Programme Note

The fourth edition of MAD presents a dance residency connecting international artists with local talent. Ido Gidon from Israel and Justin Roy Barker from Malta have been commissioned to work with a selected group of local dancers to create two new choreographies set to György Ligeti’s String Quartet No. 1 and Grażyna Bacewicz’s String Quartet No. 3. The programme will also include Quartettsatz by Franz Schubert, Il-Kebbies tal-Fanal by Veronique Vella and Distances by Ádám Brandenburg performed live by the Javus String Quartet from Salzburg, Austria. This event is organised with the support of the Austrian Embassy in Malta implementing the long-term sponsorship programme “The New Austrian Sound of Music” by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

M.A.D. - Music and Dance 2023

Programme

Franz Schubert

Quartettsatz

Grażyna Bacewicz

String Quartet no. 3

Véronique Vella

Il-Kebbies tal-Fanali

Ádám Brandenburg

Distances

György Ligeti

String Quartet No. 1 "Métamorphoses Nocturnes"

Biographies

Photo by Theresa Pewal

The Javus Quartet

The Javus Quartet was founded in 2016 in Salzburg, where they studied with Lukas Hagen who significantly influenced them in their development. Further studies followed with Günther Pichler at the Reina Sofia in Madrid and with Johannes Meissl in Vienna. They also work with Eberhard Feltz, Hatto Beyerle, Valentin Erben and Thomas Adès. The quartet took part in the IMS Prussia Cove masterclasses and are scholarship holders at the Villa Musica foundation in Rheinland Pfalz. In 2022 they received the Hans Gàl prize, the Zukunftsklang Award Stuttgart, the Musica Juventutis Prize Vienna and in 2020 the audience prize of the Irene Steels- Wilsing competition as part of the Heidelberg Spring festival. Since 2022 they are part of the Austrian government’s NASOM programme and the "Jeunesse - musik.erleben" concert series. Some highlights of the next season include concerts in Wiener Musikverein, Stiftung Mozarteum and broadcasts on Austrian Radio ORF..

Christina J. Massad

Ido Gidron 

Choreographer

Ido Gidron is a performance artist, Dancer, Choreographer, instructor of Pilates and Gaga, the movement language developed by Ohad Naharin. He was born and raised in the mountains of Jerusalem, Israel. Ido graduated from the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem, served in the Israeli Military with an “outstanding performer” award, while dancing for Kibbutz contemporary Dance Company and Batsheva Dance Company. As a student, Ido participated in the Juilliard school summer intensive, and was a finalist at the Mia Arbatova dance competition. As a freelancer, Ido started to create his own works, and was working with choreographers like Idan Sharabi, Sharon Vazanna, Arkadi Zaides. Ido was a guest dancer with the Norwegian National Ballet in fall 2017. Ido was a guest teacher for Gothenburg Danskompani in Sweden, and in Cie Toula Limnaios in Berlin. In 2018, Ido was invited to create a full evening work for the Institut za Umetničku Igru in Belgrade, Serbia. A duet that he created, Dualism, won 3rd prize at the Machol Shalem dance competition. In 2021, Ido had the opportunity to be an artist in residence at Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. In his style of movement, Ido focuses on finding emotions through awareness, passion, sensitivity, excitement, fun and ease to the practice. He uses floor work and improvisation tasks as a base for creation, and composition in the space as a base of movement direction. Ido sees the body as a tool to sense and feel movement, as well as a sense of direction to create choreography. Currently, Ido is creating and teaching his own work, as well as working for choreographers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Elad Shechter.

Justin Roy Barker 

Choreographer

Justin Roy Barker is Co-Artistic Director of The College of Dance (Malta) and resident choreographer of The Yada Dance Company (Malta). He trained at the London Studio Centre (U.K) and The Vaganova Ballet Academy (Russia).  Before moving to Malta, he toured with London City Ballet.  He also appeared in music videos, operettas and other dance performances. Among his local credits: Pre-Opening of Small Nations Games; CHOGM (2005 & 2015); numerous Yada Dance Company productions both locally and internationally; TV shows, Song Festivals and other collaborations with local dance artists. He has also given dance workshops, choreographed and performed in various dance performances and competitions in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Tunisia, Sardinia, Spain, San Francisco and the UK. Amongst his recent work is MIND ENCLOSURE for Dance Festival Malta.

Credits 

Choreographers: Justin Roy Barker and Ido Gidron 

Violins: Marie-Therese Schwöllinger and Alexandra Moser

Viola: Anuschka Cidlinsky 

Cello: Oscar Hagen

Dancers:

Helga Kiss

Rosario Ranieri

Gagħel Dingli

Antea Buro

Liliana Bozsányi

Apprentices

Mohammed Bensalah

Sarah Sammut

Milla Moksony

Noemi Pillar

Carmen di Lorenzo

In collaboration with the Austrian Embassy in Malta implementing the long-term sponsorship programme “The New Austrian Sound of Music” by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

Disclaimer

Concessions are applicable to senior citizens (over 60 years), persons with disability, students (on presentation of student card), European Youth Card holders, and children between 8 and 12 years.

Event photo by Joe Smith

Hero Image by Elisa Von Brockdorff