Ronald Cassar interviews Ian Ellul, violinist and member of the Malta Youth Orchestra, and soprano Michaela Agius – two emerging youth exponents who are performing together at this year’s Three Palaces Festival.

The sixth edition of The Three Palaces Festival will be placing more emphasis on emerging youth artists. Starting on November 2, this year’s event will be focusing on attracting a younger generation of audience with one of its main highlights being an opera aimed specifi­cally for children.

Youth contribution in this festival will also include a performance by violinist Ian Ellul and soprano Michaela Agius. They are teaming up for a presentation of popular and less popular works from the Romantic Era.

Ian Ellul – A violin prodigy

Ellul has been playing the violin since the age of seven. He was tutored by Lydia Micallef Sanchez for eight years at the Johann Strauss School of Music.

He later continued his studies under the tuition of Mario Bisazza, and with his guidance, Ellul obtained the violin diploma.

In December 2017, he started his tuition with Agnieszka Kuzma.

Ellul has been a member of the Malta Youth Orchestra since December 2012. He has also played in collaboration with the Hvitfeldtska Musikgymnasiet Symphony Orchestra in Malta.

In October 2015 he joined the Junior College Orchestra. Since then, Ellul has participated in various master classes and performed both locally and abroad.

During the 2017-2018 orchestral season, Ellul was chosen to start an internship programme with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

Although still relatively young you have already travelled across Europe to participate in various master classes and have also performed in festivals. Tell us more about these experiences.

I believe that one has to explore and go beyond our shores. Travelling abroad will make you think further to absorb new ideas.

When I used to attend the Junior College, I had several travelling experiences participating in festivals in France, Belgium and Turkey. The first summer course that I attended abroad was BISYOC, which was held in Ludlow, UK. This is an international youth orchestral camp that involves performing concerts in different venues and getting to know other cultures by participating in various activities during the camp.

Last year I travelled to Budapest, Hungary, to participate in several master classes with Gyorgy Lakatos, a violinist and chamber music teacher at the Béla Bartók Conservatory.

Last July, I visited Austria as part of the Malta Youth Orchestra, and together with the Jugendorchester Stattegg we gave performances in Graz and Stattegg.

Soon after I headed to Greece in order to participate in an intensive summer course of master classes with Natalia Lomeiko, who is a violin professor at the Royal College of Music in London. Afterwards I performed with the Malta Youth Orchestra in Prague in collaboration with the Stonleigh Youth Orchestra.

Was there any particular performance to date that you remember fondly?

Although there are quite a number of performances that I really enjoyed taking part in, the violin and piano recital Perfect Fifths, held in January 2017, is the one I loved the most.

This particular recital was organised by an economics lecturer who used to teach me at the Junior College. I really appreciate when someone shows interest in my passion.

Do you have a mentor who influenced you the most throughout your formative years?

I started studying at the age of seven with Lydia Micallef Sanchez at the Johann Strauss School of Music. I am grateful for what she has taught me throughout the eight years of her tuition.

Soon after, I was tutored for three years by Mario Bisazza who guided and challenged me and pushed my career forward until I gained my diploma in violin performance.

At present, my tutor is Agnieszka Kuzma. The recital programme of the upcoming Three Palaces Festival is being tutored and mentored by her.

Are there enough opportunities in Malta for young, emerging talents like yourself?

Culture in Malta is moving forward, although there is still a long way to go. Events featuring young musicians should be organised more frequently. This is the way forward for us, since it gives us much-needed exposure.

While we are gradually growing in our musical path we need to find venues where we can perform and share our musical journey with the audience.

Also, some sort of financial support would help us in our struggle to pay the expenses that we need to incur to rent a venue and invite the public to attend our performances.

Having said this, I am grateful for all the improvements taking place in our country in this sector, though I believe that we are capable of doing better.

What should those attending the concert expect from your performance?

We have tried to select a solo recital programme that is quite tranquil compared to our busy, daily lives.

The Baroque Era portrays simplicity in a way that brings about a peaceful and joyful atmosphere.

Michaela Agius – A promising soprano

Maltese soprano Michaela Agius, born in 1999, has been exposed to the musical world since the age of four. Her musical ambition was always to become a professional singer.

Agius started out by learning the piano at age five. She received multiple first place awards and was invited to play at several annual prize-giving ceremonies. She has now reached diploma level.

She also showed great potential when singing at around the same age, placing first several times in singing competitions and eventually competed twice abroad – in Macedonia and in Italy – where again she managed to place Malta’s name among the winners in both countries.

Her childhood successes led her to take up singing seriously, studying classical voice with Nicola Said – now successful opera singer – who later introduced her to her former teacher Alice Horne at the age of 11.

Agius then joined Horne’s choir, Malta Opera Ensemble, where she  performed a variety of different repertoires during the annual summer and Christmas concerts in various venues across the islands.

She later entered the Malta International Arts Festival singing contest in which she was one of the youngest to take part and received the Special Award for her performance.

This year, Agius was part of the Archbishop’s personal choir under the direction of Maestro Hamish Dustagheer and she has had the opportunity to sing alongside the world-famous Clare College Choir.

She is currently studying with the renowned Juliette Bisazza with whom she is preparing herself for her debut in The Three Palaces Festival.

You started singing at a young age, also winning various singing competitions along the way. What are your future plans?

My ambitions are to continue studying and singing professionally, and to eventually make it my career.

You also competed twice abroad, in Italy and Macedonia. How would you describe these two experiences?

They were the key that sparked my wish to venture beyond singing locally. These experiences made me believe that Maltese talent is as strong as others in foreign countries.

Do you have a mentor and who influenced you the most throughout your formative years?

My current mentor is Juliette Bisazza. Along the way, there were many people who influenced me musically, some of whom are my piano teacher Denise Fava and sopranos Nicola Said and Alice Horne, who have coached me and introduced me to classical singing.

In your opinion, are there enough opportunities in Malta for young emerging talents like you?

Unfortunately, I feel that in Malta, young talent is overshadowed by the more experienced artists. However, the Arts Council is doing its very best to help young artists like myself get introduced to the public, and for this, I would like to publicly thank them.

What should those attending the concert expect from your performance?

Those attending should expect to be taken back to the Romantic Era while enjoying relaxing pieces from various Italian composers such as Bellini, Tosti and Rossini.

The Three Palaces Festival Emerging Artists Concert is being held at the National Museum of Archaeology, Republic Street, Valletta, on November 6 at 12.30pm. For more information and to book tickets, visit the festival’s official website.

www.3palacesfestival.com