The Victoria International Arts Festival ended on the 15th July with a choral/orchestral concert at St George’s Basilica. The main work on the programme was the premiere performance of The Hyland Mass a new work I composed on a commission by Christopher Hyland of New York. Taking part were soloists : Gillian Zammjit (soprano), Clare Massa (alto), Cliff Zammit Stevens (tenor), Nicholas Warden (bass) together with boy soprano Nathan Schembri Rodgers, The choral parts were sung by the Laudate Pueri Choir and the orchestra was the Malta Philharmonic, all under my direction. Othewrks on the programme were Laudi alla Vergine Maria (Verdi) and 3 other works of mine, namely Lament for Strings op 103 and at the end a Fanfare and Anthem (words by Lisa zeiger) whic were also being premiered during the evening.

Two other works of mine featured prominently in two other concerts in the series of this 5 week Festival. On Tuesday 25th June , the Argotti Quartet played my Trio Concertante op 7 for Violin (Maria Conrad), Horn (Jose Gutierrez) and piano (Philip Walsh).

On Wednesday 10th July, it was the turn of the Oesterrich Ensemble fur Neue Musik. The clarinettist of the group (Andreas Schablas) performed the 3 Songs for Phaedra for unaccompanied solo clarinet.

The Hyland Mass will have a repeat performance on the 6th of September, this time at the Manoel Theatre