You cannot mistake musician Carmine Lauri, even if you have never seen him before - he carries his violin... and he admits to not being able to last long without it.
"Once I came to Malta on holiday for a week and decided to leave it behind. But the moment I landed, I felt something was missing. I am always carrying it, so I felt so free and empty, I had to borrow one," says the renowned violinist, who has had a successful career overseas for the last 18 years.
"If I do not play for a week, I feel the muscles in my fingers have relaxed and I have to work hard again to get back to where I was." Quoting a famous violinist of the last century, Mr Lauri says: "If I don't play for a day, I know it; if I don't play for two, the critics know it; and if I don't play for three, the audience knows it."
But the chances of that happening are remote. By 11 a.m., Mr Lauri has already been rehearsing in the "extreme heat" for a couple of hours for his chamber music performance, Piano Trio Recital, to mark the birth centenary of one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Dmitri Shostakovich.
Mr Lauri is for the first time performing with pianist Roberto Cominati and cellist Enrico Dindo at the Mediterranean Conference Centre as part of the Malta Arts Festival on Sunday.
About the combination of the three musicians, he says: "We have never met! We are meeting tomorrow morning for the first time and we'll see what happens... We have practised on our own and will bring everything - our experiences - together when we meet. It will be interesting and exciting."
Mr Lauri chooses his repertoire to suit his audience. He is aware that, worldwide, contemporary music is generally appreciated by a minority. While he knows that Shostakovich's music is "more specialised" than what he usually plays in Malta and for other Mediterranean audiences, he knows the Russian composer's works will go down well.
Mr Lauri himself is very familiar with them. He has played all Shostakovich's symphonies with the London Symphony Orchestra as his birth centenary has been celebrated since the beginning of the year.
"He is not new to me. This is the chamber music aspect - the tip of the iceberg... I even work with a certain Russian conductor who actually was a student of his, so he has passed his personal experiences onto us."
It is hard for Mr Lauri to mention a particular highlight in his career: there have been many, including playing as a soloist for Queen Elizabeth II twice. He has achieved international recognition by winning various overseas prizes and has three compact disc recordings to his credit.
Mr Lauri has worked with great conductors, is co-leader of the London Symphonic Orchestra, and plays in the World Orchestra for Peace - 60 orchestras in one, where he represents his own.
He has been elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and Fellow of the Royal Academy for his achievements. Therefore, as regards the highlights of his career, "I just go from one to the other".
Married with two children, when it comes to priorities - family or violin - "it depends what I am doing and if I really have to practise. The job almost comes first if I have an important concert and I am committed to it. I am the one who has to appear in front of my audiences, after all".
Tickets for the concert cost Lm8, and Lm6 for pensioners and students (against appropriate cards). They are available from the Malta Arts Festival information stand in Freedom Square, Valletta. The opening hours are weekdays from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9.30, and weekends from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9.30. Information is also available from the Malta Arts Festival hotline 9999 0145, or www.maltaculture.com