Concert
Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra
MCC

A unique concert of music by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Bruckner was held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, on February 18 in collaboration with the European Foundation for the Support of Culture.

Famous violinist Karen Shakhgaldyan was accompanied by one of Russia’s oldest orchestras, the Karelia Philharmonic, from Petrozavodsk. Under the baton of talented young maestro Alexei Galea Cavallazzi, they performed a captivating programme that combined a familiar piece for violin and orchestra, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, one of the most mysterious symphonies of the legendary Viennese late-Romantic period, Symphony Number 0 by Anton Bruckner and Beethoven’s Egmont Overture from his incidental music to the tragedy by Goethe.

The well-thought-out and excellently-executed multicultural programme was broad enough to offer soloist and orchestra, as well as the maestro himself, the chance to demonstrate their impressive range. Not only did the programme give listeners the opportunity to hear these great works but it also included an intellectual-educational dimension.

The concert was repeated on February 19 for a special audience of over 600 schoolchildren. Selected by the conductor, the Egmont Overture was an ideal choice as it prepared the listeners for the symphonism of Bruckner and the delicate beauty of the well-known violin concerto by Tchaikovsky, which balanced well with the complexity of the rest of the programme.

The performance of the Bruckner 0 (Die Nullte) pleasantly surprised both new listeners and connoisseurs. This symphony has a complex history, just like its great composer. Notwithstanding the fact that Bruckner himself numbered it as 0, it was completed after his first symphony and entered the cycle of great Bruckner symphonies as 0. It is this work that opens the doors to Bruckner’s symphonism. Moreover, it lends its tonality to his third and ninth symphonies, which, in turn, all have their roots in Beethoven’s Ninth.

This programme’s bold yet thoughtful combination of different styles of music allowed the conductor to show how capable he is of moving, with complete ease, from the classical to the romantic and to Bruckner. This was enhanced by the presence of the acclaimed Shakhgaldyan, who is known throughout the world and has a particular following among audiences in Malta, where he has performed at a number of chamber music concerts and given a recital accompanied by Galea Cavallazzi.

Of course, Shakhgaldyan’s performance of Tchaikovsky was both technically perfect and emotionally charged, with the sound of the violin being at once powerfully expressive and smooth and delicate as silk. At this point, one cannot refrain from mentioning that a small excerpt from the Tchaikovsky violin concerto has already been circulated on social media.

Schoolchildren attended a matinee edition of the concert.

The children’s initial encounter with the world of classical music, and its endless possibilities, was a real success

The conductor and orchestra performed as one and truly complemented each other. The violin and the wind instruments reacted to even the most minute movement of the conductor’s hands.

As conductor, Galea Cavallazzi led the audience from emotion to emotion with logic and a nuanced intellectual understanding of the music, underpinned with outstanding technique that was present for all to hear. He is particularly passionate about the educational function of music and this is something his programmes always explore.

On Monday morning, after the evening concert, Galea Cavallazzi and the MCC joined forces with the Education Department, and with active support of Mariella Cassar Cordina, the education officer of music, they repeated the concert for more than 600 young schoolchildren who filled the Republic Hall.

Given the difficulty of the programme, the maestro chose to play the first movement of the Tchaikovsky and the first movement and scherzo from the symphony, as well as the Egmont, which opened the concert. This made it more accessible for the children while also giving them the possibility to immerse themselves in the world of great music.

For the majority of the children present, this was the first concert they had ever attended and, judging by the atmosphere in the hall, their initial encounter with the world of classical music, and its endless possibilities, was a real success. One could see schoolchildren gesticulating as if conducting the orchestra, applauding after certain passages on the violin and completely absorbed by what was happening on stage.

There can be no doubt that, thanks to this event, classical music has won some new admirers.

Hopefully, concerts like this will take place in the future, also under the artistic direction of Galea Cavallazzi, and that they will become regular events in Malta. Their educational and artistic value cannot be overestimated.

It is clear the young conductor, who takes a nuanced intellectual view of classical music and who has bright horizons ahead, has a great deal to offer not only to Valletta, European Capital of Culture for 2018, but also to the world. He will also no doubt play a crucial role in helping to form the minds of the younger generation through his art.

This was, undoubtedly, an important event in the cultural calendar of the island this winter. The Mediterranean Conference Centre is doing great work in bringing music and performers of international standing to Malta, thus becoming a unique cultural institution.

It is clear audiences would welcome more such collaborative projects in the future. Events like this, with an international dimension, undoubtedly play a crucial role in the cultural life and cultural exchange of any European country.