Teaching creativity through music and the arts

Music and the arts can stimulate creativity in young people, developing confidence, resilience, adaptability, problem-solving skills and many other competencies, and one of National Minimum Curriculum's objectives is to develop a sense of identity through creative expression.

With this in mind, the Music Department of the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education recently held a four-day course and two concerts for music teachers, students and pupils from various primary and secondary schools at St Nicholas College's Attard primary school.

A group of Gozitan children from the Drama School under the tuition of Simone Camilleri and George Mizzi, and the Gozo Youth Choir under the direction of Miriam Christine Warner presented an adaptation of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.

The music was adapted by Italian conductor Daniele Del Lungo, who besides being in charge of the musical direction, also delivered two inset courses for music teachers.

The ensemble comprised Alexei Galea on piano, John McDonough on oboe, Michelle Scicluna on the double bass, while five cellos were played by Yaro Miklukho, Roberta Attard, Alfred Tonna, Gilmour Peplow and Annaliza Borg.

The young ballet troupe and singers crossed to Malta several times to rehearse and perform with the professional adult musicians.

The inset courses' main aim was to work on productions that present music teaching in a different way. During the courses, the teachers composed music for two Maltese fables, Gahan 'Imsieken flieles' and 'Meta il-Milied ma giex' by contemporary author Clare Azzopardi, which they subsequently performed in front of the other teachers.

For further information, contact Mariella Cassar, education officer (music) on e-mail mariella.p.cassar@gov.mt.