Schola Cantorum Jubilate, the brainchild of founder Stefan Attard, has gone from strength to strength ever since its formation in 2000. It has firmly established itself as a permanent fixture in the Maltese musical scene, performing locally as well as all over Europe. Recently, SCJ has branched out into an altogether diverse project – the creation of a children’s choir: SCJ Children’s Choir. Kylie Grech met with Marouska Attard, the conductor of both choirs.

Punctuality has always been one of my strong points. So, when I meet Marouska Attard for some coffee and an informal interview, I am slightly taken aback to see that she has arrived before me and is already sipping at her cappuccino.

She looks no different – if slightly more put-together – than the average 30-something Gozitan woman; but, having seen for myself how her small stature belies a much fiercer demeanour, to say I was highly anticipating our meeting is an understatement at best.

Having made the necessary greetings a coolly-composed Marouska prompts me to ask the first question. So I lurch headlong into the first of a series of carefully probing queries I devised after a thorough perusal of her impressive CV.

Conductor Marouska AttardConductor Marouska Attard

Having first looked into the choir’s history I had been astounded to learn how much SCJ has accomplished in a little less than two decades – and much of it, I am sure, has to do with their brilliant conductor, a passionate individual who, as a graduate in choral conducting and an accomplished singer herself, seamlessly merges passion and capability to ensure fruitful results in all her endeavours.

But, as I casually mention to her, the situation today is not the same as it was all those years ago, when she and a few other young hopefuls embarked on a journey upon which they had no guarantee of succeeding. The choir’s position of high calibre has now been affirmed for a number of years, and one can safely assume that its directors encounter little to no challenges when it comes to its daily running. To which Marouska answers with an incredulous little laugh, “Challenges? Of course!

“Finding dedicated choristers, for one. The locals can often prove reluctant to involve themselves in any type of singing activity, let alone singing in a choir. It’s really difficult to find choristers who are committed to spending their free time rehearsing and studying at home.”

Inquiries into the choir’s financial burden prompts another little sigh from Marouska, who explains that costs tend to run high and they often have to employ creative budgeting. “But,” she continues, “We’re lucky enough to have private entities supporting us – and sometimes even governmental funds. Plus a few very loyal volunteers who really go out of their way to give us a helping hand with our productions.”

We’re lucky enough to have private entities supporting us

I ask how often the choir directors have to meet in order to follow productions through and she replies, almost predictably and with her trademark enthusiasm: “As often as possible! Having Stefan Attard as my brother means that we tend to discuss the choir in our free time as well… not just about the repertoire or the concerts, but also logistics, artwork, promotion, contacts, bookings… a never-ending list combined with a touch of creativity and innovation. All these are important aspects necessary for high standards.”

The passionate gleam in her eye gives her away and, acting on a whim, I inquire curiously as to the origin of her love for choral music. Marouska nostalgically describes memories of her father’s love for opera and her mother’s voice wholeheartedly singing popular Italian songs. As children, the Attard siblings were enrolled in several local choirs with Marouska studying the violin. SCJ’s establishment followed naturally with Marouska and Stefan both contributing to realise their dream.

“Our main objective is to change the local perspective on choral music and choral singing in general. When I was in the UK, I was surprised at the strong choral tradition that exists there. I want to change how people here perceive choral music. Choirs are not boring – each chorister is a chameleon whose voice blends flawlessly with his/her teammates in order to create something beautiful for the amusement of their audience. And establishing a children’s choir is the best way to do this.”

With the robust applause following the Once Upon A Song… production still resounding in my head, it’s easy to see that both choirs are well on their way to achieving their purpose, with the children’s choir being the most obvious step in that direction. Working with youngsters allows both conductor and choir members develop their imagination, Marouska explains. Being part of a choir also enables the children to grow socially, learning the values of integration and teamwork while developing their talents and allowing their creativity to flourish without restrictions.

“We try to create opportunities in which the choristers get to know each other better. We organise singing camps during the year for both singing groups, while for the adult choir we arrange social gatherings and a singing tour abroad every other year. Our last tour was to Prague last September.”

At present, Marouska says, SCJ Children’s Choir is still very much a work in progress, but it’s clear that she is harbouring high hopes for their future. “There’s no end to the inspiration you can get from conducting a children’s choir,” Marouska enthuses. “Their passion, commitment and the sheer beauty of their joint voices gives me the push I need to carry on.”

For more details on SCJ’s past, present and future engagements visit www.scjchoir.com.

The Schola Cantorum Jubilate Children’s Choir

The Schola Cantorum Jubilate Children’s Choir

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