The Malta International Arts Festival (MIAF) presents the fourth edition of “Young Creatives in Motion”. MIAF is passionate about bringing young dancers together to create a truly inspirational programme of live performances, encouraging young dancers from a range of dance genres to present their work in a professional environment. This event also aims to discover emerging talent and skills in young dancers and choreographers across the island, raise standards and improve progression in dance on a national scale and support the teachers and leaders who deliver dance both in and out of school settings. MIAF is presenting 2 different programmes for “Young Creatives in Motion”, featuring 4 different dance schools in each programme. In this second lineup the choreographies will be set to a music programme of 20th century and contemporary works for flute, clarinet, piano, double bass and percussion.
Programme
Guillaume Connesson Techno Parade (2002)
for flute, clarinet and piano
Witold Lutosławski Dance Preludes (1954)
for clarinet and piano
I Allegro molto
II Andantino
III Allegro giocoso
IV Andante
V Allegro molto
School: College of Dance
Choreographer & Dance Leader: Justin Roy Barker
Claude Bolling Jazzy (1986-87)
for flute and jazz piano trio
Edward Gregson Aztec Dances (2010)
for flute and piano
I Ritual/Pastorale
II Fertility Dance
IV Sacrificial Dance
School: Dance Academy
Choreographer: luke Bugeja Gauci
Dance Leader: Ingrid Desira Buttigieg
Krzysztof Penderecki Three Miniatures for Clarinet and Piano (1956)
I Allegro
II Andante cantabile
III Allegro ma non troppo
Dmitri Shostakovich Four Waltzes (1958)
for flute, clarinet and piano
Arranged by Lev Atovmyan
I Spring Waltz
II Waltz-scherzo
III Waltz
IV Waltz Charmaine
School: The Dance Conservatoire
Choreographer & Dance Leader: Johanne Casabene
Camille Saint-Saëns Tarantella Op. 6 (1857)
for flute, clarinet and piano
Claude Bolling Suite No 2 - Espiegle (1986)
for flute and jazz piano trio
School: D.O.P.E. Dance Company
Choreographer & Dance Leader: Warren Schembri Bonello
Credits
Fiorella Camilleri - flute
Godfrey Mifsud - clarinet
Maria-Elena Farrugia - piano
Oliver Degabriele - double bass
Emanuel Pulis - drum kit
Programme Notes
Techno Parade (2002) - Guillaume Connesson
Techno Parade is Guillaume Connesson’s sparkling tribute to the sound world of electronic dance music, refracted through an acoustic ensemble. Instead of using actual electronics, Connesson recreates the atmosphere of a nightclub with driving ostinatos, bright instrumental colours, and a propulsive, near‑relentless beat. Short rhythmic cells are obsessively repeated and layered, evoking DJ loops and remix culture, while sudden flares of virtuosity in winds and percussion suggest strobe‑like flashes of light. Connesson plays on the contrast between mechanical precision and human exuberance: the pulse is uncompromising, but the lines above it bend, syncopate, and tease the listener’s sense of stability. Compact, exuberant, and unapologetically rhythmic, Techno Parade brings the energy of a city street festival into the concert hall, inviting audiences to experience contemporary dance‑floor vitality through the refined lens of classical technique.
Dance Preludes (1954) - Witold Lutosławski
Witold Lutosławski’s Dance Preludes is a five‑movement suite for clarinet and piano, later arranged for larger ensembles, which the composer described as his “farewell to folklore”. Each short movement draws on folk songs and dance rhythms from northern Poland, transformed into his own refined, rhythmically vibrant idiom. I Allegro molto is a brisk, staccato dance whose jerky, changing rhythms and sharp accents capture the earthy vitality of village music. II Andantino is more lyrical and nostalgic, this movement unfolds as a gentle song, with flexible tempo and expressive rubato suggesting a remembered folk tune. III Allegro giocoso is playful and capricious, it features bright, skipping rhythms and quick exchanges between clarinet and piano, emphasising wit and lightness. IV Andante is a slow, contemplative movement with an elegiac, dumka‑like character, combining simple melodic lines with subtle harmonic colouring. The finale V Allegro molto is a strongly accented, metrically bustling dance, full of mixed time signatures and bagpipe‑like drones, building to a wild, festive climax that suggests a village celebration.
Jazzy for flute and jazz piano trio (1986-87) - Claude Bolling
A leading figure of French crossover music, Claude Bolling delighted in bringing classical instruments into relaxed conversation with jazz. Jazzy places the flute in front of a classic jazz piano trio, blurring the line between chamber recital and intimate club set. The music unfolds with Bolling’s trademark blend of elegance and swing: clear melodic writing and classical poise meet walking bass lines, syncopated piano chords and subtle drum colours. The flute sings like a lyrical soloist yet also joins the rhythm section’s groove, moving easily from cantabile lines to nimble, tongue‑in‑cheek passagework. While firmly tonal and immediately accessible, Jazzy offers moments of harmonic surprise and rhythmic play that showcase the improvisatory spirit of jazz within a written score. The result is stylish, witty, and irresistibly light‑footed music that invites both toe‑tapping and close listening.
Aztec Dances (2010) - Edward Gregson’s
Edward Gregson’s Aztec Dances is a four‑movement work for treble recorder or flute and piano, inspired by a British Museum exhibition on the Aztec ruler Moctezuma and the central role of music and dance in Aztec ritual life. The piece exploits a wide range of colours, from fragile lyricism to driving, percussive energy. Across its movements - Ritual/Pastorale, Fertility Dance, Ghost Song and Sacrificial Dance - Gregson evokes ceremonial processions, communal celebration and the darker, sacrificial aspects of Aztec religion, often alluding to the sounds of primitive recorders, trumpets and drums within a modern concert idiom. The concluding Sacrificial Dance is a fiercely rhythmic toccata in changing metres, whose ritual intensity includes a conscious nod to Stravinsky’s Danse Sacrale from The Rite of Spring.
Three Miniatures for Clarinet and Piano (1956) - Krzysztof Penderecki’s
Krzysztof Penderecki’s Three Miniatures for Clarinet and Piano is an early work, still broadly neoclassical in style, but already showing his flair for colour, contrast and concentrated gesture. Written as three very short character pieces, the set explores different sides of the clarinet’s voice within a compact, five‑minute span. The first movement (Allegro) is brisk and angular, built from short, rhythmic motives and quick exchanges with the piano. Its kinetic drive and pointed accents give it an almost ironic, playful edge. The second movement (Andante cantabile) offers a lyrical contrast: a song‑like clarinet line unfolds over a simple, gently pulsing accompaniment. Here Penderecki focuses on smooth legato and warm timbre, hinting at a more romantic, introspective language. The third movement (Allegro ma non troppo) returns to high energy, combining running passagework with sharp rhythmic figures. Flashes of virtuosity and sudden dynamic shifts bring the set to an energetic close, suggesting the dramatic contrasts that would later define Penderecki’s mature style.
Four Waltzes for flute, clarinet and piano (1958) - Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Four Waltzes for flute, clarinet and piano are light, salon‑style miniatures originally drawn from film and incidental music, later arranged by Levon Atovmyan. They show Shostakovich in his extrovert, entertaining vein, but with the sly twists of harmony and character typical of his lighter works. Spring Waltz is a graceful, songful waltz with a gently lilting accompaniment and clear, lyrical melody, it suggests an open‑air scene full of freshness and understated optimism. Waltz‑Joke is short, quick and slightly mischievous, this movement plays on sudden accents, off‑beat stresses and cheeky melodic turns, as if parodying a ballroom dance. The third Waltz is more flowing and nostalgic making it the most traditional of the set with long phrases in the winds glide over a warm piano texture, coloured by faint hints of melancholy under the surface charm. The fourth waltz, Waltz Charmaine evokes a street organ or fairground, this finale features repetitive, catchy motifs and a deliberately swagger, ending the set with bustling, popular‑style energy.
Tarantella Op. 6 (1857) - Camille Saint-Saëns
Tarantella Op. 6 is an early but striking example of Saint-Saëns’s flair for colour and virtuosity. Originally written for flute, clarinet and orchestra, it is often heard today in its version with piano, the work uses the traditional fast Italian dance as a springboard for dazzling display. A breathless compound metre, rapid repeated notes and swirling scales evoke the feverish whirl of the tarantella, with flute and clarinet chasing, echoing and intertwining in quicksilver dialogue. Saint-Saëns balances brilliance with charm: lyrical episodes briefly relax the tension, allowing the woodwinds to sing in graceful, bel canto‑like phrases before the music is swept back into the dance. Throughout, the piano provides both rhythmic engine and sparkling partner. Compact, theatrical and irresistibly energetic, this Tarantella showcases the agility and interplay of the instruments while revealing the composer’s youthful wit and impeccable craftsmanship.
Espiègle (1986) - Claude Bolling
Espiègle is the opening movement of Claude Bolling’s Suite No. 2 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio, and it immediately sets the suite’s playful, genre‑blending tone. Written in Bolling’s signature crossover style, it lets a classically trained flautist step into a relaxed jazz environment, trading ideas with a piano trio steeped in swing and light groove. The title means “mischievous” or “impish”, and the music lives up to it: bright, syncopated themes, quick exchanges between flute and piano whole gently propulsive bass and drums create the feel of an elegant musical game. Harmonically, the piece stays tuneful and accessible, but with enough jazz inflection to keep things sophisticated and urbane. Espiègle works well as a stand‑alone concert opener, inviting listeners into Bolling’s elegant, witty sound world where baroque‑like clarity and jazz spontaneity happily coexist.
Biographies
Fiorella Camilleri - flute
Fiorella Camilleri has developed an international career as a versatile chamber musician, performing classical, baroque, contemporary, tango, and world music. She has founded and performed in several flute–guitar duos, including collaborations with Giampaolo Bandini, Andrés González Najera (Cinco Flores), and Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas (Catal Duo). Engagements include Mumbai’s Mood Indigo Festival and performances in Havana, where Catal Duo honoured composers Walfrido Domínguez and Eduardo Martín. In 2012 she co-founded the Camilleri–Lucini Duo, touring Northern Italy and Japan, where she led the Malta Arts Fund–supported Ghanasori Project, blending Maltese Ghana folk traditions with Japanese Nasori music. She is also a member of the Arcana Quintet, performing Astor Piazzolla’s music with Wayne Marshall OBE. Fiorella holds a BA (Hons) in International Relations and a Master’s in Flute Performance, and has served as Sub-Principal Flute and Piccolo with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra for over 20 years.
Godfrey Mifsud - Clarinet
Godfrey Mifsud began his musical studies in Malta with Ronnie Debattista before continuing his training in the UK. His early achievements include success in local competitions and a solo debut with the Malta National Orchestra in 1997. Over the past 25 years, he has established a versatile career as both performer and educator. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Malta Philharmonic, Moscow State Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, and Sochi Symphony orchestras, performing in major venues such as the Musikverein and Bozar. He is active as a chamber and orchestral musician, frequently appearing as guest principal clarinet with the Malta Philharmonic and performing with the Melika Saxophone Quartet. He holds degrees from the University of Malta and Canterbury Christ Church University, and combines an active performing schedule with teaching at the Malta School of Music and the University of Malta, championing both classical and contemporary repertoire.
Maria-Elena Farrugia - piano
Maria-Elena Farrugia has won numerous local and international competitions, including the EPTA (Malta) Competition, which led to studies at the Liszt Academy in Budapest with Balázs Szokolay. Other prizes include first place in the 12th Gianluca Campochiaro Competition (Pedara, Sicily), the 6th Young Musicians Contest (Malta Society of Arts), and the Bice Mizzi Vassallo Music Competition, which enabled her to attend masterclasses with Norma Fisher at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. In Manchester she performed as a soloist and in various chamber ensembles, including the Philetas Piano Trio. She is in frequent demand in Gozo, Malta and the UK, with engagements at venues such as the Presidential Palace, Teatru Manoel and the Malta International Arts Festival. Maria-Elena holds an MMus in Piano Performance (RNCM), a PGCE, and a First Class BMus (Hons) from the University of Malta. She is a full-time music teacher and staff pianist at the Malta School of Music and maintains an active freelance career, performing both classical and contemporary repertoire.
Oliver Degabriele - double bass
Oliver Degabriele is a bassist, composer, sideman and co-leader in more than 25 groups based in Paris and Malta, spanning jazz, alternative rock, French chanson, funk, and soul/pop (including Akalé Wubé, Festen, Anbessa, OXYD, Shola, Etnika, Brikkuni, among others). He has toured widely on the international festival and club circuit, with appearances at Jazz à Vienne, the Montreux Jazz Festival, South by Southwest, Bushfire Festival, Shanghai Jazz Festival, Gwangju World Music Festival, and many others. His performances have been broadcast on France Musique, the BBC and various radio and television networks worldwide. Degabriele has played on more than 50 album recordings in France and Malta, and has received several awards in France, including Best Group at La Défense Jazz Festival, the Golden Jazz Trophy at Arras Jazz Festival, and Best Group at Lagny Jazz Festival.
Emanuel Pulis - drum kit
Emanuel Pulis is known for his stylistic versatility and creative groove. Active on the scene for over 15 years, he has collaborated with many of the Malta’s leading artists across pop, rock, jazz and soul. Beyond his work as a performer, Pulis is also a dedicated educator and producer. He curates Ghost Note Music School and Dusk Drumming, nurturing the next generation of Maltese musicians while continuing to develop his own projects, including The Manuel Pulis Project. Equally at home on stage and in the studio, he brings precision, sensitivity and energy to every collaboration.
In collaboration with Teatru Manoel
