The Malta International Organ Festival returns today in Żejtun with a solo organ concert featuring Maltese musician Joseph Caruana.

Caruana himself was born in Żejtun in 1951. He showed a deep interest in music, particularly in organ music, at a young age. However, he did not receive any formal training until the age of 19. He went on to study the organ under Fr Karm Scerri, at the time organist of St John’s Co-Cathedral.

When Pope John Paul II visited Malta in 1990, Caruana was chosen to accompany the choirs taking part in the Pontifical Mass held at the Granaries in Floriana. The following year, he was awarded a scholarship in Sicily where he studied Gregorian chant and voice modulation under Bruno Zagni, Marika Rizzo and Nino Albarosa. In that same year he represented Malta at the fifth International Organ Congress in Trecastagne in Sicily under the direction of Arturo Sacchetti.

Caruana is presently the organist and choir master of St Catherine’s parish church, Żejtun. He has participated in several major concerts, both as a soloist and as accompanist, earning a solid reputation as one of Malta’s leading organists.

Caruana will be playing pieces by Bach, Marpurg, Cocker, Marcello and Widor tonight.

■ The concert is being held at St Catherine’s parish church in Żejtun this evening, starting at 7.15pm. Entrance is free. The festival runs until December 9 with concerts taking place in various cathedrals, basilicas and churches across the Maltese islands. Full program details can be obtained from www.MaltaInternationalOrganFestival.com. This space will cover the individual concerts on the day.