On the eve of the International Spring Orchestra Festival, The Malta Independent on Sunday speaks to Karl Fiorini to learn more about the event
We're just a couple of days from the opening of the ninth edition of the International Spring Orchestra Festival? What drives you to organise year in, year out such a festival in Malta in the light that classical music is striving to have an audience?
There is a certain truth that Maltese attendance for classical music concerts is lower than other European cities that are demographically similar to Malta. On the other hand rather than being a defeatist, one needs to challenge the situation and search for new solutions to stimulate our public. My main driving force is the passion I have for this art and the will to share this music with others.
This is a festival that doesn't solely invite guest artists but gives space to Maltese musicians. Which concerts would you pick out as 'definitely not to be missed'?
This is a rather tricky question considering I'm not the ISO Festival's founder and artistic director only but I also built the programme with each invited artist. Each of the concerts taking place this year has something unique. However, what I can suggest is according to each person's individual taste. Should one love piano music, the two-piano concert by French pianists Roland Conil and Veronique Muzy on Friday, 10th is a requisite. For those who like chamber music then I can suggest the opening concert with the Reigate Ensemble and pianist Erik Azzopardi on Tuesday, 7th. For the curious ones we have an all early-20th century Viennese concert on Thursday, 9th by the Ensemble Télémaque, Marseille and for those who love big orchestral lush and like following the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, the closing concert on Saturday, 11 April is a must. Each of these concerts takes place at Teatru Manoel at 8pm.
In your opinion, should children be exposed to classical music at a young age? and why should parents bring their children to your festival?
Today there a lot of activities geared to educate children. However, this is an introductory experience to the real thing, that is, to appreciate live classical music. Therefore in this light, the step following outreach and educational programmes is to go and listen to classical music in its proper venue. This is very important because a musical venue is a place which was created with acoustic properties for this music to be enjoyed in. It is important that people at an early age start attending classical music in the same way as it is important to learn how to read. In this regard I chose that all concerts this year are free for children 15 years and under.
The ISO Festival has on many occasions pushed forward talent especially that of children. As well as the Rising Concert series, masterclasses are also being held. What are the benefits of this?
When I was a youngster there were very few opportunities open for youngsters to perform. There were even less children who studied seriously an instrument, therefore it is only logical to have more opportunities for children to take part actively and not just passively, nowadays. In the ISO Festival's case the Rising Stars lunchtime concert series, which this year is taking place at St James Cavalier Music Room between 8 and 11 April at 12.30pm, was specially created to target children. However, we do not want to give the wrong impression that any eight-year-old can come and perform. Children were auditioned and I can personally attest that they are highly talented youngsters who have earned the "right" to perform the classical repertoire on our concert platform. The masterclasses are there for advanced students to perform their repertoire to our guest artists. Both opportunities are highly beneficial as it is really important for the young musician to perform before an audience as well as to another pair of ears which are not his teacher's.
Each year you include a work of a revolutionary aspect. A couple of years ago you programmed Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring'. This year you're programming Schoenberg's 'Pierrot Lunaire'. As the artistic director, why are you attracted to this kind of work?
I would like to clarify that I had programmed for the first time in Malta the two-piano version of The Rite of Spring, not the orchestral version; however, most of the music I programme in the islands are first-timers here, even though we're talking of works which have been for decades if not centuries in the classical repertoire. I believe it is important that any artistic director takes a stand in his/her choice of programming based on his/her artistic tastes vis à vis with what is happening on the international scene. However, having said this, it is irrelevant to programme today the music of "tomorrow" without having programmed the "essentials" of contemporary music.
Lately we've learnt that your composition 'Cadavre Exquis' was among some of the works programmed during two concerts in Mons and Brussels celebrating Mons European Capital for Culture 2015. During this year's edition of the ISO Festival are you also including one of your works? What can you tell us about it?
This year seems to be an excellent one for me since I have quite a number of performances up my sleeve. I am particularly glad that the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be closing the festival under the baton of Roberto Beltran-Zavala with whom I collaborated on numerous occasions. The Malta Philharmonic will be premiering my first symphony on Saturday, 11 April.