Rockin’ the orchestra

Three years on from its first edition, Rockestra has become a regular and eagerly-awaited fixture in the Maltese cultural calendar; its blend of contemporary music and orchestral arrangements a tantalising attraction for the thousands who flock to the show.

The term Rockestra was coined in the late 1970s by former Beatle Paul McCartney to describe the all-star band of musicians he was working with at the time, but in Malta, the smallest mention of the word instantly brings to mind one man – Sigmund Mifsud, who is behind the concept that became the concert.

Up close and personal, Mifsud proves to be every bit the affable person I had imagined him to be; relaxed, poised and eager to answer questions.

He started his musical education playing the trumpet as a child, but what was behind his musical awakening before that? Rock, perhaps?

“Not quite... my idol was Wynton Marsalis. The only rock band I recall liking was Queen, largely because of the calibre of their songwriting and composition.

“I love songs that can be translated into instrumental pieces, but with hindsight, I think I was first attracted to the trumpet from listening to my father’s records, mainly his collection of Ennio Morricone soudtracks. I was smitten by its dominant sound, possibly a reflection of a similar streak in my character, who knows?” he says with a grin.

One thing is for sure; Mifsud wasted no time in seizing the opportunity to get his hands on a trumpet and learn to play it.

“I joined the Sliema Band Club when I was 11, where I learnt the basics, but I wanted to know and learn more about the instrument.”

When he first started learning to play, his only aspiration was to become a brilliant trumpet player, which is why he eventually started studying under Joe Agius at the Johann Strauss School of Music in Valletta, and later, music theory and orchestration with Anthony Chircop; all of which is a lot for a 14-year-old to undertake, surely?

“The great thing about the school was that it introduced me to many different and new instruments, which ignited a new interest in me that I had to pursue”.

On Chircop’s recommendation, he went on to study with Carmelo Pace; “A very fruitful three years... I still keep his notes handy.” Mifsud was meanwhile still furthering his studies as a trumpeter, mainly with Paul Borg. Around that time he also joined the National Orchestra and kept himself busy with events related to the Sliema Band Club.

“I founded the Sliema Youth Band, where I started to experiment with mixing different instruments, starting by adding two cellos to the orchestra and eventually putting together an extended orchestra also featuring strings, electric and even wind instruments.”

To an extent this was probably the first public manifestation of Mifsud’s now-proven inclination towards crossing musical boundaries.

“The urge to try out different genre combinations was always in me,” he confesses.

“It was just a question of having the right opportunity and the right support.”

Mifsud’s creation had several opportunities to perform in public, namely local fund-raising events.

“They proved quite popular, and we were even invited to perform at the Mediterranean Conference Centre as part of the national celebrations of Malta’s accession to the EU in 2004.”

This was the first big step in Mifsud’s burgeoning profile as Malta’s go-to man for innovative orchestral overhauls of contemporary music; one that encouraged Mifsud to propose a similar crossover involving the National Orchestra.

“It wasn’t easy but I eventually got there,” he says with a pained look on his face as he recalls the tribulations that had to be overcome in getting the National Orchestra Goes Pop concerts to materialise.

But materialise they did, and quite successfully too for a few years.

“The concerts were living proof that the crossover concept was a valid one and it was very rewarding to see so many people attending an orchestral concert, many of them for the first time.”

His next step took the concept one step further, with Rockestra introducing a rock concert vibe to the performance as opposed to the reserved seated ambiance of his previous ventures.

The new formula has worked successfully for two years now, but Mifsud is constantly seeking new challenges too. In fact, earlier this year, he took on another role when he set up BLS Entertainment.

“Music aside, the events I’ve produced made me realise I have an aptitude for organising, and this is what the agency is largely about.”

His years in the business have given him an invaluable perspective and familiarity with Malta’s musicians and their particular talent.

“Just like every football player has a specific role on the field, each musician has specific areas of expertise, and I feel that using my experience I can help event organisers put together the best band for a specific occasion.”

He insists it’s not about money, but about instilling a sense of professionalism into the local music scene that will deliver high level entertainment to the client and ensure that the artists get the respect they deserve.

As much as we may have seen him colourfully conducting the orchestra in various crossover events, Mifsud insists he doesn’t like to be called ‘maestro’.

He explains the various differences between his roles as trumpeter, arranger and conductor, specifying that in his case, the latter is totally different to the classical sense of conducting.

“I like to describe myself as a musician, with a particular forte in arrangement.”

It is his appealing modern orchestration of classic rock hits – “and the hard work interpreted by all the guest artists and musicians and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra”, he adds – that has made Rockestra such a huge mainstream hit.

‘Classic rock hits’ and a few name bands – Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Guns ‘n Roses, U2 among them – is as far he goes to revealing what’s in store at the MFCC on Saturday.

“This year, we set up a Facebook page asking the public to recommend songs they’d like to see performed at Rockestra. All I will say is that some of the suggestions have been heeded and there will be some exciting new faces as well some familiar ones singing.”

The third edition of the annual Rockestra charity concert, under the musical direction of Sigmund Mifsud, will be held at the MFCC in Ta’Qali on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are €15 (adult seated), €10 (child seated), €10 (adult standing) and €2 (child standing) and can be booked online at www.rockestra.org. All profits will be donated to the Malta Community Chest Fund.

bugeja.michael@gmail.com