Maltese classical guitarist Simon Schembri will be performing with the Parisii Quartet in a concert being held at the Manoel Theatre on October 15. During this concert, the acclaimed virtuoso and the Paris-based quartet will also be launching a CD called The Maltese Touch - featuring a number of important guitar pieces by Marchelie, Giuliani and Boccherini - which has been released on Austrian record label Gramola, one of the oldest classical music record labels in Europe.

MSV Life, a leading provider of life insurance protection, long-term savings and retirement planning in Malta was instrumental in assisting Simon Schembri and the Parisii Quartet in finding an international record label. In 2014, to celebrate its 20th anniversary, MSV Life organised an evening of Spanish music at the Manoel Theatre, featuring Paris-based Schembri and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.It so happened that Schembri caught the eye of a reinsurance executive who travelled purposely to attend the MSV concert. The Austrian gentleman, a regular visitor to Malta, is a connoisseur of classical music and had good connections with the Gramola record label. One year later, back in Paris, Schembri recorded a number of important guitar pieces with the Parisii Quartet and was looking to release these recordings on an international record label.

“After being introduced to Gramola, Simon Schembri’s repertoire hit the right chords with the record label, who were truly impressed,” said MSV Life CEO David G. Curmi. “The rest is a success story for the guitarist himself and for Malta with a CD that puts the country’s talent and standards on the world map in more ways than one."

Founded by four students from the Conservatory of Paris, all first prize laureates in both instrument and chamber music, the Parisii Quartet recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Made up of Arnaud Vallin, first violin, Dorian Gable, second violin, Dominique Lobet, viola, and Jean-Philippe Martignioni, cello, the quartet now performs regularly throughout Europe and America and has also toured in the Far East. Their repertoire encompasses all the major classical and romantic works for string quartet.

Simon Schembri gives numerous recitals in France, his adopted country, and abroad, showing a constant interest in guitar evolution. He is in the line of the guitar technic founded by Tarrega in the 19th century, which inspired the famous Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya. Critics recognised the strong but nevertheless noble and mellow sonority, as well as richness of musical expression. Alexandre Lagoya considered him to have “virtuosity at the service of a high spiritual sensitivity” and Simon Schembri enjoyed the rare privilege of sharing several guitar duets with the Master.

MSV Life sponsored Simon Schembri's CD, which was released on October 7 and will be launched at next Saturday’s concert at the Manoel Theatre at 8 pm, with a pre-talk at 7.30 pm.

During next Saturday’s concert Simon Schembri and the Parisii quartet will perform works by  Marchelie, Giuliani and Boccherini from the CD The Maltese Touch as well as works by  Dyens, Rigney,  Albeniz, Piazzolla,  and Barrios.