The series The Composer Speaks continues from previous years. It is the policy of VIAF that in every edition of the Festival an established Maltese composer is invited to speak about his works. This year, the VIAF organisers asked Albert Pace to discuss various aspects of his compositions, and to illustrate via a power point presentation and also audio the main characteristics of his compositional output.

Albert Pace (born 1958) studied Composition with Charles Camilleri, both privately and at the University of Malta, where he graduated in Music Studies in 1994. He obtained an M.Mus. in Composition with distinction from the University of Edinburgh in 1998, presenting his work for Pianoforte, entitled Overlapping Backgrounds, as his dissertation. Albert furthered his postgraduate studies, obtaining his D.Mus. from the University of Malta in 2007.  Compositions include the piano work Tidwir ; …for the millennium… for Clarinet and Piano; the symphonic song-cycle Għanjiet ta’ bniedem solitarju (Songs of a solitary man), his winning entry for the APS Bank Composition, described by a member of the adjudicating panel as “an extraordinary masterpiece, one of the best scores of the first decade of this third millennium”; Antigone, a musical-scenic representation after Sophocles; In amore illo ardeas for orchestra, as well as concertos for Piano, Flute and Clarinet.  Albert is Visiting Lecturer in Composition at the University of Malta.

After the 30-minute presentation by Albert Pace, the yearly debutants’ concert will take place.  This year, as in previous editions, 3 very promising, up-and-coming local musicians will perform on their respective instruments.  There will be Valentina Rapa on the saxophone (accompanied by Kathyrn Mizzi on the pianoforte), Karl Luke Schembri a male alto (accompanied by Maria Frendo), and pianist Daphne Delicata.

The concert will be held at the Aula Mgr G. Farrugia and starts at 8pm.  Come along, it will be great fun!