Known as principal flute with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and for her work with the Cosmos Wind Ensemble, Rebecca Farrugia Hall is now presenting a concert dedicated to female composers with the Camerata Galatea.

How was Camerata Galatea born?

The group is the brainchild of Fra Richard Divall, the well-known Australian musicologist and conductor, who also happens to be a Knight of Malta and a keen researcher into music written for the Knights of Malta. When he came to Malta a few years ago to work with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, he contacted me to set up a group to present premiere performances of some of the music he is researching through his connection with the Knights. The group grew from there and we have several projects completed and many more in the pipeline, with this concert being the next.

The group is comprised of core and alumni members of the MPO ; the leader is Deborah Gruman, an MPO alumna who is now working with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.

The upcoming concert will present 900 years of works by female composers. What are the pieces and why did you choose this format?

The pieces were chosen firstly because of their quality, not simply because they were by women. When I felt I knew of enough works to put together a varied, interesting, educational programme, I began to work on this project.

Composers represented include everyone from the medieval abbess Hildegard of Bingen to Malta’s own Veronique Vella, with compositions for various combinations of instruments.

You mention Veronique Vella. How did you become familiar with her work?

Vella struck me as a particular voice a few years ago, when she played a piano concerto of her own composition with the MPO.

I found the second movement especially moving and so I looked for opportunities to programme more of her works.

We have done some other projects together and one of her compositions will be featured in a tour of Eastern Canada the Cosmos Quintet will be doing in July.

Two other featured composers are Fanny Mendelssohn and Elizabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. The name Mendelssohn is known in music circles, but Jacquet de la Guerre less so. What can you tell us about them?

The name Mendelssohn would be more familiar in relation to Felix, Fanny’s brother. But Fanny was Felix’s equally talented sister, guide and muse in many ways.

Socially, however, her father felt it inappropriate for a woman of her class to be composing, so her voice was suppressed, while her brother’s was allowed to shine.

Jacquet de la Guerre was an outstanding French baroque composer. She was feted by Louis XIV and called “the marvel of our century” for both her performance on the harpsichord and her compositions. Two pieces of hers, a sonata and a suite of dances I have compiled from one of her operas will be on the programme.

Good music needs no marketing

Every piece on the programme is a first performance for Malta. How do you think audiences will react to this ‘new’ music?

Something new is just something you haven’t discovered that you like, yet. I think that, while appreciating the novelty of a concert of music by women composers, the audience will look past it to the quality of the music and the performances themselves. Good music does not need marketing – it speaks for itself.

The concert will be held next Sunday at 7pm at Robert Samut Hall, Floriana. All profits will go towards Action for Breast Cancer Malta, and the concert is supported by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets are available against a donation of €10 from St James Cavalier.

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