th anniversary of his death. The CD was inaugurated in a concert at St John’s Cathedral on 28 April 2011. In 2015, the choir was bestowed the signal honour of singing as a massed choir with the legendary Cappella Musicale Pontificia ‘Sistina’ during Epiphany Mass presided by H.H. Pope Francis at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome. In 2017, the choir once more performed with the ‘Sistina’ at St George’s Basilica under the direction of George J. Frendo. The choir has premiered numerous compositions specifically written for it by Joseph Vella, to include polyphonic a cappella works for both SSATB and SSAA formations, and large scale works such as A Canticle Cantata op. 42, The ‘Hyland’ Mass, op. 130, Symphony no. 3 op. 105 ‘The Apocalypse Verses’, and others. The style of interpretation that the Choir adopts respects the sacred liturgical nature of the texts that is mediated through the musical forms, and emerges in all its disarming simplicity, profound depth, and undying appeal. In this manner, the original intention of the sacred compositions, namely, the glory of God and the edification of the liturgical assembly, is respected. The Choir’s 50-year history and reputation have helped establish Gozo as a leading exponent and interpreter of classical music, both sacred and secular.

Programme F. Kreisler (1875 – 1962)                       Praeludium and Allegro J. Svendsen (1840 – 1911)                   Romance in G Major op. 26 E. Grieg (1843 – 1907)                          Violin Sonata no. 3 in C Minor op. 45                                                      J. Massenet (1842 – 1912)                   Meditation (Thaïs) P. de Sarasate (1844 – 1908)               Zigeunerweisen Rebecca Nøstrud Grimstad, born in 2003, is one of the most promising young violinists in Norway, and is rapidly establishing herself as a soloist and chamber musician on both national and international platforms. She has appeared with major Norwegian orchestras including the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Two years ago, she was a finalist in Virtuos, performing part of the Sibelius Violin Concerto live on national television. Rebecca has performed extensively throughout Norway, and internationally in the United States, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Bulgaria. Her festival appearances include Kaposfest, Varna Summer Festival, Nordland Music Festival, and the Round Top Music Festival. Rebecca has received several prestigious awards, including the Arve Tellefsen’s Talent Prize and top prizes at the Norwegian Youth Music Competition (UMM). She is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Milica Lawrence was born in 1981 in Pancevo, Serbia. She completed her piano and harpsichord studies at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade, Serbia. Here, Milica specialised in chamber music and received her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree at the same Faculty. Milica worked for fifteen years as an independent artistic collaborator with the String Department at the Faculty of Philology and Arts, Kragujevac, Serbia. She is currently engaged at the Mikiel Anton Vassalli College, Malta, as a piano teacher, accompanist, and chamber music teacher. Milica is the owner and Managing Director of MS MEDIA HOUSE LTD, UK, company for teaching and promoting young musicians. In August 2020. she opened her own ‘Piano Academy – Dr Milica Lawrence’ in Mosta, Malta. Milica also maintains an active solo career.

Programme G. Holst (1874 – 1934)                          First Suite in Eb    (arr. Drew R. Fennell)                            Intermezzo; March G. Donizetti (1797 – 1848)                    Prelude Act 3 (Don Pasquale) G.F. Handel (1685 – 1759)                   Water Music Suite no. 2                                                                 Alla Hornpipe A. Garzia (b. 1977)                Bejn għerf u għaqal – Fanfarra A. O’Toole (b. 1988)                            Liturgical Suite                                                               Kyrie; Sanctus C. Debussy (1862 – 1918)                    The Girl with the Flaxen Hair                                                               (from Preludes Book 1) V. Herbert (1859 – 1924)                      March of the Toys                                                                (from Babes in Toyland) E. de Rosa (b. 1964)                             Andante Inspirato                                                               (from Il Mercante di Venezia) S. Joplin (1868 – 1917)                         Bethena (Concert Waltz) E, De Curtis (1875 – 1937)                   Torna a Surriento J. P. Sousa (1854 – 1932)                     Semper Fidelis BrassTubes emerged on the local music scene in 2012, founded by Mark Gauci together with a group of passionate musicians seeking to blend the vibrant sounds of brass with the infectious rhythms of popular music. Originally, the band's core lineup consisted of a dynamic rhythm section, a talented brass ensemble, and a charismatic singer. From the outset, BrassTubes set out to create a musical experience that transcended genre boundaries, drawing inspiration from classic jazz, swing, pop, rock, and timeless evergreen melodies. In the years that followed the setting up of the ensemble, BrassTubes quickly garnered attention for their live performances and diverse repertoire. Their ability to seamlessly transition between musical genres captivated audiences, earning them a reputation as one of the most versatile bands on the local musical scene. Specialising in weddings and live concerts, BrassTubes became synonymous with high-energy entertainment, leaving crowds energised and wanting more after each show. As BrassTubes continued to evolve, they explored new avenues of musical expression while staying true to their roots. Collaborating with other artists and experimenting with different styles, the band is constantly working towards obtaining a unique sound quality which makes BrassTubes different from other local bands. As they entered the new decade, BrassTubes remained as vibrant and dynamic as ever. With a dedicated fan base and a relentless passion for performance, the band continued to thrive in an ever-changing musical landscape and soundscape. Whether headlining major events or serenading intimate gatherings, BrassTubes is committed to delivering unforgettable experiences to Maltese, Gozitans and foreign audiences.

Programme A. Dvořàk (1841 – 1904)                                       Slavonic Dance no. 8 (arr. D. Stewart) P. Warlock (1894 – 1930)                                      Three Movements (arr. E. Crees)                                                         (from Capriol Suite) N. Woodrow-Johnstone (b. 2000)                      Hand in Hand W. Lutoslawski (1913 – 1994)                              Paganini Variations (arr. R. Harvey) Traditional                                                             Londonderry Air (arr. J. Iveson) G. Wood (1950 – 2023)                                         Tientos Y Danzas no. 4 P. Cunningham (b. 1960)                                      Loch Katrines Lady (arr. R. Beattie) J. Parker (1932 – 2023)                                         Grand Central Station Theodorakis                                                          Zorba the Greek (arr. P. Hart) G. Bizet (1838 – 1875)                                          Farandole (arr. J. Miller) Royal Conservatoire Brass is a brass ensemble comprising senior students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, under the direction of John Logan. The musicians have built up considerable experience both as soloists and as orchestral players, working regularly with such organisations as the Royal Scottish National, the BBC Scottish Symphony, Scottish Opera, and various Scottish Chamber Orchestras. The Ensemble’s repertoire is wide-ranging, spanning five centuries in a variety of styles from original works for brass, to arrangements of popular classics and jazz. In addition to the Ensemble’s work within the Conservatoire, numerous outside engagements have been undertaken, including tours to China, Germany, Denmark, Russia, the Orkney Islands, and the Faroe Islands. As well as premiering new works, the Ensemble is very visible in Scottish communities with both performing and with coaching young musicians in regional schools. Victoria International Arts Festival is delighted to welcome Royal Conservatoire Brass to perform for us again this year.  

Programme L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)          Sonata no. 17 in C Minor for Violin and Piano Op. 30 no. 2 C. Schumann (1819 – 1896)                Three Romances for Violin and Piano op. 22                                                              W. Walton (1902 – 1983)                      Two Pieces for Violin and Piano                                                               Canzonetta; Scherzetto E. Ysaÿe (1858–1931)                          Caprice d’après l’Étude en forme de Valse op. 52 no. 6 (after Saint-Saëns) Stefan Calleja is currently the Principal of the Second Violins with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. In both 2018 and 2019, he was nominated for the Young Artist of the Year award, recognising his growing contributions to music in Malta. After studies in Malta, Stefan graduated with a Master of Music from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music, where he studied with Clare Thompson.  Over the years, Stefan has performed with several well-known orchestras, including the European Union Youth Orchestra, the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in a side-by-side concert. He has also played with the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra, the European Union Campus Orchestra, the Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra, and the University of London Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician regularly performs with Deste Trio and Muża String Quartet. In 2019,  Stefan won the Sir John Barbirolli Chamber Competition with the Malkonia Quartet. In 2023, Stefan founded Nova Sinfonietta, a string ensemble made up of Maltese musicians who have studied abroad, aiming to highlight local talent. He has also appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. Throughout his career, Stefan has worked with renowned conductors such as Gianandrea Noseda, Manfred Honeck, Vasily Petrenko, Alain Altinoglu, and Daniele Gatti. He has also attended master classes with leading violinists, including Salvatore Accardo, Igor Petrushevski, Gottfried Schneider, Carmine Lauri, and Brian Lewis. In addition to performing, Stefan is an active violin tutor. He has taught at the Malta School of Music and led Teatru Salesjan – Sally Strings, a youth string ensemble, for several years.  Stephanie Quintano started her music studies at a young age obtaining the LRSM and FTCL Diplomas in piano performance in 1982. Stephanie proceeded to London for tuition at the Royal Academy of Music under Professor Alexander Kelly. In 1985, Stephanie participated in the Enna International Piano Festival, Sicily. At St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Stephanie was the soloist in Carmelo Pace’s Meditazione for Piano and Orchestra, together with the Antonio Scontrino Conservatory Orchestra, Trapani. She has also performed the piano concertos by Grieg, Mozart, Beethoven, Carmelo Pace, and Mendelssohn. A major performance in Germany saw her accompanying her brother, violinist Carmine Lauri, during a recital at Adenau. More recently, Stephanie performed with her son, violinist Augusto, at the E.C.U.M.E. meeting in Salonica, Greece. She currently gives public recitals together with Deste piano trio formed by her daughter, cellist Desirée, and violinist Stefan Calleja. Photo Credit: Joseph Amodio

Programme W. A. Mozart (1756 – 1791)                  Prelude and Fugue no. 4 for String Trio K. 404a L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)         String Trio in D major, op. 9 no. 2 F. Schubert (1797 – 1828)                    Movement for String Trio in B Major D. 471 E. von Dohnanyi (1877 – 1960)           Serenade for String Trio in C major op. 10                                                                Trio Noria was founded this year, bringing together three internationally active musicians united by a shared artistic vision and a deep commitment to the string trio repertoire. Drawing on their diverse backgrounds as soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral players, the ensemble explores works from the Viennese Classical period to early modernism, while also championing lesser-known repertoire with curiosity and stylistic awareness. Born in Vienna in 1991, violinist Clemens Böck studied at the Mozarteum University, Salzburg, before completing a Master’s degree in Chamber Music with the Accio piano trio at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Stuttgart, under Martin Funda and Florian Wiek, graduating with distinction in 2023. As a founding member of the Accio piano trio, he has performed extensively throughout Europe as well as in the United States, Japan, China, and Senegal. The ensemble was selected for the NASOM programme of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs for the 2025/26 season, and has received several international prizes, including awards at the International Brahms Competition, Gdańsk, the Carl Wendling Chamber Music Competition, Stuttgart, and the Johannes Brahms Competition, Pörtschach. Alongside his chamber music activities, Clemens regularly performs with leading Austrian and German orchestras, including the Mozarteum Orchestra, Salzburg, the Bruckner Orchestra, Linz, the Munich Symphony Orchestra, and the Tyrolean Symphony Orchestra, Innsbruck. Australian violist Hana Hubmer (née Hobiger) studied at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University before continuing her studies at the Mozarteum University, Salzburg, with Veronika Hagen and Thomas Riebl. She was a member of Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and has since performed with orchestras including the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Hana is a member of the Constanze Quartet, Salzburg, and appears regularly at international festivals and concert series, including Mozart Week, Salzburg. Alongside her regular performances, Hana is deeply engaged in historically informed performance and collaborates regularly with ensembles such as the Bach Consort Wien and Wiener Akademie. Her artistic work has been recognised through numerous chamber music and performance awards in Australia. Slovenian cellist Sebastian Bertoncelj performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician throughout Europe. He has appeared as soloist with leading Slovenian orchestras, including the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ljubljana, performing major concerto repertoire by Haydn, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. Regarding chamber music, Sebastian has collaborated with artists such as Mark Gothoni, Solenne Païdassi, Aylen Pritchin, and Anna Kandinskaya, and has performed at festivals and venues including Festival Ljubljana and Teatro Verdi. After studies in Ljubljana with Miloš Mlejnik, he continued his artistic development with Christian Poltéra and Enrico Bronzi. In 2025, he completed his Konzertexamen with distinction at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Stuttgart, in the class of Conradin Brotbek. Since 2020, he has also served as assistant lecturer at the Academy of Music of the University, Ljubljana.

Retrospective: Reluctant Modernist Ġużeppi Briffa Christian Attard (Curator) Christian Attard lectures in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta and at the Malta School of Art. His research interests encompass the iconographies of plague and death, as well as the art of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with particular emphasis on Visual Culture methodologies. Among Attard’s recent projects is his research on, and conservation coordination of, the cultic seventeenth-century crucifix popularly known as Ta’ Ġieżu, attributed to Frate Innocenzo da Petralia. His publications include The Art of Dying Well: Visual Culture in Times of Piety and Plague in Malta, 1675–1814, alongside studies on the work of Maltese contemporary artists, Antoine Camilleri and Joseph L. Mallia. Born in 1901, Ġużeppi Briffa was already well into his sixties when Malta began cautiously opening itself to new intellectual and cultural currents, particularly in the wake of Malta’s 1964 Independence and the reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council, concluded in 1965. These shifts reshaped visual culture and audience expectation surrounding artistic expression, just as they transformed political and religious structures. Within this context, Briffa emerged as a pivotal mediating figure. He was neither an avant-garde radical nor an academic traditionalist. Rather, he functioned as a bridge between an inherited visual language and the possibility of innovation. His work can thus be understood as occupying a space of negotiation, revealing a form of modernism that is measured and introspective, yet culturally and popularly attuned. The thesis proposed by this exhibition suggests that Briffa’s work occupies a complex mediating position, straddling an intersection that remains, on the one hand, shaped by a late nineteenth-century demand for clarity and readability, and on the other, by an emerging desire to question the status quo and challenge facile visual conventions.

Programme M. Szymanowska (1789 – 1831)         Nocturne in Bb Major L. Farrenc (1804 – 1875)                      Nocturne in Eb Major op. 49 F. Hensel (1805 – 1847)                        Nocturne in G Minor A. Beach (1867 – 1944)                        Nocturne op. 107 F. Price (1887 – 1953)                           Sonata in E Minor M. Bonds (1913 – 1972)                        Spiritual Suite                                              Julia Miller, born in Poland, is a graduate of the Music Academy of Łódź, where she studied piano and chamber music with distinguished professors. A finalist in several international competitions, she began her career performing across Poland with her chamber ensemble. After a period in Dublin, she settled in Malta in 2012, quickly building a dynamic career both as a soloist and a sought-after accompanist. Julia has collaborated with leading ensembles, opera productions, and festivals in Malta and abroad. Since 2019, she has curated her recital series Julia Miller Plays, showcasing expressive Romantic repertoire. A dedicated educator, she teaches piano and chamber music at Malta’s music institutions. Her creative projects include the cross-cultural Valletta–Varsavja–Vjenna and the evocative Mediterranean Letters. Recent highlights include her concerto debut with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra performing Grieg. Earlier this year, Julia completed her Doctorate in Music at the University of Malta, focusing on late 19th-century female composers. Victoria International Arts Festival would like to congratulate Julia on the successful completion of her doctoral studies with the University of Malta.

Programme J.M. Ruera (1900 – 1988)                     Meditació M. De Falla (1876 – 1946)                    Pantomime: Song of Wounded Love                                                                 (from El Amor Brujo) N. Gade (1817 – 1890)                          Fantasy Pieces op. 43 L. Bernstein (1918 – 1990)                   Suite from ‘West Side Story’                                                                Maria; Tonight; Somewhere; Something’s coming; One hand, one heart J. Brahms (1833 – 1897)                       Sonata in Eb Major op. 120 no. 2                                                                Luis Fernández-Castelló’s playing is distinguished by ‘a sound full of warmth and exquisite sweetness’ (OPERA WORLD). He has developed an impressive career as both a soloist and a chamber musician, performing at major national and international festivals in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Sweden, Luxembourg, Morocco, and Portugal, and has appeared in Spain’s leading concert halls. Renowned for his interpretations of the classical and romantic repertoire, Fernández-Castelló also has a strong interest in contemporary music. He has premiered over a hundred works by Jesús Torres, Miguel Gálvez-Taroncher, Leonardo Balada, Sergio Blardony, Antonio Gómez-Schneekloth, among others. His latest recordings, The Singing Clarinet (Orpheus Classical) and Leonardo Balada’s Chamber Music (Naxos) have been highly praised by critics Francesc Llop-Álvaro began his studies at the Professional Conservatory, Valencia, with Carlos Apellániz as his main teacher, and completed them at the Higher Conservatory of Music, Castellón. He has participated in numerous international piano programmes in Spain, Belgium, France, and Italy, attending master classes with Philippe Entremont, Robert Roux, Jean-Michel Damase, Jacques Lagarde, Josep Colom, Graham Jackson, among others. He has performed as a solo pianist and chamber musician in Spain, France, Belgium, and Germany, taking part in concert series such as Jaca Monumental through Music, the Valencia Biennial, the International Concert Season of the Societat Filharmònica Música i Art de Picanya, and a series of concerts organised by the University of Valencia.

Programme J. Haydn (1732 – 1809)                         Quartet no. 63 in Bb Major op. 76 no. 4 (‘Sunrise’)                                                                J. Brahms (1833 – 1897)                       Quartet no. 2 in A Minor op. 51 no. 2                                                                Cordia Quartet was founded in 2011 and is made up of Malta-based musicians. The name is derived from the Latin ‘cordia’ (hearts) and has Maltese overtones of the word ‘korda’ (strings). Cordia’s vision is to create an immersive ambience for its audience through musical harmonies and original arrangements. To date, Cordia has performed in numerous prestigious concerts, both locally and abroad, including the Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo, the August Moon Ball, Austria’s National Day, in New Delhi and Calcutta under the auspices of Maltese Ambassador for India, and at Marlborough House, London, for her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as part of the Commonwealth Celebrations. They are regularly engaged to perform at State dinners and receptions, and other high profile national events under the patronage of the President of Malta. Cordia was exclusively chosen to play during the state dinners held in Malta during its EU Presidency. While classical music remains the core of its repertoire, the Quartet also plays different genres including contemporary pop, jazz, and traditional music. Cordia has released the tango music album ‘Jealousie‘, and is currently the resident string quartet performing in Malta's first series of ‘Candlelight Concerts’ organised by Fever.  

Programme G.B. Platti (c1697–1763)                      Ricercata I for violin and cello L. van Beethoven (1750 – 1827)         Serenade D Major op. 8 G. Klein (1919 – 1945)                          String Trio   Adéla Štajnochrová graduated from the Prague Conservatory in the class of Dana Vlachová (1998), furthering her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague, in the class of Prof. Petr Messiereur. She got her postgraduate degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where she studied with Krzysztof Smietana and Rachel Podger. In 1994, she was a finalist in the Beethoven International Violin Competition (CZ) and in 2002 she was a semi-finalist in the Konzertgesellschaft Competition, Munich. She took part in many international master classes in the USA, Austria and France held by Lewis Kaplan, Schmuel Ashkenazi, Ida Levin and John Holloway. As a member of the Škampa Quartet and ArteMiss Piano Trio, Adéla focuses mainly on chamber music, but she also performs as a soloist with orchestras, gives recitals, and cooperates with early music ensembles (Collegium 1704, Musica Florea, Ensemble Inégal). In 2012 she finished her doctorate studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague. Josef Klusoň studied the viola at the Conservatory of Music and Academy of Fine Arts, Prague, in the class of Josef Koďousek, a member of the Vlach Quartet. During this time, he was awarded many prizes both in viola and chamber music competitions. In 1972, together with Josef Pražák and Václav Remeš, he founded the Pražák Quartet, with whom he has performed extensively to great acclaim, appearing repeatedly worldwide in venues such as the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Konzerthaus, Vienna, Carnegie Hall, New York, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris, Wigmore Hall, London, and many more. In addition to his activities in the Quartet, Josef appears as partner of renowned groups in various chamber music and gives many master classes, most recently at the CME, Bruxelles, Musica Mundi, ProQuartet, and Sommerakademie Wien. He has recorded the complete Sonatas for Viola and piano by Reger, Martinů and Brahms for Radio Prague and Harmonia Mundi. He has also been a jury member at several major string quartet competitions. Jitka Vlašánková completed her violoncello studies at the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts by performing the Rococo Variations by Tchaikovsky and Haydn's Concerto in D Major in the Prague Rudolfinum. A British Council scholarship allowed her to study in London for six months with the legendary William Pleeth. She participated in European master classes with A. Navarra and E. Rauttio, and also in the Georg Piatigorsky seminar in Los Angeles with B. Greenhouse. Jitka has been awarded a number of prizes, including 3rd prize and the title ‘laureate’ in the Prague Spring Competition; the prize for the best ‘Performance of a Composition by D. Popper’ at the Pablo Casals Competition, Budapest; the prize for the best ‘Dvořák G minor Rondo’ in the Ministry of Culture competition; and 1st prize in the ‘Beethoven Hradec’. She has given recitals at home and abroad, and has recorded many cello sonatas for Czech Radio, including those by Rachmaninov, Chopin, Franck, Shostakovich, and Schubert. Her CD J.S.Bach: Suites 1-3 received recognition from the music magazine HARMONIE and was marked as ‘Tip of Harmonie’. Jitka became a member of the Martinů Quartet in 1987, and more recently also a member of the Pro Arte Trio. During her career she has shared the stage and recording studios with Josef Suk, Arto Noras, Michel Lethiec and Colin Carr, and also with the Panocha, Pražák, Stamic and Manhattan Quartets. Additionally, Jitka has served as jury member in international competitions in Pretoria, Austria, and Czech Republic, including the B. Martinů Foundation Competition. Since 2000, she has been teaching cello and chamber music at the Gymnasium and Music School, Prague. Jitka plays a French cello by François Gand from 1830.

Programme K.E. Goepfart (1859 – 1942)                Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Pianoforte op. 75                                                                H. Molbe (1835 – 1915)                       Songe op. 80 F. Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847)            Konzertstück in F Major op.113                                                               M. Mangani (b. 1966)                           Fantasia on ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ P. D'Rivera (b. 1948)                             Danzon P. Cardy (1953-2005)                            Tzigane Jože Kotar became principal clarinettist of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra in 2007 after serving in that role with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra for twelve years. He is also a tenured professor at the Academy of Music,Ljubljana. As a soloist, chamber musician and member of various chamber ensembles, Kotar performs in Slovenia and abroad (Europe, USA, Australia, South America), leads seminars for the clarinet and chamber music (Croatia, Serbia, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, Ireland, Israel, Brazil) and participates on adjudicating panels in international competitions. Kotar is a member, co-founder and artistic director of the Slovenian Clarinet Orchestra and a member of the Ariart Wind Quintet and the MD7 Contemporary Music Ensemble. Since 2007, he has been the conductor and artistic director of the Trbovlje Workers Band. Zoran Mitev studiedin his native Macedonia with Prof. P. Trajkovski, graduating with honours in 1987 at the Academy of Music, Ljubljana, in the class of Prof. Božidar Tumpe. He specialised at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, with R. Frodl and B. Kovacs. Between 1984 and 1992 he was principal bassoonist of the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Ljubljana, and in 1992 he became the principal bassoonist of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. As a soloist, he has performed with all Slovenian orchestras and at numerous international festivals. He has premiered more than 50 solo and chamber works and has released eight CDs, six of which with solo works for bassoon. Since 2011 he has also been Associate professor at the Ljubljana Academy of Music. Luca Ferrini, from Trieste, Italy, studied piano, harpsichord, organ and organ composition, graduating with distinction from the music conservatories in Trieste and Udine. Over the last forty years he has been playing concerts on all three instruments in Europe, Asia, Australia, Central and South America. He works with renowned musicians and conductors as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestras. He is also a member of numerous ensembles of ancient and contemporary music, premiering more than 180 works. In addition to his forty CDs, he has made numerous radio recordings with a variety of European broadcasting companies. He is the official piano accompanist in several International Competitions, professor at the Koper Art Gymnasium (Slovenia) and piano accompanist at the Ljubljana Academy of Music.

Programme W.A. Mozart (1756 – 1791)                   Rondo K. 485 J. Françaix (1912 – 1997)                     Mozart New Look F. Schubert (1797 – 1828)                    Impromptu in Gb Major op. 90 no. 3 V. Neuling (1775 – 1846)                      Sonata in G Major for mandolin and fortepiano op. 8                                                               J.N. Hummel (1778 – 1837)                 Grande Sonata in C Major op. 37a                                                                L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)         Bagatelle in G Major op. 119 no. 6                                                                Andante and Variations in D Major WoO 44b                                                              For the past decade, mandolinist and multi-instrumentalist Alon Sariel has been breathing new life into the mandolin, inspiring critics and audiences alike with his contagious musicianship and flawless technique, making him one of the highest ranked mandolinists in the world. With a record of over a thousand concerts in more than 35 countries, he maintains a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber player and artistic director in diverse productions. With Sariel’s ever-growing curiosity for different cultures and genres, various plucked instruments find their way to his hands and often ‘when it clicks’, as he puts it, ‘they come to stay’. In his concerts, he easily switches between those ‘plucked partners’ to create diverse musical experiences for his audiences. In his release Plucked Bach (PENTATONE), Alon Sariel approaches Bach's solo music in enticing new arrangements on different mandolins and lutes, the baroque guitar and the oud. For the Beethoven anniversary in 2020, he was invited by Naxos to record the composer's works for mandolin and fortepiano. With his album Telemandolin (Berlin Classics) Sariel has become the first mandolinist to be awarded an OPUS KLASSIK. Alon Sariel is a goodwill ambassador for the animal welfare organisation Pro Animale. In his free he likes to be among nature, to read or meditate. Keiko Shichijo is a Japanese pianist who has earned glowing reviews for her performances: ‘few of the liberties she takes feel as if they emerge in any way other than organically from the music and from the moment of performance’. (Gramophone) Her playinhg combines a traditional Japanese sensitivity with a thorough knowledge of European historical performance practice. This leads to a unique vision, which is revealed in her feeling for the music, for the instruments, and for their underlying story. Keiko is a prizewinner in many international competitions, including twice in the International Early Music Competition (solo and duo), Brugge, the International Early Music Competition ‘A Tre’, Trossingen, and the Minkoff Prize from the music publisher, Edition Minkoff. Her violin/fortepiano duo with renowned violinist Cecilia Bernardini performs regularly throughout Europe. As a specialist in contemporary music, Keiko has collaborated with many composers, including Helmut Lachenmann, Tom Johnson, and Jürg Frey. Keiko Shichijo performs worldwide, with both solo repertoire and chamber music and has released many CDs of repertoire by Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Komitas, Satie, Tom Johnson and others. She is a piano and fortepiano professor at the Fontys Academy for Music and Performing Arts,Tilburg, and a pianoforte professor at KASK & Conservatorium School of Arts, Ghent. Keiko sat on the adjudicating panel for the 2019 edition of the International Competition Musica Antiqua.

Programme G. Schocker (b. 1959)                          French Toast (2003)                                                                                                                                            J. Lauber (1864 – 1952)                       Trio (1936)                                                                   J. Vella (1942 – 2018)                           Segments no. 1 op. 93 (1998)                                        M. Dring (1923 – 1977)                        Trio (1968)                             A. Piazzolla (1921 – 1992)                    Escualo (1979)       Janascharco Trio was founded in 1996 by Natascha Chircop (flute), Tatjana Chircop (violin) and Marco Rivoltini (pianoforte), three gifted, prolific and versatile performers who have since then further established themselves not only as individual performers but also as an ensemble. They have performed in prestigious locations such as Hôtel de Ville, Lanester (Bretagne), The Stables Theatre, Hastings (England), in Damascus (Syria), in Lucca (Italy) and several times in Malta and Gozo, particularly for the Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo. They have premiered works by a number of composers including John Simpson and Joseph Vella. They have also recorded a CD of the late Mro Joseph Vella’s works, which encompasses some of his most extraordinary chamber music, including Segments no. 1 op. 93, which Mro Vella composed particularly for them.

Programme M. De Falla (1876 – 1946)                    Siete canciones populares españolas                                                              F. Decruck (1896 – 1954)                      Sonata in C# for Saxophone and Piano R. Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)    6 Studies in English Folk Songs                                                              D. Milhaud (1892 – 1974)                     Scaramouche                                                                Philip Attard is a Gozitan saxophonist who has appeared as a soloist in several concert series and venues around Europe and the USA, including highlights at the Wigmore Hall, the Cadogan Hall, St John Smith Square, St James Piccadilly, the Southbank Centre and the ‘Elgar Room’ at the Royal Albert Hall. He has also appeared in important festivals and series including the Malta Arts Festival, the Victoria International Arts Festival, the Three Palaces Festival, the Embassy Series, Washington DC, and the Park Lane Group Series, London. Philip graduated with a Master of Music with Distinction, and later with an Artist Diploma from the Royal College of Music (RCM), where he studied with Kyle Horch. In the course of his studies at RCM, he was a first-prize winner of all the college competitions, including the Edward and Helen Hague Senior Woodwind Prize, the Jane Melber Saxophone Competition, the Douglas Whittaker Woodwind Chamber Music Competition, and the RCM Concerto Competition, later being awarded the Savage Club Prize for the most imaginative and individual concerto performance throughout the year. He was also awarded first prize in the Wind and Percussion Category of the prestigious Royal Over-Seas League Competition, and he was prize winner in the Tunbridge Wells International Competition. Philip has also been successful on many professional platforms including the Tillett Trust and the Tunnell Trust, Countess of Munster Recital Scheme, all of which led to concerts on important platforms around the UK. Philip is currently based in Malta, where he leads an active performance career as a soloist and chamber musician. Alongside his solo performance activity, Philip collaborates with many local bands, mainly the Big Band Brothers where he is often invited to lead the saxophone section. He has worked on many classic/jazz cross-over projects on saxophones and clarinets, whilst being a regular solo and guest player with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Philip is also a passionate saxophone teacher and holds a Master in Education from the Royal College of Music. He regularly works as a saxophone and clarinet teacher and has also given master classes at the University of Southampton, the University of Highlands and Islands, and the Malta Saxophone Festival, and was guest woodwind tutor on projects with the Malta Youth Orchestra. Christine Zerafa is a Maltese pianist whose performances have been praised for their ‘sensual, silky tone and virtuoso command’ (The Evening Standard, London). She has been described as ‘a musician with a warm and very communicative personality’ (The Times of Malta). She has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in concert series and festivals across Europe and the United States, performing at major venues including the Royal Festival Hall, the Wigmore Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, St John’s Smith Square, the Cadogan Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, and in the Oxford Lieder Festival, among others. She has appeared on BBC Radio 3 as well as on BBC television. Most recently, she was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), an honour awarded in recognition of her significant contribution to the music profession. Christine has received numerous awards, including first prize at the Bice Mizzi National Competition, the Royal Northern College of Music Clifton Helliwell Memorial Prize, the Royal Academy of Music Scott Huxley Prize for Piano Accompaniment, and the Schumann Lieder Pianist Prize. In the course of her studies, she was also awarded the Eric Brough Memorial Award and the John B. McEwen Prize. She was twice selected as a Park Lane Group Artist and was an award holder on the Tunnell Trust Artist Chamber Music Scheme. Christine holds a Master of Music degree in solo performance from the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied with Norma Fisher and Paul Janes, after which she continued her studies with Andrea Lucchesini at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, Florence. Christine completed a Master of Music in Piano Accompaniment with distinction at the Royal Academy of Music, studying with Michael Dussek, Malcolm Martineau and Ian Brown, and later completed her PhD at the same Academy, focusing on the role of the pianist in song and duo chamber music. Alongside a busy performance career, she is active as a researcher, educator and coach, frequently working with singers and instrumentalists in master classes and higher-education settings, and presenting her research internationally at conferences devoted to artistic research in music.

Programme F. Schubert (1797 – 1828)                    An Silva                                                                 Heidenröslein                                                                 Litanei                                                                 Ganymed                                                                 Die Forelle                                                                 Moments musicaux D. 780 (Piano Solo)                                                                 Allegro moderato; Allegretto R. Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)    Songs of Travel                                                              Yang Wern Ooi is a bass-baritone who founded The Tiger Vocal Quartet which performed popular operatic ensemble pieces in various locations in London, including Café Fidelio. He has sung the bass solo parts in Orff's Carmina Burana, Bach's Magnificat, Fauré's Requiem, Dvořák's Stabat Mater, Mozart's Coronation Mass, and Bach's St John Passion, to name but a few. Over the course of two years, he sang a Bach Cantata aria once a month at the Swiss Church in London for their Sunday services. A former lay clerk of Tewkesbury Abbey he now sings with the Laudate Pueri Choir. He has been a Choir Director for Charlton Church, Worcestershire, the Swiss Church, London, Southwark Chamber Choir, Godolphin and Latymer Staff Choir, and he has recently started the Barts Malta Choir in Gozo. He studied with Justin Lavender (Vocal Professor of the Royal College of Music, London).  Francis Camilleri formally commenced his pianoforte studies with Lucia Micallef and continued his tuition with Karen Briscoe, whilst also taking lessons with Prof. Vanessa Latarche and Prof. Dmitri Alexeev at the Royal College of Music, London. Francis graduated with honours from the University of Malta in pianoforte performance under the tuition of Michael Laus, and has participated in master classes led by John Lill, Mikhail Pethukov, and Young-Choon Park, among others. He was also coached in harmony and counterpoint by Joseph Vella and has lately finished his doctoral studies with a thesis focusing on Vella’s piano works, including his Piano Concerto op. 41 which was revived earlier thist year at the Manoel Theatre after more than 40 years since its premiere. Francis has recently performed a solo recital at the President’s Palace in San Anton as part of the Valletta Baroque Festival and a Schubert Recital at the Malta Society of Arts. He is also working as a répétiteur, collaborating with renowned opera singers such as Gregory Kunde, Barbara Frittoli and Gianluca Terranova. He is the opera choir master at the Teatru Astra and earlier this year he also coached the opera choir for Turandot for the Classique Foundation at the Teatru Astra. Francis is a member of the Laudate Pueri Choir and the Victoria International Arts Festival.

Programme ECCE REX VESTER The Passion and Death of Jesus in Tomás Luis de Victoria's (c.1548 – c.1611) Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae (Romae, apud Alexandrum Gardanum 1585) Hosanna filio David (Gregorian chant) O Domine Iesu Christe Christus factus est pro nobis obediens (Gregorian chant) Passio secundum Ioanem Vere languores nostros Popule meus Sepulto Domino The Gregorian chant is taken from the Graduale Novum published in Regensburg in 2011. The polyphony by Tomás Luis de Victoria is taken from the Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae published in Rome in 1585 by Alessandro Gardano. Born in Turin in 1967, Monsignor Massimo Palombella was ordained to the priesthood for the Salesian Congregation in 1996. Founder and Musical Director of the Coro Interuniversitario di Roma, he served in the university pastoral ministry of the Diocese of Rome from 1995 to 2010. He has taught Sacramental Theology, Eschatology, and Music and Liturgy at the Pontifical Salesian University, and at the ‘Guido Cantelli’ Conservatoire, Novara, where, within the postgraduate specialisation in Sacred Music, he lectured in Composition for the Liturgy, Roman Polyphony, and the Legislation of Sacred Music. He also taught the Languages of Music at La Sapienza University, Rome. At the Conservatoire of Turin and at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, Rome, he lectured in Liturgy. From 1998 to 2010 he served as Editor of the liturgical music journal Armonia di Voci, published by ElleDiCi. From 2010 to 2019 he was Musical Director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir (Cappella Musicale Pontificia ‘Sistina’), appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and reconfirmed in 2015 by Pope Francis. Under his direction, the Sistine Chapel Choir engaged in an exclusive recording partnership with the Deutsche Grammophon label, receiving in 2016 the Echo Klassik Award in the category Choral Recording of the Year for the album Cantate Domino: The Sistine Chapel Choir and the Music of the Popes. From 2021 until June 2025, he served as Musical Director of the Milan Cathedral Choir (Cappella Musicale del Duomo di Milano). Under his leadership, the Choir not only ensured the full and authentic presence of Ambrosian Chant in every liturgical celebration and undertook a profound renewal of the musical repertoire in accordance with the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council, but also became regularly featured in international festival concert programmes. During this period, the Choir was invited to perform at the Teatro alla Scala on the occasion of the quincentenary of the birth of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, presenting the Missa Papae Marcelli. Since June 2025, Monsignor Palombella has served as Superintendent of the Musical Heritage of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano and is Director of the Schola Cantorum Venerandae Fabricae. Established by the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano with the specific aim of fostering and supporting young professional musicians at an international level, the Schola Cantorum is an ensemble dedicated principally to concert performance grounded in rigorous study and scholarly research. In addition to a regular monthly concert season within the framework of the Scuola della Cattedrale, the ensemble appears at leading international festivals, with particular emphasis on Renaissance music. The Schola Cantorum is directed by Monsignor Massimo Palombella, S.D.B., Superintendent of the Musical Heritage of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano.

Programme L. Beretta (1518 – 1572)                       Canzon a Quattro S. Song                                 Canzon’s Adventure F. Chopin (1810 – 1849)                       Valse brillante op. 34 no. 2 M. von Weinzierl (1841 – 1898)           Nachtstück for 4 Violas op. 34 L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)          Trio op. 87                                                               B. Bartók (1881 – 1945)                       La Mouche for 3 Violas (arr. J.P. Peuvion) Y. Bowen (1884 – 1961)                       Fantasie Quartet for 4 Violas H. Waelput (1845 – 1885)                    Andante cantabile J. Jongen (1873 – 1953)                       Deux pieces pour 4 Violas                                                                Pierre-Henri Xuereb is a French violist who also performs on the viola d’amore. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Serge Collot and later continued his training in the United States with viola masters such as Lillian Fuchs and William Primrose, earning a Bachelor of Music degree in Boston. At the age of 21 he became principal viola of the Ensemble Intercontemporain under the direction of Pierre Boulez. Since 1989, Pierre Henri has been a professor at the famous Paris Conservatoire and at the Royal Conservatory, Liège, and he regularly gives master classes around the world. He has collaborated with many distinguished conductors, has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras, and has recorded more than 80 CDs. He is also the artistic director of ‘La fête de l’alto’ in Lasalle (Cévennes) and the founder of the Primrose Ensemble dedicated to the viola. Many composers have dedicated works to him, and he regularly serves on the juries of prestigious international competitions. Noémie Airiau-Gauguier graduated from the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) in viola and from the Lyon Conservatoire (CNSMD) in pedagogy. Passionate about chamber music, she performs in a wide range of ensembles, from trio to octet. She is a founding member of the Ensemble Art&Muses (flute, viola and harp), for which she created five arrangements published by Klarthe. She also collaborates with various Parisian orchestras, participates in film music recordings, and regularly contributes to the albums of jazz musician Jean-My Truong. She serves as Secretary General of the French branch of ESTA (European String Teachers Association) and participates each year in organising the French Competition for Young Violists. Noémie is also involved in the training of future teachers by supervising internships for students preparing for the Diplôme d’État (CNSMDP, PSPBB). Holding the Diplôme d’État in violin and the Certificat d’Aptitude in viola, she teaches both disciplines at the Conservatoire Maurice Ravel, Levallois-Perret. Ruixin Niu, viola professor at the Conservatoire de Maubeuge, holds an interdisciplinary PhD from the University of Maine, USA, a Master’s degree in viola from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, and a Master’s degree in pedagogy with distinction from the Royal Conservatory of Liège. She regularly substitutes as principal viola with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris. Ruixin has participated in the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy, Japan, was a recipient of a scholarship from the Fontainebleau Schools of Music and was also a trainee with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Liège. She has previously served as a teaching assistant at the University of Maine and has participated in recordings for the labels Continuo Classics and Indésens Calliope. Ruixin has participated in the Victoria International Arts Festival on numerous occasions. Her performances have always had glowing critical acclaim, praised for their warmth of tone and sensitive musicianship. Camille Coello is a violist and violinist who graduated from the famous Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP). She is passionate about the contemporary repertoire and musical creativity. She is a member of the collective Le Petit Tambour and performs with the Duo Gramma, with which she has premiered works by A. Markeas and F. Vallet. In 2024 she participated as a chamber musician in the premiere of the opera Otages by S. Rivas, presented during the Biennale des Musiques Exploratoires organised by Centre Gramme and the Opéra National de Lyon. Interested in mixed music, she has performed ‘Animus II’ by L. Francesconi with RIM François Longo. Camille regularly performs with ensembles such as 2e2m, Le Balcon, and Le Seuil Musical. She is frequently invited to play with the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie and has appeared as principal viola with the Orchestre de Douai. Last year she joined the ensemble Miroirs Étendus.

Programme R. Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)    The Vagabond                                                                 ‘Let Beauty Awake’                                                                 ‘Bright is the Ring of Words’                                                                 (from Songs of Travel) M. Ravel (1875 – 1937)                         Chanson Romanesque                                                                 Chanson épique                                                                 Chanson à boire                                                                 (from Don Quichotte à Dulcinée M.84) R. Schumann (1810 – 1856)                Im wunderschönen Monat Mai                                                                (from Dichterliebe op. 48 no. 1) F. Schubert (1797 – 1828)                    Wandrers Nachtlied II D. 768 J. Brahms (1833 – 1897)                       Die Mainacht op. 43 no. 2 R. Schumann                                       Ich grolle nicht                                                                (from Dichterliebe op. 48 no. 7) W.A. Mozart (1756 – 1791)                  ‘Deh vieni alla finestra’                                                                (from Don Giovanni) G. Rossini (1792 – 1868)                     ‘Resta immobile’                                                                (from Guillaume Tell) V. Bellini (1801 – 1835)                        ‘Vi ravviso, luoghi ameni’                                                                (from La sonnambula) B. Marcello (1686 – 1739)                    ‘Il mio bel foco’ J.P.A. Martini (1741 – 1816)                 Plaisir d’amour L. Arditi (1822 – 1903)                          Occhi di fata F. Tosti (1846 – 1916)                            Malia S. Gastaldon (1861 – 1939)                 Musica proibita R. Rodgers (1902 – 1979)                    ‘Some Enchanted Evening’                                                                (from South Pacific) G. D’Hardelot (1858 – 1936)               ‘Because’ Samuel Lom is a British bass-baritone who trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the University of Warwick, and the Universität der Humboldt, Berlin. At home in the core operatic repertoire, his roles include Escamillo, Don Giovanni, Leporello, Don Alfonso, Papageno, Colline, and more, with leading UK and European companies. His concert work spans Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, Haydn’s Creation, Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem and Tippett’s A Child of Our Time. A passionate exponent of new music, he has premiered roles in contemporary operas and curated commissions on themes of mental health. Samuel is also a librettist and collaborator on new opera works, bringing fresh perspectives to classic repertoire. Away from the stage, he is Head of Music and Drama at Ripley Court School, nurturing young creative talent. Samuel has a lifelong connection with the island of Gozo, having visited since birth, and is delighted to be singing there professionally for the first time. His deep affection for Gozo’s culture and community makes this performance a particularly meaningful milestone in his career. Francesca Lauri is a London-based collaborative pianist who specialises in art song and opera. She received her Master’s degree from the Royal College of Music and has been their vocal fellow for the past two years. Francesca has won the piano prizes at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and the Royal Over-Seas League Competition, and has been a young artist with the Wigmore Hall, London, the Oxford Song Festival, and the Samling Institute, where she now works regularly. Half-Maltese, she performs often at the Teatru Manoel with her father, Carmine Lauri.  *This concert starts at 8.30pm.

Programme F. Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847)            Herr, nun lässet du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren op. 69 no. 1                                                               J. Rheinberger (1839 0 1901)               Kyrie                                                               (from Cantus Missae op. 102) O. Gjeilo (b. 1978)                                Ubi caritas A. Bruckner (1824 – 1896)                   Christus factus est A. Lotti (1667 – 1740)                           Curcifixus a 8                                                                (from Credo in F) C. Monteverdi (1567 – 1643)               Sanctus                                                               (from Missa in illo tempore SV 205) E. Ešenvalds (b. 1977)                         Stars E. Whitacre (b. 1970)                           Lux Aurumque J. Tavener (1944 – 2013)                     The Lamb Z. Randall Stroope (b. 1953)               We Beheld Once Again the Stars KorMalta is Malta’s national choir, founded in November 2017 and conducted since its inception by Principal Conductor Riccardo Bianchi. In 2023, it joined the National Agency for the Performing Arts alongside ŻfinMalta and Teatru Malta. The choir is dedicated to the professionalisation of choral singing in Malta, with a repertoire ranging from a cappella polyphony and Baroque sacred music to operatic and symphonic works. A distinctive focus lies on contemporary choral polyphony and on the performance of works by Maltese composers from all historical periods. Alongside its own productions, KorMalta appears regularly at leading Maltese festivals and collaborates with institutions such as the MPO and VIBE. KorMalta has collaborated with distinguished ensembles such as the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Choir of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The choir has performed internationally in operas and concerts, serving as an ambassador of Maltese culture overseas.

Programme J. Brahms (1833 – 1897)                           Sonata no. 1 in E Minor op. 38                                                                   L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)              Sonata no. 3 in A Major op. 68                                                                     Céline Dussaud was born to musician parents and she naturally gravitated towards an artistic career. From an early age, she developed a passion for ensemble music and the violoncello. She attended conservatories in the Paris region, specifically in Aubervilliers and Boulogne-Billancourt, before winning numerous First Prizes at the Nîmes Conservatory in cello, chamber music, and sight-reading. She continued to enhance her instrumental skills under the guidance of Boris Baraz, a member of the ‘Moscow Soloists’, while simultaneously attending the CEFEDEM in Lyon, where she earned her State Diploma in 1996. From 1992 to 2008, she was engaged as a musician at the Nîmes Theatre and later with the Languedoc Opera Company. During this period, she also served as principal cellist of the Franco-Swiss orchestra Contrepoint. Since 2008, she has held the position of principal cellist with the Béziers Méditerranée Orchestra. She also performs with the Alès Symphonia and the Nîmes Orchestra. Additionally, she is the cellist for the Trio-Carrée and the La Domitienne Quartet. She is a member of the Bogen Quartet as well as the Trio Entrecordes, a group specialising in Argentine tango. Jean-Sébastien Taillefer began his musical studies at the Conservatories of Blois and later Tours, under the guidance of Danielle Brion and Bernard Job. After winning numerous First Prizes in Piano, Chamber Music, and Musical Analysis, he was admitted to the Centre d’Études Supérieures de Musique et de Danse in Toulouse, where he earned his State Diploma as a piano teacher. His encounters with renowned artists such as Jacques Rouvier, Boris Berezovsky, and Tyrone Downie enriched his piano repertoire and led him to explore a wide range of sonic landscapes, spanning from early music to contemporary styles. In 2004, he served as a rehearsal pianist for the filming of the DVD Les pianos de la nuit at the International Piano Festival of La Roque d’Anthéron. In 2014, he joined the Orchestre de Chambre des Cévennes as a soloist as well as a continuo player. Between 2016 and 2020, he joined several contemporary music ensembles, including ‘Mister Shine’, with whom he won the ACFA talent competition in Montpellier. Currently a tenured professor at the Petite Camargue Intercommunal Music School, he continues to participate in numerous artistic projects in the south of France. *This concert starts at 8.30pm.

Programme A. Schnitke (1934 – 1998)                          Suite in the Old Style op. 80                                                                        J. Brahms (1833 – 1897)                             Sonata no. 2 in A Major op. 100                                                                         A. Piazzolla Gubaidulina                            Le Grand Tango    Andrea Gajic’s performances have been described‘a triumph of musical expression which held one spellbound from the opening cadenza to the last wisp of sound’.(The Scotsman). Since her London debut performing Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy at St James’s Palace for Yehudi Menuhin’s 70th Birthday Celebration at the age of 12, Scottish violinist Andrea Gajic has enjoyed an international career as a soloist and chamber musician of the highest order. As a soloist she has performed with many orchestras across the globe and most recent performances include concertos by Sibelius, Barber, Brahms, Prokofiev, and Glazunov. She has also recorded for BBC Radio, Bavarian Radio, Lithuanian Radio, and Radio Baltimore together with appearances on BBC, STV, ITV and Russian and Serbian television. Chamber music highlights include leading the Fibonacci Sequence at Conway Hall, London, recitals at the Munich Residenz and the Arctic Arts Festival, and a recording of Beethoven’s Theme and Variations op. 107 with pianist Michael Leslie, Thomas Rugge and Michael Shopper for Bavarian Radio, then released by Büchergilde Gutenberg. Andrea also plays as part of Ad Libitum – a unique and exciting violin and accordion duo – with her husband Djordje performing regularly across UK, Serbia, Croatia, Russia, Australia and at the Victoria International Arts Festival, Gozo. Alongside an active performing career, Andrea is also a passionate and dedicated pedagogue. A professor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, many of her students have excelled in national and international competitions: the Queen Sophie Charlotte International Violin Competition, the Lithuania International Music Competition, the Hunter Foundation BAFTA, and gone on to work with some of the major orchestras and ensembles: RSNO, BBC orchestras, SCO, Scottish Ballet, and the Scottish Ensemble.  Andrea previously taught at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Surrey, St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh, and the Douglas Academy, Glasgow. In demand internationally as a visiting professor, Andrea has given classes and workshops at the Sydney Conservatorium, University of Performing Arts-Graz, Rostov Conservatoire of Music, University of Delaware, Peabody Conservatory, European String Teacher’s Association, Sistema Scotland and music schools across Serbia, Russia, and Scotland. Working regularly alongside Nicola Benedetti, Andrea is a tutor for the Benedetti Foundation and in 2017 together with Natasha Boyarskaya she gave a series of filmed workshops for the Benedetti Strings Festival in Saffron Hall which was featured in The Strad and Music Teacher magazines. Andrea began her musical studies at St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh, before being awarded scholarships from the Martin Trust, the Caird Trust and the Scottish International Educational Trust to study with Sylvia Rosenberg at the Peabody Conservatoire, Baltimore. Five years of study with Khalida Akhtiamova followed at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, Moscow, before she completed her studies at the Royal College of Music with Dr. Felix Andrievsky. Andrea plays on a 1766 Nicola Gagliano violin. Liivi Arder is an Estonian pianist who studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre under the tuition of Toivo Nahkur and Nata-Ly Sakkos. In 2010, she completed the Advanced Accompaniment Course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Fali Pavri and later received the Sam Hutchings Fellowship award. She has taken part in several competitions, winning the first prize in the famous Valentino Bucchi Competition, Rome, third prize in the chamber music category of the 11th Pietro Argento Music Competition, Gioia del Colle, the Estonian National Television prize in their Con Brio Competition, as well as the coveted Hestor Dickson Accompanist Prize, among many others. Liivi has been a soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EMTA) as well as with the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. She was also a member of the EMTA New Music Ensemble performing in the Contemporary Music Festival in Seoul. As an accompanist, Liivi has been working for music summer courses and master classes at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the prestigious BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed in chamber ensembles with Peter Wesley and Kai Kim, and has taken part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Glasgow West End Festival with the ensemble Daniel’s Beard. Liivi is currently an accompanist and coach with the Strings Department at the RSC and the Junior Conservatoire of Scotland. She is also a member of the Da Vinci Trio. This concert will start at 8.30pm.

Programme J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)                             Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 (arr. D. Gajic) D. Scarlatti (1685 – 1757)                          Sonata in D Minor K. 1 (arr. D. Gajic)                                                                  Sonata in F Major K. 107 V. Zolotaryov (1942 – 1975)                      Sonata no. 2                                                                        I. Albéniz (1860 – 1909)                             Córdoba op. 242 no. 4                                                                   Asturias (Leyenda) (from Chants d’Espagne op. 232) Y. Dranga (b. 1957)                                    Seagull P. Cunningham/R. Corbett                      Loch Katrine’s Lady (b. 1960) | (b. 1999)                                                                                                                                                                                                 Djordje Gajic is a highly accomplished accordionist with a distinguished career as both a performer and educator. After beginning his musical journey in Serbia at the age of six, he later graduated from the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music in 1993 with a Master of Music degree and the prestigious Honorary Title of ‘Solo Performer’. He continued his studies at the Gnesin Russian Academy, where he was appointed Assistant to the esteemed Professor Yuri Dranga. Djordje has garnered numerous accolades, becoming a laureate of several prestigious international accordion competitions. As a soloist, Djordje has performed with renowned orchestras and ensembles such as the Russian State Symphony Orchestra under Yvgeny Svetlanov, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) and Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) at prestigious events like the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London. His recitals have taken him across Europe and to countries including the USA, Australia, China, Russia, Bahrain and Tunisia. His duo AD Libitum, with violinist Andrea Gajic has been praised for its dynamic and nuanced performances. Djordje's artistry has been lauded for its ‘passion, brilliance, and supreme intelligence’, as well as his ‘pyrotechnical virtuosity, intelligent phrasing, and dazzling interpretation’. His performances consistently captivate audiences and critics alike, cementing his reputation as one of the leading figures in classical accordion performance. In addition to his performing career Djordje is an influential educator. He is a Professor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he founded the classical accordion department. His impact extends beyond Scotland as he regularly gives master classes throughout the UK, Europe, US and China. He is also a sought-after adjudicator at international competitions across Europe, China and Russia. Djordje played a key role in designing the accordion syllabus for Trinity College, London and leads the International Accordion Summer School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Djordje holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews and was awarded a Professorship by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for his achievements in pedagogy and performance.

A Celebration on the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi Programme TALK BY DR SIMONE KOTVA (University of Cambridge and the University of Gothenburg) The Ecstatic Ecologies of St Francis In this talk, Simone Kotva will be introducing St Francis's Canticle of the Sun (of Canticle of the Creatures) through the lens of Giovanni Bellini's St Francis in Ecstasy. Bellini's painting throws light on the ecological thought of St Francis and the Franciscans, drawing attention that is otherwise easily missed. In Franciscan spirituality, creatures are not only the object of a contemplative gaze but are understood as co-contemplative with human animals.  J. Vella (1942 – 2018)                            Il Cantico delle creature op. 61 Simone Kotva is Reader in Theology at the Department of Literature, History of Ideas and Religion, University of Gothenburg. She is the author of Effort and Grace: On the Spiritual Exercise of Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2020) and Ecologies of Ecstasy: Mysticism, Philosophy and Vegetal Life (Columbia, 2026). Simone writes at the intersection of ecology, theology and critical theory, with a special interest in the history and practice of spiritual exercises.  Maria Frendo is Associate Professor of English Literature at the University of Malta and a member of the editorial board of CounterText, a Literary Studies Journal published with Edinburgh University Press. She is also a Fellow of the London College of Music and of Trinity College of Music, London, in classical singing and pianoforte performance respectively. Her recently published monograph is Vissi d’arte: Puccini and Decadence. Maria is the co-curator of the Joseph Vella Music Archive at Il-Ħaġar Musem, Victoria Gozo, assistant Artistic Director of the Victoria International Arts Festival, and leader of the Laudate Pueri Choir of St George’s Basilica. She was appointed to the National Order of Merit in 2012. Natascha Chircop studied at the Conservatory ‘G. Verdi’,Milan, graduating in piano and flute under Prof. E. Perrotta and Prof. G. Gallotta, and later in chamber music at the Academy of Florence with Prof. Masi. She furthered her studies with internationally renowned musicians including Prof. Barbizet, Prof. Petroushansky, and Prof. Patero. She has performed across Europe, in Syria, and in New York, and recorded for Italian radio and international labels including Gega and Rugginenti. Her recordings feature works by Vella with orchestras in Porto and Sofia, alongside numerous chamber works. As a soloist, Natascha’s concerto repertoire includes works by Franck, Jirasek, Ravel, Grieg, Pace, and Vella, while her two-piano performances include concertos by Poulenc, Saint-Saëns, Arnold, Tansman, McDonald, Mendelssohn, Britten, Bruch, and Vella. She also performs regularly in piano duet recitals in Italy and Malta, and currently teaches flute, piano, and chamber music at the Malta School of Music. Jacob Portelli is a Maltese harpist, violinist, violist, and cellist whose work spans solo performance, chamber music, and historically informed performance practice. He holds an LRSM in harp and violin as well as a Diploma in viola. Since 2020, he has served as Resident Harpist of the Archdiocese of Malta, performing regularly at major liturgical celebrations and national occasions. Jacob is a founding member and violist of the Cordia String Quartet, with whom he has appeared internationally, giving performances in cities including Athens, Caltagirone, London, and Torino. A passionate early-music performer, Jacob is also active on period instruments. With the VIBE Ensemble he performs on Baroque violin and Baroque cello. His international engagements have also included performances at Westminster Abbey, where he took part in a special musical event featuring Calum Scott. In 2020, Jacob released four studio albums – Kinnor, Nevel, The Christmas Song, and We Three Kings – showcasing his versatility across sacred and concert repertoire.

Programme A SCHUBERT EVENING (1797 – 1828)                                                                 Fantasia in F Minor D. 940                                                                 Piano Quintet in A Major D. 667 (‘Trout’)                                                                Marcelline Agius has been Leader of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra since 1993, having joined the Manoel Theatre Orchestra in 1984. She has performed widely in Malta and internationally, appearing at major venues including the Carnegie Hall (New York), the Berlin Philharmonie, and the Musikverein, Vienna. As a soloist and chamber musician, her repertoire ranges from Baroque to contemporary works. In 2006, she performed with the World Philharmonic Orchestra in Paris. Orietta Beaumer started her musical studies on the violin at an early age. She formed part of the Manoel Theatre Orchestra and concurrently attended intensive master classes at the Conservatoire Regional de Lyon. Moving to the South of France, Orietta read for a degree in Viola Performance at the same Conservatoire de Lyon where she graduated with full honours and won the coveted ‘Medaille d'Or a' l Uninamite' avec Felicitations du Jury’. Orietta has formed part of the Orchestra National de Montpellier, the Orchestra National Avignon-Provence, and for the last 10 years she has also been a member of the Orchestra de Chamber des Cevennes. Orietta has been joining the MPO on tours and playing with the viola section on special concerts as a guest artist. Frank Camilleri began studying the violoncello with Valeriu Popovici and later continued under cellist Simon Abdilla Joslin. He attended master classes locally and abroad, including renowned cellist Enrico Dindo. Frank has performed with several orchestras in Malta and internationally, namely, the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, the European Union Chamber Orchestra, and the Mediterranean Orchestra. He also performs with the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble (VIBE), appears as a soloist in recitals, and is a member of the Cordia String Quartet and the MPO String Quartet. Since 2006, he has been a full-time cellist with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Michelle Agius started her musical studies studying the piano at the age of 8, eventually moved to the double bass at the Johann Strauss School of Music. After graduating with a Bachelor of Honours in Music, Michelle started to play with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra as a part-time musician while completing her studies in Music Pedagogy.  Michelle has performed in many music festivals and in all kinds of music genres. After reading for a Master’s degree in Double Bass, Michelle joined the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra as sub-principal Double Bass and since then she has performed with the orchestra in numerous concert halls around the world. Currently, Michelle is Acting Leader of the Double Bass section. Francis Camilleri commenced his pianoforte studies with Lucia Micallef and Karen Briscoe, obtaining the Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music with distinction. His recent performances include the revival of Joseph Vella's Piano Concerto op. 41 with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Michael Laus and a debut solo recital at the Teatru Manoel. In the coming months, Francis will feature as a soloist in Rome’s iconic Castel Sant’ Angelo as part of Malta Day celebrations and will be the chorus master and repetiteur for Teatru Astra’s upcoming production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. He has recently finished his doctoral studies in pianoforte performance with the University of Malta. Francis is a member of the Laudate Pueri Choir and the Victoria International Arts Festival. Maria Frendo is Associate Professor of English Literature at the University of Malta and a member of the editorial board of CounterText, a Literary Studies Journal published with Edinburgh University Press. She is also a Fellow of the London College of Music and of Trinity College of Music, London, in classical singing and pianoforte performance respectively. Her recently published monograph is Vissi d’arte: Puccini and Decadence. Maria is the co-curator of the Joseph Vella Music Archive at Il-Ħaġar Musem, Victoria Gozo, assistant Artistic Director of the Victoria International Arts Festival, and leader of the Laudate Pueri Choir of St George’s Basilica. She was appointed to the National Order of Merit in 2012. This concert will start at 8.30pm.

Programme D. Scarlatti (1685 – 1757)                     Sonata in D Minor K. 213 W.A. Mozart *1756 – 1791)                  Sonata no. 11 in A Major K. 331                                                                Tema con variazione M. Moszkovski (1854 – 1925)              Etude op.72 no.11 Andy Falzon (Pianoforte) Milica Lawrence (Teacher) A. Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)                       Largo                                                                (from ‘Winter’, The Four Seasons) G. Tartini (1692 – 1770)                        Andante                                                                (from Violin Sonata in G major, B.G.19: 1) J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)                      Badinerie                                                                (from Orchestral Suite no. 2) R. Schumann (1810 – 1856)                Träumerei                                                                (from Kinderszenen op. 15) E. Elgar (1857 – 1934)                          Salut d’amour G. Fauré (1845 – 1924)                         Pavane D. Shostakovich (1906 – 1975)            Waltz no. 2 A Piazzolla (1921 – 1992)                     Libertango Armonija Quartet *This concert will start at 11.30am.

Programme J.P. Rameau (1683 – 1764)                  Gavotte (arr. N. Wood) A. Penman (b. 1988)                            Gozo Sketches                                                               Sunrise on Gozo; Cisk K. Street (b. 1959)                                Tango E. Humperdinck (b. 1936)                    Evening Prayer J. Simmons (b. 2000)                            Two Jigs for Lola L. Bernstein (1918 – 1990)                   West Side Story (arr. W. Boatman)                                   I feel pretty; Balcony Scene; Officer Krupke Macdonald, Salter & Withers              Just the Two of Us P. R. Buttall (b. 1963)                           The Lone Ar-ranger goes Sax Mad Auric Saxophone Quartet is formed of past students from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. Equally at home playing classical or jazz repertoire, the group prides itself on its eclectic and varied programmes which delight audiences across the world. The Quartet’s line-up encompasses a wide spectrum of artistic skills from award-winning soloists, all of whom have been involved with critically acclaimed albums and can frequently be heard on national radio in the UK. Members of the groups have recently performed at London venues that include the Wigmore Hall, the Barbican, and the Royal Opera House. This concert starts at 7pm.

Programme G. Verdi (1813 – 1901)                               Overture                                                                 Giovanna d’Arco É. Waldteufel (1837 – 1915)                       Estudiantina op. 191 C.M. von Weber (1786 – 1826)                 Concertino in Eb Major for Clarinet op. 26                                                                                                                                                                                                               (Soloist: Mario Galea) J. de Hahn (1881 – 1924)                            Free World Fantasy P. Mascagni (1863 – 1945)                          ‘Il cavallo scalpita’                                                                     (from Cavalleria Rusticana) C.M. von Weber                                      Overture                                                                      (from Oberon) F. von Suppé (1819 – 1895)                        Dichter und Bauer (‘Poet and Peasant‘) Composer, conductor and musicologist John Galea pursued his musical studies at the University of Durham, and doctoral studies at the Università degli Studi di Pavia and the University of Malta. His musical style relishes a contemporary Mediterranean-inspired idiom that warmly shines forth in works ranging from solo to chamber, choral and orchestral. His compositions have been performed in Malta, Greece, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom, and are recorded on various CDs, mainly at the BNR in Sofia, Bulgaria. Along the years, John Galea has been invited to conduct the Manoel Theatre Orchestra, the National Orchestra, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kurgan State Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Sinfonietta, and the Sofia Collegium Symphony Orchestra. He has also conducted composition master classes at the Music Conservatoires in Trapani, Venice, Firenze, Frosinone and the Università degli Studi di Catania, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Haifa, Israel, the Xiamen University, China, and at Tor Vergata University, Rome.  Earlier this year, he has also conducted master classes on ‘Verismo’ at the Mascagni Academy, Livorno, with a conducting engagement during the Mascagni Festival 2026.    Since 1979, John Galea has been the long-standing conductor of Chorus Urbanus (Victoria, Gozo) as well as of the King’s Own Philharmonic Society (Valletta, Malta) since 2003. As from December 2018, he has been appointed Resident Conductor of Opera at Teatru Astra (Gozo, Malta) and conductor of the La Stella Philharmonic Society.  Galea is featured in a Routledge publication (2024) The Different Faces of Politics in Literature and Music with a chapter on political commitment in Verdi. In September 2024, as the Maltese editor of The EU Songbook, Dr John Galea was co-awarded the European Citizen’s Prize bestowed by the European Parliament for the publication of the Songbook. For eight years, Dr Galea served as Head of the Music Department, School of Performing Arts, UM, and has also been a member of the POLIFONIA III Cycle Working Group, an EU three-year project (2012-2015) run by the Association of European Conservatoires. He is also the artistic director of the third cycle of ‘Feel the Magic’ (2025-27) and Festival Mediterranea that are funded by Arts Council Malta. La Stella Philharmonic Society can trace its origins to the year 1863, when itwas officially established by means of a public contract dated 11 January 1881, thereby making it the first musical society in Gozo. Through this contract, twenty-one bandsmen, together with the bandmaster, were legally bound to form an association under the name ‘La Stella Vincitrice’. The Society moved through several premises over the years, the most significant being its current location, where it founded Gozo’s first opera theatre, Teatru Astra, in 1968. This institution remains, to this day, one of Malta’s foremost cultural landmarks. Since 1882, the La Stella Philharmonic Society has been the sole organiser of the external festivities of the feast of St George. It has also received numerous invitations to perform abroad, participating in festivals and concerts across Europe and beyond. Among its long list of distinguished musical directors is Joseph Vella, one of Europe’s most renowned contemporary composers, who served both the band and Teatru Astra from 1970 until his passing in 2018. A newly built, state-of-the-art rehearsal hall has recently been inaugurated in his honour. Among its many annual commitments, the band organises a variety of concerts, ranging from classical music to popular genres. Of the latter, one notable event is RockAstra, which features performances by several prominent local artists. Since 2018, Mro Dr John Galea has been the musical director of the La Stella Band. This concert will start at 8.30pm.

Programme J. Vella (1942 – 2018)                                    Sinfonietta for Strings op. 36 R. Williams (b. 1965)                                     Flute Concerto                                                                         J. Haydn (1732 – 1809)                                 Symphony no. 104 in D Major Hob.1:104 (‘London’)                                                                         Described by The Times as ‘a glorious individual player’ and a player of ‘intelligence and distinction’, Anthony Robb is currently solo flute of the Oxford Philharmonic. After his studies at the Guildhall School of Music, London, Anthony was appointed principal flute with the BBC Radio Orchestra. This led to invitations to play as guest principal with the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, and the Academy of St Martins in the Fields. As well as his position with the Oxford Philharmonic, Anthony regularly appears as guest principal of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National, and many other orchestras. As a concerto soloist he has appeared with the Halle, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the City of London Chamber Orchestra, and the Oxford Philharmonic. Recent recordings include discs of chamber music by Jean Francaix, chamber music by English and French female composers where his playing was singled out by the Gramophone magazine in 2017 as being ‘highly impressive’, and most recently a disc of music for flute, oboe and piano. Anthony is firmly committed to outreach and educational work. He leads projects for the Oxford Philharmonic at the Churchill Hospital; the Wigmore Hall ‘Music for Life’ project and working with people living with dementia. He also trains students at the Royal Academy in working with children in hospitals. Anthony lives in leafy Hertfordshire with his wife (a qualified Iyengar yoga teacher), three grown-up children, and three dogs. Philip Walsh was born in Southampton, England, where he studied piano and organ and went on to read music as organ scholar at Queens’ College, Cambridge University, studying with the renowned Bach specialist Peter Hurford. After graduating he spent several years in New Zealand, where he was Director of Music at Wellington Cathedral and conductor of the symphonic chorus the Orpheus Choir.  On his return to Europe, he has worked for L’Opéra de Metz, l’Opéra de Bordeaux, English Touring Opera, Almeida Opera, London, and the Aldeburgh Festival. He made his Spanish debut conducting Don Giovanni for Opera en Vigo.  Orchestras he has conducted include the London Sinfonietta, the City Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong, Orchestra del Teatro ‘La Fenice’, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale, Bologna, l’Orchestre National de Lorraine, RTS Symphony Orchestra, Belgrade, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.  His credits include his debut at La Fenice, Venice, conducting Pier Luigi Pizzi’s production of Thomas Ades’s Powder her Face, also appearing at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Lugo Opera Festival. He also worked with the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, having appeared with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in concerts in Parma, Modena, and Ferrara, and with jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater in the Verona Jazz Festival. He was the artistic director of the French opera festival Lyrique-en-mer for whom he conducted over 200 performances, including Bluebeard’s Castle, Rigoletto, Tosca, Falstaff, La Cenerentola, Madama Butterfly, La bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, Die Zauberflöte, Otello, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Don Pasquale, La Traviata, I Pagliacci and Gianni Schicchi as well as Bach Johannes-Passion, Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, and Haydn’s Die Schöpfung.  A frequent performer in Malta, he has conducted Teatru Manoel’s productions of L’Elisir d’amore and Orphée et Euridice, and the Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy of Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. He has been conducting the opening and closing concerts of the Victoria International Arts Festival as its resident conductor since 2018. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra is Malta’s foremost musical institution. It was founded in April 1968, when musicians from the recently disbanded ‘Commander-in-Chief’ (C-in-C) orchestra of the Malta-based British Mediterranean Fleet regrouped as the Manoel Theatre Orchestra. It continued to serve as the theatre’s resident orchestra until September 1997, when it became an independent orchestra, taking up the name National Orchestra of Malta. The orchestra became the MPO in 2008, when it expanded into a full-size symphony orchestra, bringing together musicians from Malta, Europe and beyond. Joseph Sammut, who was the C-in-C’s last conductor and the Manoel Theatre Orchestra’s first, was succeeded by Joseph Vella, John Galea, Michael Laus, Brian Schembri and Sergey Smbatyan. The MPO’s current resident conductor is Michael Laus. The orchestra also works with local artists including Joseph Calleja, Simon Schembri, Carmine Lauri and Miriam Gauci, as well as international guest artists including Ray Chen, Diana Damrau, José Cura, Mikhail Pletnev, Camille Thomas, Gautier Capuçon, Daniel Lozakovich and Enrico Dindo. As Malta’s leading musical institution, the MPO averages more than one performance a week, including symphonic concerts, opera productions in Malta and Gozo, community outreach and educational initiatives, as well as various concerts of a lighter nature. During the past seasons, the MPO embarked on a Digital Transformation reaching audiences worldwide through its Online Programme. The orchestra has performed in leading venues across the globe, including in the United Sates, Russia, Dubai, Germany, Austria, China, Italy, Spain and Belgium. The MPO is a keen exponent of Maltese composers, regularly performing their works in Malta and overseas, as well as frequently premiering and commissioning new works. It is also responsible for the training and professional development of the next generation of Maltese musicians.