An exchange of musical classics

Bisyoc, an international music exchange programme recently carried out workshops with young musicians from abroad and from Malta.

Among other activities, the tutors teamed up to present a concert of chamber music at St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral. The project came to an end with a symphonic concert in the Gozo Ministry’s courtyard on Saturday and in the Presidential Palace’s Neptune courtyard on the following day.

Under review here is the Gozo concert, which featured a highly interesting, if rather long, programme and which began with the brass section performing the fanfare from Dukas’s Le Péri.

The next work was Vivaldi’s popular Gloria in D, performed by the Gaulitanus Choir under the direction of Colin Attard with soloists Pamela Agius (soprano) and Connie Frances Zerafa (alto). It was a pity that all Attard’s drive, energy and dedication could not achieve the impossible with a tenor section reduced to just two members.

The bass section was a bit uneven because it was not always very cohesive and sometimes rough on the edges. The females held their own pretty well and both soloists did well whether in the only duet Laudamus Te, in solos such as the lovely pastorale Domine Deus rex coelestis (soprano), the fast-paced Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (alto) and the Domine Deus Agnus Dei, the only part scored for alto and choir.

A reduced orchestral section augured well for the following works.

Lee Ferguson conducted the orchestra in Michael Daugherty’s bright Route 66 which emphasises the role of brass and percussion and turned out to be a lively, very evocative and most enjoyable piece.

The evening’s meatiest work was Shostakovich’s Symphony N. 5 in D minor, with Julian Gibbons directing some 80 or more young musicians. Discipline and preparation, attention to detail and a certain verve, passion and combination of irony made this a very precocious and highly satisfying reading of the symphony.

It is difficult to single out any movement or section for the way it was performed.

The concert was another contemporary work by the Mexican composer Arturo Márquez.

Danzón N. 2 is a very evocative work in which dynamic contrasts were well defined and climaxes well wrought, increasing in intensity with every build-up. Its rhythmic richness is quite infectious and the performers dealt with the work with all the necessary youthful zest and vigour.