The Augustinian community at the Mother of Good Counsel Church in Paceville is proud to present an organ recital by John Aquilina, organist at Mdina Cathedral accompanied by Michael Pulis on the trumpet on Wednesday 7 June at 7.30pm on the 70th. Anniversary of the Augustinian Fathers’ presence in Paceville.

This event will officially inaugurate the recently installed organ at the Mother of Good Counsel Church. Entrance is free of charge and all are welcome. The recital programme includes works by Albinoni, Charpentier, Clarke, Bach, Handel, Martini, Pachelbel, and Stanley.

The organ is the first post world war II fully mechanical pipe organ to be installed in Malta. It was built in 1966 by one of the leading German organ-building firms – Walcker. It has eleven stops for a total of about 700 pipes and is voiced in the neo baroque style. Being originally located at a church in Stuttgart it was bought by the Augustinians in Malta thanks to a donation by the Fenech family as the Portomaso contribution to the Paceville community.

The organ was dismantled, reassembled and very ably installed at the Mother of Good Counsel Church by organ restorer Robert Buhagiar. Mr Buhagiar who is an electrical engineer has restored several historical organs in Malta including Mdina Cathedral (1774) Qrendi (1778) and Nadur (1897). He is also currently restoring the organ in the Mosta Parish Church. Mr Buhagiar is the first Maltese organ builder to develop relations with the ISO (International Society of Organ Builders) and in 2003 he became the first and only Maltese member.

The organist John Aquilina is one of Malta’s generation of young organists. He has been organist at St Nicholas Church Siggiewi and at St Andrew’s Scots Church, Valletta. Since June 2001 he has been organist and choir master at Mdina Cathedral where he performs on Sundays and feasts. He has also given a number of solo concerts in Malta. John Aquilina is a self taught musician and holds a BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics and an MBA from Henley Management College UK.

Michael Pulis who is accompanying on the trumpet became the solo trumpet player at the St Andrew’s Band Club in 1991. As a solo player he has played amongst other works the theme and variations on the famous Carnevale di Venezia of JB Arban with the St Andrew’s Band Club in 1995. Michael Paris holds the ALCM Diploma in Trumpet Practice from the London College of Music and has also graduated with the A(Mus)LCM Diploma in theory of music from the same College . He has also completed BMus degree with Fairfax University, USA focusing on music education and graduated in the year 2003.

This recital is the last official function to be presided by Fr Hilary Tagliaferro as Rector and Prior of the Mother of Good Counsel Church and constitutes also a farewell occasion for Fr Hilary after eight years of service to the Paceville community as he now takes up his new role as Representative of the Augustinian Order in the UN Fr Hilary will however remain as the Director of the Millennium Chapel. Fr Ray Francalanza will now take his place as Prior and Rector of the Mother of Good Counsel Church.