Mathias Mallia
The Malta Community Chest Fund needs Rockestra's contribution since medicine is becoming more advanced and pricier with time, President of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said on Monday while launching the annual charity event at the Palace in Valletta.
The event will be held at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre on 10 September.
The President said the concert, initiated by her predecessor President Emeritus George Abela, has become a staple platform for Maltese talent to shine for a good cause. President Coleiro Preca gave specific thanks to Artistic Director Paul Borg Bonaci and Maestro Sigmund Mifsud for their work in terms of launching a number of Maltese talents as well as directly helping the Maltese community as a whole.
The Malta Community Chest Fund gives a new life for youth and children who are afflicted by serious illnesses and who come from families who might not be able to afford very expensive treatments and therapy, the President said. Along with a number of youth outreach offices across Malta and Gozo in collaboration with various NGOs and Local Councils, the MCCF is taking more of a proactive role, rather than being merely reactive.
President Colerio Preca said she is convinced that this year's Rockestra will give an opportunity to Maltese talent, both new and established.
The conference was also addressed by the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Stefan Buontempo, who said that this event has become an integral part of Malta's Cultural Calendar. It is a celebration of Maltese talent as well as the spirit of charity, Dr Buontempo said. He also insisted that we need to keep offering our help to the MCCF for the ultimate benefit of the Maltese community as a whole.
Maestro Sigmund Mifsud and Artistic Director Paul Borg Bonaci both spoke of a number of surprises which will be unveiled gradually in the run-up to the event, as has become expected every year. Mr Mifsud spoke of the challenge of trying to exceed the public's expectations every year.
In the spirit of giving exposure to new talent, this year there will be a competition held to find new guitarists to join the ensemble on stage for a song or two. This obviously depends on the level of skill exhibited by the applicants, but the idea is to catapult more local talent, possibly kickstarting some new careers in music.
Mr Borg Bonaci spoke about line-up changes and new technology aimed to give the show an edge. He said that the show is not only unique because of the combination of a number of singers from different genres in Malta, but it is mostly unique due to the entirely varied audience.
The set list tends to include music from the likes of The Beatles, Metallica, Moody Blues and 30 Seconds to Mars to ensure that there is something for every single person in the vast audience which the event attracts every year.
Tickets can be bought from now from a number of outlets including Maypole and both Presidential Palaces, as well as online from www.showshappening.com. The prices are identical to last year at €20 for seated tickets and €15 for standing. Anyone holding a Disability card can also reserve a place in a designated area as per usual.