Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi

The Malta International Arts Festival (MIAF) presents the third 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 the first lineup the choreographies will be set to a music programme of saxophone quartets performed live by Melika Saxophone Quartet.

Programme

Christian Biegai Quartet  (2013)

I Licht

II Melancholisch

III Lebhaft

The Dance Workshop

Choreographer: Pamela Kerr

Christopher Muscat Saxophase (2024)

commissioned by the Malta International Arts Festival

György Ligeti Six Bagatelles (1963)

I Allegro con Spirito

II Rubato – lamentoso

III Allegro grazioso

IV Presto ruvido

V Adagio – Mesto

VI Molto Vivace

Incite Motion

Choreographer: Christiane Borg Manche

Maurice Ravel String Quartet in F (1903)

Mov 2 - Assez vif, très rythmé

(Arr. Johan van der Linden)

Marc Mellits Ex Macchina (2016)

I Let the Funk Out 

II Flowing

VI Flowing, Lyrical and Songlike

VII Aggressive & Funky

The College of Dance

Choreographer: Justin Roy Barker

Thierry Escaich Tango Virtuoso (1993) 

Jacob Ter Veldhuis Take a Wild Guess (2009)

The YADA Dance Company

Choreographer: Felix Busuttil, Rosario Raineri & Ingrid Scerri

Credits

The Melika Saxophone Quartet 

Philip Attard - soprano

Samuel Mallia - alto

Joseph Vella - tenor

Godfrey Mifsud - baritone

Dance Schools - The Dance Workshop, Incite Motion, The College of Dance, The YADA Dance Company

Choreographers - Pamela Kerr, Christiane Borg Manche, Justin Roy Barker, Felix Busuttil, Rosario Raineri, Ingrid Scerri

Programme Notes

Christian Biegai - Quartet  (2013)

I Licht

II Melancholisch

III Lebhaft

Christian Biegai is a saxophonist and an award-winning composer whose work spans feature films, TV series, documentaries, and animated movies. Quartet was originally commissioned by his former saxophone quartet, Claire-Obscur, as a heartfelt tribute to the ensemble, his home city of Berlin, and the composers who have shaped his artistic voice. This work brims with cinematic qualities, offering glimpses of Biegai’s signature storytelling style. The result is a vivid and deeply personal musical narrative, blending the spontaneity of cinematic storytelling with the vibrant interplay of the saxophone quartet. Quartet offers a unique snapshot of the many influences that shape Biegai’s dynamic and multi-faceted artistic perspective.

Christopher Muscat - Saxophase (2024)

commissioned by the Malta International Arts Festival

Saxophase is a saxophone quartet piece paying tribute to Erik Satie on the centenary of his death. Satie, a pioneering French composer, is celebrated for his innovative harmonic and stylistic contributions. The  work begins with a fast-paced section using minimalist techniques, featuring a simple motif on the baritone saxophone's ostinato bass. Each quartet member introduces evolving themes that phase in and out with the other instruments. The slow middle section nods to Satie's famous Trois Gymnopédies, before the ostinato returns, transforming the opening into a concluding coda. This piece honors Satie's legacy while showcasing contemporary musical expression.

György Ligeti - Six Bagatelles (1963)

I Allegro con Spirito

II Rubato – lamentoso

III Allegro grazioso

IV Presto ruvido

V Adagio – Mesto

VI Molto Vivace

György Ligeti’s Six Bagatelles emerged as a response to dictatorship and political censorship, showcasing an experimental approach to composition. Derived from his Musica Ricercata, a collection of eleven piano pieces governed by strict rules—beginning with two pitches in the first piece, three in the second, and so on—the Bagatelles are brief yet strikingly expressive. Though the term bagatelle (from the Italian bagattella, “a trifle”) suggests lightness, each movement reveals a distinct personality, blending folk-inspired melodies with complex, driving and repetitive rhythms. Each movement embodies a distinct personality, ranging from the vigorous energy of the first to the haunting melodies of the fifth, which is dedicated to Béla Bartók, a composer whose style deeply influenced Ligeti. Widely celebrated within the contemporary chamber repertoire, the Bagatelles have inspired arrangements for various ensemble formations, including the saxophone quartet.

Maurice Ravel - String Quartet in F (1903)

Mov 2 - Assez vif, très rythmé

(Arr. Johan van der Linden)

Dedicated to his teacher Gabriel Fauré, String Quartet in F reflects Debussy’s influence. Premiered in 1904, the quartet received mixed reviews, with some critics suggesting revisions. Debussy, however, defended Ravel, insisting, “Do not change a single note of what you have written.” The quartet soon became Ravel’s first major success. The second movement, titled Assez vif – très rythmé is a lively scherzo with complex polyrhythms, blending elements of Spanish flair with intricate musical precision. This movement follows a ternary form, contrasting a fast outer section. Arranged by and recorded by the renowned Aurelia Saxophone Quartet, this work has found its place within saxophone quartet repertoire, admired for its elegance and innovation.

Marc Mellits - Ex Macchina (2016)

I Let the Funk Out 

II Flowing

VI Flowing, Lyrical and Songlike

VII Aggressive & Funky

Ex Machina is a collection of short pieces inspired by the composer’s fascination with machines and their artistic potential. Mellits writes: “My overall idea was to express the beauty locked within machines, through seven different type of musical constructions. The music itself is often layered, creating multiple levels of musical lines interacting with each other. The saxophones frequently interlock with each other, creating one musical line between multiple instruments, much like gears of a machine will interconnect and create one structure among them executing a single purpose. Layers then combine and create a musical structure that is hopefully more than merely the sum of its parts. As Ex Machina was written for a consortium of seven different saxophone quartets, I used each quartet as inspiration and a starting point for each movement, or “machine.”’

Thierry Escaich - Tango Virtuoso (1993) 

Thierry Escaich, renowned as a composer, organist and improviser, stands at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. With over a hundred works to his name, Escaich draws inspiration from French masters such as Ravel, Messiaen and Dutilleux, while forging a distinctive voice that blends diverse stylistic influences. Composed in 1993 and dedicated to saxophonist Jean-Pierre Baraglioli, Tango Virtuoso is a witty and electrifying interpretation of the traditional Argentinian tango. The soprano saxophone opens with a bold, sinuous melody that sets the tone for the piece. A gentler theme soon follows, providing a moment of contrast, before jazz and popular dance influences emerge to transform the texture. The work culminates in a dramatic and playful coda, full of theatrical flair, showcasing Escaich’s characteristic blend of humour and virtuosity.

Jacob Ter Veldhuis - Take a Wild Guess (2009)

Take a Wild Guess, by Dutch composer Jacob Ter Veldhuis, was originally written in 2007 for the string quartet Ethel and later arranged for saxophone quartet. Ter Veldhuis began his career as a rock musician before studying composition and electronic music at the Groningen Conservatory. A pioneer of "avant-pop", Ter Veldhuis is among the most performed composers in the contemporary saxophone repertoire, blending musical styles and cultural influences in striking ways. Described by The Wall Street Journal as a piece that makes “hip-hop look sedate,” Take a Wild Guess combines live saxophone quartet with a pre-recorded track interweaving electronic music and sound bites from the 1978 documentary Scared Straight. The work offers a poignant reflection on life behind bars, reimagined through Ter Veldhuis’s unique creative perspective.

Biographies

The Melika Saxophone Quartet features four of Malta’s foremost woodwind instrumentalists: Philip Attard (soprano), Samuel Mallia (alto), Joseph Vella (tenor) and Godfrey Mifsud (baritone). Named after the honeybee, Melika symbolizes the quartet’s commitment to artistic practices that draw from the established “nectar” of chamber repertoire, rediscovering historical Maltese works and pursuing innovation through commissions and collaborations. Their artistic vision bridges tradition and innovation, enriching the cultural tapestry comprising the saxophone’s chamber repertoire through the idiosyncrasies of the Maltese lens. Regularly featured in prominent festivals and concert series across Malta and Gozo, their performances include notable appearances at the Robert Sammut Hall in Floriana and the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta.

In collaboration with Teatru Manoel