The Malta International Organ Festival was recently awarded the prestigious Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE) label. Festival founder and director Joseph Lia tells Veronica Stivala how the festival is his way of giving something to his country and its people to allow them to appreciate their forefather’s heritage in the most interesting way possible

The Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE) label is a prestigious sign of not just a quality event, but one that is doing the most exciting and innovative work. Although still relatively in its infancy, the Malta International Organ Festival has evidently proved it is worth its salt, receiving this identifier of superiority earlier this year. The award bears particular weight when one considers the fact that the festival comes close to being a one-man band in that its organiser, Joseph Lia, not only founded the festival from scratch, but is also a baritone in his own right and performs in his own festival, in addition to a full-time job, and a busy performance schedule abroad.

Joseph Lia

The festival was set up as a result of a combination of Lia’s love for sacred music, the organ and his appreciation of the many plural churches in Malta. “I wanted to create a festival that reflected Maltese patrimony, and with an artistic excellence that would attract audiences from the world over,” He said in a recent interview with this newspaper.

Taking another interview following the festival’s recent accomplishment, Lia is evidently thrilled. “For me,” he asserts, the fact that the festival is now EFFE recognised “is a big achievement. Launched in 2014, EFFE is a result of many years of intense collaboration with the European Commission and European Parliament. This label is given to festivals with an artistic commitment, involvement in their local communities and a European and global outlook. National experts assess their country’s applications and see if they meet the three criteria.

We will have top artists in the field – both the established ones and also young winners of recent international competitions

After all the hard work and lack of funds, the festival has been able to receive this prestigious label. Earning the respect of this European organisation has shown Joseph that the hard work and dedication that he put into this festival – “because I believed in it and because it is worthwhile for the country” – is appreciated. Of course, while the festival was borne out of a personal passion and love for the arts, it has been recognised for being valuable to the country as a whole and this definitely and this is one of the many reasons the festival earned its label. In Lia’s words: “With hard work and dedication I’ve given something to my country and its people with which they can appreciate the heritage our forefathers left us in the most interesting way possible”.

Even though the festival had only reached its fourth edition, last year’s edition already saw a continued increase in its audience, a sign of its growing popularity. A survey revealed that people enjoy and want to be able to attend concerts such as these. The artistic concept has also been well-received by the public.  Of course, notes Lia; “we still need to grow and develop our audiences further. Recent research has even shown that those who attend such concerts better the quality of their lives”.

Lia is already deep in the throes of preparations for this year’s edition of the festival. When asked what we can look forward to for this year’s edition of the festival, he says: “we will have top artists in the field – both the established ones and also young winners of recent international competitions.”

The festival this year welcomes internationally renowned pian­ist, organist and conductor Wayne Marshall who will be improvising on the organ to silent films, a Sunday lunchtime concert at the Anglican Cathedral featuring Italian opera melodies arranged for four hands (and four feet) on the organ, the inauguration of the long lost organ of the Our Lady of Victories Church in Valletta by Hugo Agius Muscat, four concerts in Gozo, including the participation of the Gaulitanus Choir, a concert in Strait Street for those who would like to sip some wine while enjoying organ music, a fine chamber music concert at St Paul’s Chapel in Birkirkara, and surely not to me missed the opening concert which will be held at St Francis of Assisi church, Valletta, and the Grand Finale at St Augustine Parish Church, Valletta.

The festival this year runs from November 21 to December 7.

www.MaltaInternationalOrganFestival.com