The quivering strains of O Holy Night reverberate through Kurt Falzon’s home as the 12-year-old boy studiously practises the Christmas carol, bowing his violin with the confidence of a virtuoso.

However, the young violinist shyly admits he is prone to getting butterflies in his stomach whenever he thinks of next week’s performance at Joseph Calleja’s Fund Raising Christmas Concert.

Kurt’s violin was presented to him in October by the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation, which got wind of the youngster’s promising talent. His mother could not afford to buy him a full-size violin, which carries a price tag of over €1,000 and the instrument was donated to him by the foundation.

His proud mother, Marcette Sacco, explains that Kurt was born with music inside him.

His teacher believed he could manage two instruments – boys are generally rough on pianos but his hands were very gentle

As a one-year-old, he used to go up on tiptoes to run his finger along the little synthesiser the family owned.

“He would move in time with the music,” Ms Sacco, 50, says.

At the age of five, Kurt starting taking piano lessons. It was then that he first starting watching DVDs of Dutch violinist André Rieu – and the little boy was captivated.

“I used to grab a bottle or a ruler and try to imitate him,” Kurt smiles.

His mother spoke to his piano teacher, who encouraged her to send him to violin lessons since he had expressed such a keen interest in the instrument.

She was told that the violin was a difficult instrument to learn and the younger he took it up, the better.

“His teacher believed he could manage two instruments – boys are generally rough on pianos but his hands were very gentle. So far, he has passed all his examinations with distinction, both in piano and violin practice as well as in musical theory. His next examinations will be the equivalent of an O-level.”

Citing the violin as his preferred instrument, Kurt explains that he finds it more of a challenge since he has to calculate where to place his fingers.

Twelve-year-old Kurt Falzon rehearsing for next week’s concert. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

At the age of seven, his family fixed him a little surprise. They took him to a restaurant where they knew that musician George Curmi, better known as Il-Pusé, would be playing. Mr Curmi invited him to play along with him and, following a good deal of coaxing, the shy boy mounted the stage and played My Way.

In 2012, he was also asked to play with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra but three weeks before the concert, Kurt suffered a fall and broke his wrist.

As he grew, so did the need for him to have a full-size violin.

“I’m separated with two children and could not afford to buy him a full-size violin. Thankfully, the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation stepped in and supplied him with a lovely violin,” Ms Sacco says.

Tenor performs

After last year’s Yuletide event in Malta, Joseph Calleja will once again give a Christmas concert to raise funds for the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation.

The Maltese tenor will perform at San Pawl tat-Tarġa’s Divine Mercy Chapel on December 27, with a reception to follow at the Villa Arrigo.

He will be accompanied by a number of artists who are currently benefitting from the foundation’s support of musically-gifted young artists.

Tickets are available against a donation of €100 and can be purchased on www.ooii.com.mt.