BaRock

Performers

Musicians

ProMużika ensemble

Sarah Spiteri, violin

Tatjana Chircop, violin

Joseph Mallia, viola

Gilmour Peplow, cello

Tom Armitage, harpsichord

The Rock Troupers

Daryl Ebejer                                vocals

Patrick Camilleri                        drums

Robert Galea                              bass

Sean Vukovic                           guitar

Marc Galea                                 guitar

Josef “Fofi” Farrugia                 keyboards

Programme Notes

The 1960s saw the emergence of Rock Baroque, a daring fusion of Baroque music and contemporary rock. Musicians drew on the elegance, ornamentation, and contrapuntal structures of composers like Bach, blending them with the driving rhythms, electric guitars, and improvisational energy of rock. The result was a genre that honoured the past while embracing the excitement of modern sound. Rock Baroque thrives on contrasts: harpsichord-like harmonies meet driving riffs, fugues intertwine with rhythmic grooves, and virtuosity meets theatrical flair. It reimagines centuries-old forms in a contemporary voice, inviting listeners to experience the past through the lens of today.

This programme celebrates this inventive spirit. From swirling harmonies to propulsive rhythms, we honour the pioneers of the genre, including Jon Lord, whose work epitomised this synthesis. We also nod to the enduring influence of Bach, the sonic landscapes of Pink Floyd, and the theatrical energy of Ozzy Osbourne. 

This performance is a tribute to the electrifying meeting of Baroque grandeur and rock daring. 

Sarah Spiteri

Biographies

The Rock Troupers & ProMużika Ensemble 

The Rock Troupers is a Rock troupe made up of musicians coming from various bands who set up live events featuring Classic Rock hits.

Starting off in 2014 the troupe produced events that involved a large number of musicians.

The first event, Freddie For A Day took place in September 2014 and was produced in collaboration with Hard Rock Café Malta. This was part of a worldwide initiative from the Mercury Phoenix trust to raise awareness about A.I.D.S. The event was an inevitable success and as a result it paved the way to The Afterdark Sessions, which featured a series of 5 concerts spread throughout 2015 also in collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe Malta.

The Rock Troupers also organised the successful Razzett Rocks event at Ir -Razzett L-Aħmar in early 2016 as well as collaborating with Hard Rock Café throughout 2016 with tribute gigs for Metallica. Iron Maiden, ACDC, Freddie for a Day and rounding things off with The Beatles & Beyond in December 2016. In the same year, the band wrapped up the night after the day-long  memorial gig (Ir-Rock it-Tajjeb) for DJ Lito which featured a record of 25 musicians, the biggest ensemble to date for any  Rock Troupers gig.

The Rock Troupers were also invited to perform as the sole supporting act for Rockestra 2016 in an hour-long set. The band featured regularly in the Farsons Beer Festival to great acclaim. The troupe also featured as the headlining act in the Gozo Rock Legends event for the past three editions and was the sole act in the first ever live Rockestra afterparty in 2022.

2022 also marked an historic moment for The Rock Troupers when they were invited to be part of a special night at the Teatru Manoel during the Valletta Baroque Festival. The troupe teamed up with five classical musicians and presented a programme which paid tribute to great Baroque composers and Rock legends all in one programme entitled BaRock.

The Rock Troupers’ line-up is made up of Patrick Camilleri on drums, Josef “fofi” Farrugia on piano and keyboards, Robert Galea on bass, Marc Galea and Luke Grech on guitars, Daryl Ebejer on vocals.

For the fourth year running, The Rock Troupers will be joined by the ProMużika Ensemble. The ensemble, established in 2004, is made up of leading musicians who are established soloists and chamber musicians. ProMużika has held acclaimed performances in Malta’s theatres but also in historical venues, including Villa Bighi, Auberge de Castille, Palazzo Girgenti, Auberge d’Aragon amongst others, thus combining the promotion of music with Maltese cultural heritage.  Members of ProMużika represented Malta in the Europa Musicale Festival held in Germany, performed in Berlin at the Berliner Konzerthaus, in Leipzig at the Gewandhaus and in Wiesbaden at the Kurhaus, at Aino Ackté Concert House in Helsinki and at the Estates Theatre in Prague.

Together, the Rock Troupers and ProMuzika will once again be fusing Baroque works with Rock elements and vice versa.