First of all I would like to congratulate Gianluca for his success in the Malta Song for Europe and wish him the very best for the Eurovision in May.

He is a very nice young man, as all those who take part in Voices know.

I don’t know why he is called ‘relatively unknown’ because anyone who attended the Voices concerts since 2008 when he first took part with the song Don’t Want to Miss a Thing know him for sure not only for his ever present smile and camaraderie but for his great performances.

In 2010 he had everyone on their feet when he sang Viva la Vida. His onstage presence is always, as everyone saw during the festival, vibrant and full of joie de vivre. He then took part with the same song during Rockestra and in October 2012 again with Voices he sang Baila Morena to clamorous applause.

It must be noted that many times there are very talented singers taking part in Voices. Just in this year’s Song for Europe there were three of our soloists namely Gianluca, his sister Dorothy whose beautiful voice needs no promoting; I must say that I am very disappointed that her song only got 5 points and also Raquela who during Voices One Family in 2006 sang The Voice Within and in 2010 sang Halleluiah impeccably.

As for Dorothy, her singing Time to Say Goodbye 2006, Caruso 2008, Nessun Dorma 2010 and Vivo per Lei 2012 with so much passion with her voice soaring through every high note each and every time and always to standing ovations surely does not need any trumpeting from me. Goosebumps went into overdrive.

Other singers of note who, if they didn’t actually start their careers in Voices, were given an enormous boost are the late and much loved Mario Ellul, Claudette Pace, Rachel Fabri, Nicola Said who even won a sponsorship to study at Napier University and spent over a year studying abroad, Nicky Agius Darmanin, Edward Camilleri, Louisa and Patrick Wirth, Annemarie Mayo, Lello Ebeyer, Darren Ebeyer and so many more.

This year’s revelation must surely be Annelise Sammut whose rendering together with Rachel Fabri of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables brought the house down on each and every night.

Voices is an experience no one should miss either by being part of the audience or as part of our 200 strong choir. Voices always has something for everyone, young and old besides the fun part, which is out of this world both for our audiences and the choir/soloists. Voices of course has over the last 22 years raised thousands of euros for so many charities.

It was the dream of the late and still much missed Louis Naudi back in 1991 which started it all and I am more than sure that he is even now smiling on us all from Heaven and blessing us for carrying on his dream. He, together with the other founding members of Voices – Adrian Mamo, Sue Weenink and Tony Vella surely didn’t know that what started as a one off venture would still be going strong after all these years.

Also the Louis’ Naudi Award set up by his brother Joseph, his sisters Marceline and Mariella, and his dear wife Flossie that has helped so many singers/musicians of Voices will keep his name alive in our hearts forever.

Once again a big ‘well done’ to Gianluca. I am sure that all his patients/friends will echo ‘The doctor of our choice’ that has been doing the rounds on Facebook.  His lovely smile and charming manners are surely what ‘the doctor ordered’ more than any medicine

Margaret Camilleri-Pace

SLIEMA