A timely, migration-themed concert, inspired by Antoine Cassar’s poetry, opens in Valletta today. Being held on World Refugee Day, The Map of the Mediterranean will focus on the theme of migration, how it has shaped the region, as well as the difficulties it presents.
It will feature new music by composers Luc Houtkamp and Guy Harries and is being performed by the POW Ensemble, which also includes Tom Armitage.
“Without migration, the Mediterranean would not be what it is now: a richly diverse amalgam of people with an array of cultural backgrounds and heritages,” Dutch composer Houtkamp says.
Cassar’s poem – which carries the same title as the concert – describes the shapes of the Mediterranean Sea from the four cardinal directions in relation to the history of its peoples, including ancient and contemporary migrations. He says: “The theme of migration gives many points of departure for a musical event, such as the shared melodies, food or even the names. Other aspects of migration, such as the need for people to leave everything and integrate into new communities, are also explored.”
Houtkamp says that stanzas in Maltese and English will form the backbone of the concert. Beyond that, the ensemble will make use of new electronic media in combination with acoustic elements, thus boasting an original and unique approach in a genre that is normally dominated by solo acts.
Harries, meanwhile, speaks of the open approach of working in the ensemble, where songwriting, contemporary composition, popular music influences and improvisation all come together, to tell a story.
“I have visited many countries around the Mediterranean over the years and love their cultures and musical traditions,” Harries says.
Aware of the all too negative connotations of migration in our society, the composers explain that they wanted to focus on the positive aspects of it rather than just the tragedy, with songs focusing on the mixing of cultures, religion, music, art and food.
The Map of the Mediterranean concert will be held today and on June 22 at Maori in Valletta at 8.30pm. Entry is free.