The first edition of the Malta Summer Jazz Camp will be launched at this year’s Malta Jazz Festival, providing an opportunity for Maltese musicians to study with some of the most important musicians in the European jazz scene today.

“Malta currently lacks a proper jazz education programme and through this initiative we would like to help raise the standards in jazz music and provide an opportunity for Maltese musicians to study with high-calibre musicians,” said Malta Jazz Festival artistic director Sandro Zerafa.

The Summer Jazz Camp, which is being held in collaboration with the Malta International Airport and the Euro Institute of Music, will be held between 16 and 20 July at the Euro Institute of Music and the Arts (631, St Joseph High Street, Hamrun). The teachers in this year's Jazz Camp are Rino Cirinnà – saxophone, brass; Claudio Angeleri – piano, jazz harmony/theory; Romain Pilon – guitar; Karl Jannuska and Mátyás Szandai – drums, bass, jazz rhythm section.

Rino Cirinnà, a Berklee graduate, has collaborated with Bob Mintzer, Tony Bennett and John Lockwood, among others. He is very active on the Italian jazz scene. Claudio Angeleri has performed with Charlie Mariano, Steve Lacy, John Riley and Franco Ambrosetti. He is director of the CDpM jazz school in Bergamo since 1987. Romain Pilon, a Berklee graduate and one of the most renowned guitarists in Europe, has collaborated with Esperanza Spalding, Danilo Perez and Christian Scott, among others. Karl Jannuska, a Canadian drummer residing in Paris and member of the Paris Jazz Underground collective, has performed with Enrico Pieranunzi, Brad Mehldau, Lee Konitz and Randy Brecker. He has released several critically-acclaimed records. Mátyás Szandai, graduate of the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, has performed with Archie Shepp, Chris Potter and Kurt Rosenwinkel. He is a much in-demand sideman on the European Jazz scene.

Participation in the workshops/masterclasses is free of charge and open to musicians of all levels, on a first-come first-serve basis. Places are limited to a maximum of 15 persons per class. To participate, students should write an email to [email protected] indicating level of musical experience.

The Summer Jazz Camp will form part of Jazz on the Fringe – a programme of events held in the days preceding and following the Malta Jazz Festival. Apart from the Summer Jazz Camp, Jazz on the Fringe will also include the first edition of the Malta Jazz Contest. Results for the contest will be announced on 21 July and the winner will participate in the Les Sons d'Une Île festival in Paris, organized by the Embassy of Malta in France. The jury will consist of foreign jazz musicians participating in the Malta Jazz Festival. Jazz on the Fringe is supported by the Malta International Airport.

Running from Thursday 18 to Saturday 20 July in the open-air setting of Ta’ Liesse, for almost 25 years, the Malta Jazz Festival has been raising the bar for jazz in Malta, keeping its soul alive. Featuring names such as Grammy award-winning Robert Glasper, two-time Grammy award nominee Gerald Clayton, Grammy nominee Gregory Porter, Grammy-nominated composer-pianist Vijay Iyer, Israeli-born Gilad Hekselman and multi-Grammy award winner and internationally acclaimed pianist and composer Michel Camilo, this year’s line-up promises to be no exception.

The Maltese acts will include the festival’s former artistic director Charles ‘is-City’ Gatt with his vibraphone quintet, Walter Vella quartet and Cusp.

The Malta Jazz Festival is supported by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.