The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins will be performed by the St Monica Choir with the participation of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Mro Michael Laus at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta on Saturday, 28th February 2009.

This performance will be held under the patronage of the archbishop, His Excellency, Mgr Paul Cremona OP.

This was announced during a press conference held to launch the St Monica Choir’s 45th Anniversary Celebrations.

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace will be the highlight of a year full of activities.

The idea for this production first originated in March 2005. It was eventually discussed at committee level and endorsed by the St Monica choristers during last year’s AGM.

Mro Laus explained how The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a mass based on the Ordinary of the Christian Mass and includes words from the Islamic call to prayer, the Bible, the Hindu Mahabharata, as well as literary works by Rudyard Kipling and Alfred Lord Tennyson. Just as much as the diverse array of cultural and historical sources, the Welsh composer also makes use of unusual instruments and sound effects.

Written in 1999 and dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo crisis, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace has profoundly moving earth music with a very strong anti-war message. Whilst very popular in the United Kingdom were it is performed regularly, this production will be the local premiere of this composition in its full original form.

Mro Laus said that, “For this large scale work, the percussion section has to be augmented and certain instruments shipped from abroad”.

Mro Michael Laus, expressed his satisfaction at collaborating with the St Monica Choir and said that this was not the first time.

He said that this contemporary composition is similar to Karl Orff’s Carmina Burana in scale and scope and that the orchestra will be made up of over 80 musicians, 100 choristers as well as soloists Claire Caruana, Claire Massa, Charles Vincenti and Kevin Caruana.

Choir President Ray De Bono spoke about how the calendar of events for 2009 has been planned to reflect the four principles entrenched in the choir’s Mission Statement, namely the cultural, social responsibility, educational and spiritual spheres. Activities, which will be held during each month, include themed-concerts, tree planting, blood donations, a Thanks Giving Mass, entertaining senior citizens at residential homes and a grand concert.

The highlight of both the celebrations as well as the local cultural calendar for 2009 will surely be the choir’s production with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra of The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins, under the patronage of the archbishop, His Excellency, Mgr Paul Cremona OP, on 28th February at M.C.C.

Mr De Bono thanked Alfred Triganza and Mro Michael Laus, who were both instrumental for the realisation of this project, the board of directors and chairman of the orchestra, Sr Beniamina and all the choristers for their cooperation.