MARCELLE ZAHRA, who won the Ian Tomlin/Napier Scholarship in 2003 last month graduated with First Class Honours in Music from the Ian Tomlin School of Music, Napier University, Edinburgh. Marie Benôit wants to know more about her debut solo piano recital which will take place on 14 August at St James Music Room

What exactly has she achieved by receiving a scholarship to go and study music abroad? “It has been a long journey which ironically came to an end very quickly! I feel I not only grew and developed musically, but personally and intellectually too. I learned how to fend for myself, became more independent and learned how to put things in perspective. Studying at Napier helped me create a solid base upon which I will be building my musical career. If it wasn't for this opportunity I wouldn't have achieved what I did so far so I'm very grateful to the Trust for giving me this chance.”

Marcelle was selected as the best representative of the Music School and awarded the University Class Award Medal in recognition of her outstanding achievements at Napier. I invited her to comment on this. “Each year the Music School awards this Medal to only one student. I know I've always been a hard worker and took everything very seriously but it never crossed my mind that I would be the winner. When I found out I felt a mixture of emotions, I was shocked but very honoured at the same time.”

Marcelle will soon be going for postgraduate study to the Trinity College of Music in London. What does she hope to achieve? “My Masters (MMus) will be focusing on performance but will also include academic work related to the repertoire I'll be working on, so it all links together nicely, after all a good musician has to have the whole package. I know I will take everything on board and work as hard as I can, without pushing myself too far...I believe balance in everything in life is important. I will keep working on my pianistic skills and knowledge, you can never stop learning so will definately give it my best shot and try to get as much out of it as I can.”

On the 14 August as part of the Malta Summer Arts Festival Marcelle will be giving a debut solo piano recital at the Music room, St James Cavalier. She will play works by Bach, Mozart, Debussy, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Liszt and Turina all requiring different techniques and musical styles. Would she comment a little on these pieces? “I've been working on them for the past months as repertoire for the two performance modules I did during my last semester at Napier. This recital will be a combination of all these works. I will be performing pieces by composers from different eras showing a variety of musical genres and pianistic techniques. I believe the most vital thing when performing live is communicating what the composer wrote to your audience and keeping the audience engaged in your sound, transporting them to their own world. This is what I'll be focusing my recital on.”

Which work of Johann Sebastian will she be playing? “I'll be playing the Prelude and Fugue No IV in C-sharp Minor from Well-Tempered Clavier Book I. Such a mentally demanding piece is very challenging and requires energy, especially the 5-voice Fugue! One thing I found hard is playing Bach as part of a long programme as it can easily drain all your stamina so I had to learn how to switch off as soon as I finish the piece and put all my focus on what's coming next. Even though his music can be demanding when it comes to finger/arm work, phrasing and articulation, I can never get enough of good old Bach, it can be very theraputic music.”

Please comment on the rest of your varied programme; on Mozart, Debussy, Liszt, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Turina… “All these composers have their own little element in their music that makes the pieces their own; Mozart's Fantasia is a very orchestral piece, where the composer's adventurous harmonic language covers almost all the key signatures giving a sense of intensity to the piece as it never really settles until the closing section, while the use of different articulations and registers of the piano give the feel of different orchestral instruments being used.”

You’re playing Debussy's Reverie. “Yes, this features typical impressionistic harmonies underneath simple melody lines which create a reflective atmosphere, whereas Ravel's syncopated Spanish rhythms make the 4th Mirroir a more edgy piece. The Rachmaninoff Preludes' massive rich chords and Liszt's dramatic and virtuosic writing will be ending both halves in a grand manner whereas Turina's pictorial miniatures bring typical Spanish sounds portraying different traditional Spanish scenes.”

How did she manage to survive in Edinburgh? Did she work and if so what kind of work did she do to supplement the scholarship? “My parents always helped me financially to cover my rent and living expenses but I always made the effort to have a part-time job on the side to earn a little extra money. I used this to occasionally treat myself to CD's, clothes or spending money on nights out. That way I never felt guilty of spending my parents' money on things that I could have lived without.”

During her last year Marcelle was working in a juice bar which she thoroughly enjoyed. “It was a nice break from university life. I made loads of new friends and I used to love the free smoothies! I also had a few piano students whom I used to teach every week, it was a learning process for me too, as well as another means of earning some extra cash.”

Then there’s the hours of piano practice. How many hours does she dedicate to the building of her repertoire? “Too many, but it's never enough! Having so much repertoire to learn and memorize in such a short period of time is insane, so I practice for at least 5 hours a day. It really depends on the day though, sometimes I do more, sometimes less, but whatever number of hours I practice I always make sure my practice regimes are productive.”

When she has some time to spare what does she like doing best? “I like going to concerts since I find professional artists inspiring. I always find myself so motivated and get the urge to hit the keys after a good recital. I enjoy socializing and getting to know people from different backgrounds and cultures over a nice glass of wine. If I could afford it I would do much more travelling but being a student means being poor, you can't have it all! But I'm not complaining, I'm very happy as I am.”

Apart from her gift for music does she have any other gifts?

She used to do rhythmic gymnastics when she was still at secondary school, she tells me. “I remember being very into it and taking my everyday training very seriously, but eventually I got to the stage where I had to choose and focus on one thing and I chose the piano which I don't regret in the slightest. I always knew I wanted a career in music and I always knew that it's not an easy career as there are a lot of talented people out there, but I think that's the fun part of it, always challenging yourself to get better and aiming higher.”

(For details of Marcelle Zahra’s concert on Tuesday 14 August please turn to the following page)