New composition to be premiered at Astra's annual concert

A new composition Ludus Tonalis by Prof. Mro. Joseph Vella will be premiered during the Annual Grand Concert by La Stella Philharmonic Band on Saturday at Teatru Astra.

The concert is part of the ninth edition of Festival Mediterranea, and is being held to commemorate Prof. Mro. Joseph Vella’s 40^th anniversary as music director of La Stella Philharmonic.

Mro. Vella composed this new work to mark his anniversary. The work is an Overture style piece in one movement but includes various contrasting sections on a theme that slowly leads to a big climax for a grand finale.

The concert also features a wide selection of music, from contemporary to opera.

It opens with Richard Wagner’s Overture from the opera Rienzi, composed between 1838 and 1840, and considered as one of the composer’s most successful operas until the beginning of the 20^th Century.

Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov is another challenging work which will be played by the La Stella Philharmonic. This composition in five movements, based on Spanish folk melodies, features special techniques and articulations especially in its fourth movement. This will be the first time that a Gozitan band plays this particularly demanding work.

In keeping with Teatru Astra’s musical tradition, the annual band concert will also feature a selection from the opera that was performed during this year’s festival edition, Giuseppe Verdi’s all-time favourite La Traviata.

The concert also includes contemporary compositions for band such as Jacob De Haan’s Free World Fantasy and Roger Derongé’s Intermezzo from Walking on Music with the participation of soloist George Camilleri on Euphonium, accompanied by sections of La Stella Philharmonic.

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Entrance to which is free of charge. Seating is on a first-come first-served basis.

More information from 21550985 or 99883007. www.mediterranea.com.mt