Pictured above: Lars Mlekusch

Throughout the Malta International Music Festival 2015 (MIMF) students and emerging performers have a lot to gain from a series of master-classes in various musical instruments to be conducted by world-class musicians. The Festival is also incorporating competitions in piano, strings, wind instruments and chamber ensembles with  prizes in different age categories.

Malta International Music Festival master-classes offer participants an artistic inspiration and intensive educational programme combined with exposure in a series of daily public concerts. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with a faculty of international musicians and foreign participants and maximise their learning and development.

The master-classes will be held over a 10-day period in pianoforte, clarinet, violoncello, violin, saxophone and chamber music for junior students from the age of 7 to senior participants and performers from 17 years and over. Teachers and students can also attend as passive participants. Master-classes will be held between 27 April and 6 May  2015. The European Foundation for Support of Culture is granting the participation fee for Maltese students at a subsidized rate of €125 for the whole series of master-classes.

The Festival faculty is made up of internationally acclaimed musicians, namely: Arkadi Zenziper, Yuri Didenko, Leonel Morales, Nina Tichman, Andreas Frolich and Guiliano Mazzoccante for piano; Alexander Zagorinsky, Romain Garioud and Boris Andrianov for cello; Dora Schwarzberg, Alissa Margulis for violin; Hayrapet Arakelyan, Lars Mlekusch and Sergey Kolesov for saxophone and Antonio Tinelli and Julian Milkis for clarinet. The professors will also be performing in the evening concerts. Bios of the tutors are available on www.maltafest.eu

This year, the Festival will also present international music competitions for different age categories, namely in Pianoforte (children under 13 years; juniors under 17 years; and seniors under 35 years),  and for juniors (up to 16 years) and seniors (from 17 years and over) for strings, wind instruments and chamber ensembles, including piano duets. These will be held between 7 to 10 May 2015. Closing date for applications is 1st April.

The competitions will be presided by international adjudicating panels. The winners in each age category will receive an attractive award in cash. A special prize will be awarded to the best Maltese contestants in each age category. The awards’ value amounts to around €20,000 in cash prizes and further special prizes. Winners may also have the opportunity to be invited to perform in European music festivals.

“Malta International Music Festival promises to be 13 days of music making and celebration. This festival aims to support and encourage young promising students and musicians from an early career stage,” said Festival Artistic Director Mro Alan Chircop. 

A member of Alink-Argerich Foundation, The Malta International Music Festival and Competition is organised by the European Foundation for Support of Culture in collaboration of the Johann Strauss School of Music – Malta, Alink-Argerich Foundation, Choral and Orchestral Society “Maria Bambina” and the Malta Band Clubs Association. The Festival is sponsored by International Fund for the Promotion of Culture, D’Addario Woodwinds, D’Addario Orchestral, Henri Selmer Paris, Luna Holiday Complex in Mellieha and Maritim Antonine Hotel & Spa. Air Malta is the Official carrier of the Festival.

Online applications are open on the Malta International Music Festival website: www.maltafest.eu. The closing date for applications for master-classes is 1^st April. Further enquiries can be made on the online contact form, via email to info@maltafest.eu, or call +356 77727222.  For updates one can check on the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/maltainternational.musicfestival.3