On behalf of Schola Cantorum Jubilate, I would like to relate an unpleasant incident we experienced.

In January 2006, my choir received an invitation from the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation to participate for the second consecutive year in the International Sacred Festival – Credo in Unum Deum on Saturday 10 June. We confirmed our participation and kept corresponding with the people in charge of this concert regarding the repertoire, curriculum vitae and even choir photos.

A press conference was held and promotional material appeared on posters and in the local press and other media. Our participation was featured together with all the other local and foreign participants. In the meantime, we were holding rehearsals for this concert because our mission is to give our best each time we perform. Furthermore, we felt the responsibility to present an outstanding performance once that we would have been representing the local talent. Since we participated also last year, we know that there will be a considerable audience consisting mainly of tourists who happen to be visiting our islands. Each member of my choir has done sacrifices. Most of them had their final exams at the University of Malta. Others were sitting for their ‘O’ and ‘A’ level exams. Some members even worked on weekends and had been given permission to participate on 10 June.

Strangely enough, on Tuesday 30 May, 10 days before the performance, I received a phone call from the organisers stating that unfortunately they had to cancel our participation. The reason given was that the Vienna Baroque Ensemble wanted to be the sole performers of the soiree’.

Many questions arise. Is it really true that the Vienna Baroque Ensemble said so? How come the other Maltese participants still performed on the night? Why did we get this information only 10 days before the concert? Who is responsible for the procedure of the festival? And who takes the decisions? Is the modern “concept” of festival to present a solo performer? Or is it always the same story... the foreigners are better that the Maltese? Or worse, is it discrimination against the Gozitans? And the sponsorships? We think our name was listed with that of the other participants when presenting the festival to the sales/advertising managers of the institutions. As far as I know, the foreigners were paid for their participation while we would have been paid only for our transport costs.

Dear planners, kindly note that when organising a festival, commitment and responsibility should be first on the list. We regret that we have not even received a written apology from you. Not even an acknowledgment of a letter we sent you after the cancellation of the concert. Above all, the general public should not be cheated; when promoting a concert and eventually cancelling the choir, the audience should be informed beforehand. In our case this was missing. Why? Maybe you think it is easier to let the public believe that the Gozitans are irresponsible, or that Schola Cantorum Jubilate did not turn up for the concert.

Dear music-lovers, we feel that this is flagrant discrimination on our behalf. As usual, we were prepared for this concert and we even refused other commitments on that date. We are downhearted because we feel we are the “outcasts” of this festival.

I hope that other performers do not experience such an unfair situation.

Stefan Attard

f/Schola Cantorum Jubilate