The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA) this year launched the Music Composition Competition for Independence Day 2012. The Independence Day concert is a national festivities event held annually at the Palace Courtyard in Valletta. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) is conducted by Malta’s foremost conductors for an evening of classical and modern music celebrating Malta’s Independence Day.

The winner of this first edition was Steven Joseph Psaila with his work Il-Misteru ta’ Ħagar Qim. This is an atmospheric and evocative piece which reminds of the renowned Maltese landmark. The piece stands out for its combination of simplicity and directness within a well-thought structure. Moreover, an effective orchestration with appealing melodic ideas and technically relevant orchestral sounds made this piece deserve the prize. Steven Joseph Psaila started his musical education at the age of six learning the piano under Antoinette Borg. As a student at St. Edward’s College, Psaila was actively involved in school concerts and it was during these events that he started performing original works for piano. He then proceeded to the University of Malta where he read for a degree in Music Studies specialising in Musicology as well as studying composition under the guidance of Christopher Muscat. His compositions include a number of short works for strings, works for piano as well as sacred and liturgical compositions. One of his piano compositions written exclusively for children entitled ‘Silhouette’ was premiered in a concert featuring other contemporary composers on the 10th December 2011. Psaila is a music teacher at St. Benedict’s College and the Johann Strauss School of Music. Through music, Psaila manages to join his interest in composition with his love for nature resulting in compositions such as The Storm and Whispering Winds that was premiered by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in February 2011.

The jury of the 2012 edition of the competition consisted of Mro Michael Laus, Mro Philip Ciantar and Albert Garzia.

The jury members agreed that the general standard of the participating compositions was quite high, with a few exceptions. The excellent quality of certain pieces clearly exceeds a satisfactorily level of achievement and mastery of musical composition. However, pieces of possibly a lesser level of attainment reflect a sincere interest and effort towards composition from the part of the novice or prospective composers. Most of the works were technically accomplished, well-orchestrated and very playable. There was also a strong commitment on the part of most participants to abide by the topic of the competition and express it through a range of intriguing ideas and orchestral colours.

This year’s concert theme will be ‘Influences’. Through this new initiative, the MCCA is giving an opportunity to local composers such as Mr Psaila to have their new music performed by the MPO for this prestigious event. The Competition also involves a monetary prize and was open to Maltese composers of all ages.

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