Fejn il-Baħar

28 June 2021 - 8.30PM

A collaboration between MIAF and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra to produce the Maltese version of The Characters’ classic song Down by the Water. Arranged with Maltese lyrics by Kris Spiteri, the Fejn il-Baħar music video features 10 local singers, MPO musicians, and session musicians.

Chamber Concert

3 July 2021 - 8.30PM

An exhilarating avant-garde musical journey across two string quartets, three (clarinet, violin and piano) trios and a sextet. Each piece on the programme explores a different musical landscape, from the minimalist melodic fragments of Veronique Vella and Philip Glass to the rhythmic pulse of Joe Vella, Makiko Kinoshita and Scott McAllister – leading to the grand finale of Krzysztof Penderecki’s masterpiece.

M.A.D. Music & Dance

7 July 2021 - 8.30PM

New choreographies by dance artists Gaby Davies and Pamela Kerr set to piano works by Theodore Antoniou, Béla Bartók and Olivier Messiaen, with music performed live by Konstantinos Destounis – a young Greek virtuoso who has already been invited to present concerts in prestigious venues internationally. The M.A.D. programme also includes Moveo Dance Company performing a new choreography by Sara Accettura set to Triple Quartet by Steve Reich.

Bartók 
Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta

10 July 2021 - 8.30PM

A new monologue penned by local author Trevor Zahra and perfromed by actor Joseph Galea. This monolgueA tour de force performance of 20th century and contemporary masterworks under the baton of Czech conductor Pavel Šnajdr. This collaboration between MIAF and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra features Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta by Béla Bartók, Concerto in D for String Orchestra by Igor Stravinsky, and Ricordanza per Archi by Wojciech Kilar. will be performed in Maltese.

Barcelona Guitar Trio

11 July 2021 - 8.30PM

A unique show, featuring Barcelona Guitar Trio Maestros Manuel González, Xavier Coll, and Luis Robisco. The trio have entranced thousands of people from all across the globe through virtuosity, humour, and beautiful, flamenco-driven compositions.

Elements

12 July 2021 - 8.30PM

Elements features over 60 students from 21 different local dance schools performing a choreography presenting the four elements: water, earth, fire and air. The progress from one school to the next is achieved seamlessly through transition sequences as the elements are transferred across the scenes.

Funk

13 July 2021 - 8.30PM

A composition for clarinet, violin, and piano written by Scott McAllister in 2005. McAllister once said that Funk is “a state of mind” and this can be seen from the way the piece evolves. Funk opens with the piano playing a solo rhythmic ostinato, with the violin joining in the fifth bar to voice its disagreement. The clarinet finally pipes up at the next measure, and all three instruments continue to create dissonance until they finally agree on a single tempo.

Twisting Landscapes

15 July 2021 - 8.30PM

A chamber work for clarinet, violin, and piano written by Japanese Composer Makiko Kinoshita in 2004. Taking around 16 minutes to complete, the composition has three movements, which follow a rhythmic-atmospheric-rhythmic structure.

Mishima

17 July 2021 - 6.30PM

String Quartet No. 3 by Philip Glass was originally composed for Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, a 1985 American biopic about the legendary Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, who famously attempted a coup and then committed suicide by seppuku. Though each of the six movements of the concert version of the quartet, the music corresponds with a particular event or person from Mishima's life. 

Beethoven Forever

21 July 2021 - 6PM | 24 July - 11AM

A family-friendly performance presenting excerpts from all of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, accompanied by customised digital animation. Actor Chris Dingli will take the audience on an exciting journey through some of the most memorable symphonic passages in Western classical music, accompanied by a narrative of illustrations created by Julian Malia and animated by Malcolm Ricci.

Guilhem Desq

30, 31 July 2021 - 8.30PM

Guilhem Desq breathes new life into the hurdy-gurdy: a medieval instrument played by turning a crank which rotates a wheel acting like a violin bow. Desq plays an electric version of the instrument and has been nicknamed the ‘Hendrix of the hurdy-gurdy’. Playing a wide variety of genres including traditional European folk, Middle-Eastern music, contemporary rock, hip-hop, electro, heavy metal, and house, Desq travels the world telling stories using his trusted instrument. He has also found a loyal fanbase online, with his YouTube videos raking in millions of views.