With the 11th edition of the International Spring Orchestra Festival currently in full swing, organiser and composer Karl Fiorini sits down with Iggy Fenech to discuss its vision and legacy.

It was 2006 when the first edition of the International Spring Orchestra (ISO) Festival was held. Since then, we have switched from the Maltese Lira to the euro, had two general elections, and ascended to the presidency of the Council of the European Union, yet the vision for the festival has remained un­changed; and it is that which makes the festival such an important date on Malta’s cultural calendar.

Sitting down with Karl Fiorini almost a year after I had first met him, we got chatting once again about the festival, which kicked-off last Friday at Pjazza Teatru Rjal with the Hop Trio-Ritmi-KA combo band. That one concert, out of a total of nine taking place between April 28 and May 9, is a perfect example of the work Karl set out to do when he founded the ISO festival: to combine the performance of classical music with its teaching.

“Since its very first edition, the idea behind the festival has been to have concerts alongside master classes,” Fiorini explains. “This formula has today developed into a very vibrant marriage of projects, such as Ritmi-KA percussion workshops, which is a collaboration bet­ween the ISO festival and the Education Ministry that saw children from St Margaret and St Igna­tius Colleges attend workshops with members from the Marseilles-bas­ed Hop Trio percussionists and then perform at the concert.”

Having changed his base from London to Paris, Fiorini is constantly shifting his position and thought, and is always looking out for ‘the new’ and ‘the surprising’. In fact, it doesn’t take too long to rea­lise that he is averse to all things common and usual – it’s ‘the different’ that excites and motivates him: “So much so that the programme for the ‘big’ concerts has a work that has never been performed in Malta, be it from the repertoire or because it’s contemporary.”

This year’s festival aims to in­spire audiences young and old through a series of concerts based on the amazing cultural history of Vienna – a cradle of classical music and culture for nearly centuries. The idea had been brewing in Karl’s mind for years as he visited Vienna on several occasions to attend concerts and immerse himself in the life of the city as much as possible.

“Nevertheless, as the title on our poster, From Zappa to Beethoven, suggests, this year’s edition is more eclectic than its predecessors and delves into a world that is much broader than just Viennese culture and music,” he continues.

“The Viennese elements only serve as a base, and we’ve had a Russian Virtuosi of Europe concert yesterday and we’ll have an Uno Stradivari per la Gente concert tomorrow, featuring the internationally-renowned violinist Lorenzo Meraviglia on the Omobono Stradivari 1730 violin.

Since its very first edition, the idea behind the ISO festival has been to have concerts alongside master classes

“We will also have some of the islands’ best up-and-coming talent performing over the next three days, as well as an out-of-the-common concert for contemporary string quartet performed in the presence of the composers hailing from Malta, Austria, Germany and Italy.”

As Karl guides me through this year’s programme of concerts, it becomes clear that there is something for everyone. From May 5 to 7, the ISO festival will move its spotlight to the marvellous salon of the National Museum of Archaeology to celebrate the violin sonata with Mozart, Debussy and Franck by the Polish-Viennese master, Edward Zienkowski, who will perform alongside Malta’s own local piano virtuoso Charlene Farrugia. The latter will also be performing as part of the Schwingungen Piano Trio Vienna the very next day.

Then, for those who are fonder of the Italian and French repertoire and who love fiery arrangements, the Quatre de Pique, a cello quartet from Paris, is a definite must. Meanwhile, baritone Ken Scicluna and the young debutante pianist Sarah Vella, who will soon open her wings to further her musical studies on the continent, will play music from Russia, and Vella will perform a solo repertoire.

At a concert on May 9, tenor Nico Darmanin will sing Fiorini’s new composition If, based on Rudyard Kipling’s poem by the same name, accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

All this before the invite-only concert on May 9, featuring so­prano Elisabeth Teige, mezzo Marvic Monreal, tenor Thomas Mohr, baritone Franz Hawlata, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Brian Schembri, and tenor Nico Darmanin, the latter of whom will be singing Fiorini’s new composition If, based on Rudyard Kipling’s poem by the same name.

“Moreover, the Maltese choir, prepared by Riccardo Bianchi, will merge with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir to become the Maltese EU Presidency Choir in a gesture that should not be overlooked since Estonia will be taking the reins of the EU presidency right after Malta,” Fiorini adds about the Europe Day concert.

Nevertheless, although Fiorini wears his organiser hat for all this, he remains first and foremost an artist and, as he explains: “After each edition of the festival, I find myself needing to be alone, to unwind, and to be in solitude with myself.” A feeling all too many artists can relate to as they come down from the high of an exhibition or concert, and need to gather their thoughts before the next big event.

“Usually, I can be found seated at the piano as I relearn the repertoire; feeling the keys underneath my fingers and rediscovering the sensation of making a sound. During these moments of utmost intimacy, I revisit the works that shaped my musical being, like a kind of musical offering to those immortal masters who have chiselled their art for eternity…”

Yet there won’t be much downtime for Fiorini this time round as he works on finalising a new set of piano works and a new commission for a vocal ensemble in France, as well as the performance of other compositions that are scheduled for performance. Then, in a few months’ time, he will also be performing in the Czech Republic, Austria, the UK and France.

“When you say it out loud, you have to feel lucky, right? I mean, not every composer has the same opportunities to make her or his voice heard!” he concludes.

Well, there may be an element of luck there, but it’s also down to a lot of hard work – all of which will indubitably show through as audiences get to experience the wonderful programme Fiorini has put together, along with the master classes that have helped give local musicians, both established and up-and-coming, some great experiences.

The ISO festival is supported by the Arts Council Malta.