“I prefer going to a workshop at the Manoel Theatre than pressing a button on Youtube.”

Five-year-olds come out of Toi Toi concerts recognising pieces by Vivaldi and Mozart

Lest you get the wrong picture, these are not the words of a cyberphobic septuagenarian wearing a monocle, but those of a young lad from Msida who is all but 12 years of age.

Welcome to the new generation of theatre-goers.

“When I grow up I want to be a computer programmer but I know from now that music will be a great part of my life,” wrote Dylan Odom in a thank you note after attending a Toi Toi music workshop.

Toi Toi is the Manoel Theatre’s educational programme, launched some six months ago, with the aim of creating and focusing attention on the educational aspect of theatre.

This is very much in line with what has been taking place in the rest of Europe.

“Theatres and education are always affiliated. Educational programmes are like limbs to the theatre,” said music educator and therapist, Rosetta Debattista, 42, who is responsible for the running of this educational programme.

The arts are a strong part of local society and this is felt everywhere, said Ms Debattista. But there is an imbalance.

“There is a lot of learning going on but it’s completely detached from appreciation of the arts.”

There is little, if any, contact with live performances: “Yes, by all means, take your children to violin lessons but you need to instil in them a much broader vision of music,” she said, adding that when she recently attended a concert in Germany she was surprised to be surrounded by young teenagers. Not so in Malta.

It is important that children are exposed to live performances, said Ms Debattista, as these develop a critical mind to actually “listen to the music” and “make critical comparisons” to increase their interest.

So far, the situation in Malta has been a bit of a Catch-22; there was less on offer for young audiences and seemingly less de­mand, but the country is realising it is a social obligation to provide cultural accessibility.

With most of the productions free for the public, the Toi Toi events are intended to enhance young people’s appreciation of arts.

So is this all an investment in future audiences? “I like to think of them as today’s audiences rather than future ones,” she said.

Toi Toi is injecting a new lease of life into the theatre: even the eyes of the theatre staff light up when they see young audiences trooping in for mini concerts.

Recent workshops included the participation of internationally-renowned artists such as the baroque orchestra Les Paladins, the harpsichordist Beatrice Martin, and the tambourine virtuoso Carlo Rizzo.

Before meeting the artists, the children are given background information to help them put the music in context. Five-year-olds could be seen coming out of Toi Toi concerts recognising pieces by Vivaldi and Mozart and naming the instruments used in the score.

On other occasions children are also given the chance to take a look behind the scenes: the use of make-up, the pit singers, the stage crew, the backdrops, the light and sound.

Each production specifically caters for particular ages, from babies (Toi Toi tots) to outreach programmes which will enable both young and old to see live music performed by professional musicians.

Music to their ears... Rosetta Debattista during a recent Toi Toi session. Photo: Mario Mintoff

But Toi Toi programmes are not just for kids. Light-hearted pre-concert talks, for example, are held before selected performances, giving an insight into the composers featuring in the programme.

So far these talks have attracted more foreigners. “I was so touched to see an elderly foreign lady walking in with the help of her zimmer frame,” said Ms Debattista.

The lack of interest of the Maltese could be due to the myth that the theatre is elitist, something which the Manoel Theatre is actively seeking to dispel.

But in truth what difference would it make to people, whether or not they have a stronger bond with the world of the arts?

“The bond enriches our life. The arts help us enrich our soul, we can connect with beauty,” she said.

“And because we are living on an island, it’s important to look at the outside world and the means of expression for different cultures and societies,” she said.

And so to the name: Toi Toi – it is an expression used by opera singers instead of good luck. “It’s like knocking on wood, or saying ‘break a leg’,” said Ms Debattista. It certainly augurs well.

An interactive concert for three-to-five year olds will be held next Sunday at the Manoel Studio Theatre. For more information on upcoming Toi Toi events call 2122 2618 or go online http://teatrumanoel.com.mt .