Maryann Kissaun talks to Marie Benoît about her life and music in her flat in Sliema

Let me begin by saying that Maryann Kissaun is very much part of the social scene. Not only is she a solicitous and elegant hostess herself, giving frequent dinner and luncheon parties, in her beautiful flat in Sliema, but she is often present at receptions, dinners and of course the theatre.

One of Malta’s most distinguished personalities in her field Maryann has spent the greatest part of her life immersed in music, with a career that spans over 50 years.

She comes from a family of professional musicians. In her teens she was awarded two major scholarships (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and British Council) to run concurrently for three years at the Royal College of Music. She majored in Piano Performing with eminent teachers among them Frank Merrick (who had studied with the legendary Leschetitzky in Vienna), Vaughan Williams for harmony and with Thomas Filden for the science of pianoforte technique.

“I later studied in Italy with Ornella Santoliquido and at master class level with Arturo Beneditti Michelangeli and again in London with Peter Katin and Peter Feuchtwanger,” she recalls.

In Malta she continued her piano lessons through World War II. What does she remember of those dark days?

“I vividly remember the constant air raids, long hours in shelters hewn out of solid rock, people rushing there, day or night, at the first sound of a siren…A crowded dimly lit refuge hewn out of rock, nameless pallid men, women and children …the chanting in a crescendo when the bombing heralded greater peril to life.” At this time Maryann’s family was evacuated to a temporary home as their own in Floriana had been bombed. Despite these difficulties music was kept very much alive, with the encouragement and support of both parents. “Practising the piano daily,” Maryann remembers, “was never neglected either by my younger sister Nadya or myself.” She recalls walking all the way to Sliema fortnightly for piano lessons to Miss Bascetta “and also the daily walk to school in Lija.” Cars and buses were almost non-existent because of a shortage of petrol. Ms Kissaun says she enjoyed those long walks “and I still do, in the early mornings of spring, autumn and winter.”

Maryann remembers both her parents with affection. She remains deeply grateful to her mother Syra, née Botti, “herself a most competent pianist,” who was nurtured within her Italian family of professional musicians. “She instilled in Nadya and myself not only the importance of discipline and perseverance but also a great deal of love for all music. If we were listening to music on the radio and some great musician, such as Rubenstein, was playing, she would turn to me and say: ‘Così si suona,’ which, of course, on the one hand inspired me to do better but on the other sometimes somewhat discouraged me, leaving me to wonder whether I would ever be able to attain such great heights.” Mrs Kissaun clearly set very high standards for her daughters to emulate. No wonder their success.

Maryann speaks with great affection of her father Michael, the author and broadcaster. “He was a very cultured man,” she comments. Mr Kissaun had a long career in the Police but also close personal and family connections with the performing arts. He was appointed as the first manager of the Manoel Theatre, a role he played with distinction between l960 and l972. To quote Paul Xuereb’s The Manoel Theatre, a Short History: “Throughout the early years of the Manoel’s post-1960 history the suave figure of Kissaun, always in dinner-jacket at Theatre performances, was almost symbolical of the old Manoel’s new role.”

After her two scholarships Maryann returned to Malta. Besides a full teaching schedule she played many recitals both in Malta and abroad and two piano recitals with her sister Nadya. “I remember we played Saint Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.

“This was the first perfomance in Malta and Brahms

St Anthony Chorale.” Other engagements followed in Italy and Germany, Holland, France and Switzerland as well as RTF in Paris, Frankfurt, Koln and München. “You don’t really want me to go on do you? Well, alright! I also played in The Netherlands and on Vatican Radio I played piano concertos with the Trieset Philharmonic, the BBC Scottish Orchestra, the Dublin Symphony Orchestra; I participated in international festivals and there were also concerts beyond Europe: in Argentina and Mexico, which was exciting.”

I ask her to jolt her memory for unforgettable experiences. She comes up with several stories, as we eat our delicious lunch at The Kitchen. But there is no place for so many so here is one during her stay in Argentina.

“Arriving in La Plata, Argentina, from Buenos Aires I was faced with a student revolt in full swing, horses stampeding all over the main avenues, troops charging tear gas…I was to learn later that the police had arrested 700.” Maryann’s colourful language allows me to picture it all in my mind’s eye. She tried to keep as calm as possible, she tells me “but that recital started two hours late and I flew back to Buenos Aires in the early hours in time to catch some sleep before the next day’s concert.”

For practical reasons Maryann finally decided to settle in London where she lived for the next 25 years. She taught at the London College of Music (now West London University) and deputised for professors at the Royal Academy of Music, while pursuing her concert career. This took her to many fascinating countries where she met and often befriended many interesting people and discovered many cultures new to her.

What did she play besides the standard repertoire? “The

Classics and Romantics of course but I always gave prominence to English and Maltese composers like Carmelo Pace, Charles Camilleri and Pawlu Grech.”

She also found a new challenge in Duo Piano/Violin recitals, a repertoire which took her to British cities, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Malta in 1976.

“I also appeared on a BBC TV George Cross programme in 1990,” she tells me, proud that she had been selected to play during such a special programme.

Maryann is not only gifted musically but linguistically as well speaking four languages fluently. “I also studied Latin for four years as I originally intended to read Law,” she tells me casually. Clearly, destiny had other plans for her.

Ms Kissaun has written articles on piano technique and subscribed others for the British Council Newsletter. She was also chairperson of the British Council Scholars Association.

She is now happily settled in Malta. She in content here, she tells me and feels she has earned “a less frenetic pace in the more relaxed atmosphere of my own country.”

I often meet Marion at the theatre: plays, ballet and concerts so I know that she enjoys the arts. What else does she enjoy, apart from entertaining her friends, now that she has time to spare? “Reading of course and I’ve always loved cats…from moggies to Chincillas although I am forbidden from having any in the flat unfortunately. Yes, I love cats. I find them so mysterious.” She talks to me affectionately about her Silver Chincilla, Pushkin. “He would wake me up gently kissing my arm several times then my cheeks…just like the brush of a feather… He lived for 17 years. He was adorable.”

But above all there is her daughter Sandra, a gifted artist but a ‘secret’ one. “I immensely enjoy being close to her and her husband Henry.” They have three daughters each of whom is gifted in her own way: the eldest is Rachel, affectionately known as Sasha by her friends, who is a medical doctor, and Kathrina and Sara Jane both of whom are pursuing studies abroad. “Sandra and her family are my pride and joy,” says Maryann.

It is clear to me that Maryann finally decided to return to Malta to be with her daughter’s lovely family. They are the bubbles in the Champagne!