The orchestra of the University of Malta’s G.F. Abela Junior College recently released its second CD album to commemorate the college’s 20th anniversary.

The orchestra, which was set up in October 1998, has since performed over 400 concerts comprising a wide repertoire ranging from popular classics to pop, rock, and jazz music, both locally and in other European colleges. It won the Horace Mercieca Award at the Gozo International Celebration in 2013, the Jury Special Prize at the Vodaphone Freezone 2nd International High School Contest, Istanbul, in 2016, and the first Concorso Internazionale per Orchestre Scholastiche Musicale – Categoria Istituti Superiori in 2017.

The new album, entitled In Christmas Mood, contains 18 Christmas-themed vocal and instrumental tracks, including classics such as White Christmas (Berlin), Christmas Lullaby (Rutter), A Marshmallow World (De Rose), Mille Cherubini In Coro (Schubert), Bell Carol Rock (M. Leontovych), and I’m Walking In The Air (Blake); music from films The Prince of Egypt (Schwartz) and from Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (Doyle); popular marches by Bizet and Strauss, and another entitled Il-Benniena tal-Bambin, written by orchestra director Mro Manoel Pirotta.

For the recording of the CD the orchestra was joined by singers Soraya and Solange Cardona, Annalise Psaila, Kyle Cutajar, who were all trained by Soprano Ruth Casingena, and Amy Pace, coached by Priscilla Giordano Psaila.

The album was recorded in the college’s auditorium by the late Vanni Farrugia, who passed away in September 2017, assisted by recording engineer, Alan Schembri. Its jacket was designed by graphic designer Yan Edward Pirotta.

The CD album is on sale at €10 from the Junior College principal’s office or by calling Mro Pirotta on 9988 6056.

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