The Arts Council Malta (ACM) has launched Kor Malta, an exciting project which sees the country having its own national choir.
The need for the set up of a national choir was felt for quite some time and with this project, the ACM will be filling this void, also delivering an electoral manifesto promise by the government for the setting up of a national choir.
Like it did with previous initiatives, the ACM is committed in making this project another success story, with its funding being included in the ACM's budget proposals.
ACM's chairman Albert Marshall said the council is fully committed in making Kor Malta a huge success.
"Like with other successful initiatives and projects that the ACM launched in the past couple of years, including Festivals Malta, Teatru Malta and Zfin Malta, Kor Malta will be having our full commitment and backing.
"Future plans include concerts with the national orchestra, solo concerts and touring abroad. The Maltese public will be proud of our national choir," said Mr Marshall.
Kor Malta will consist of choristers who already form part of the Malta Philarmonic Orchestra chorus. They will be supplemented by new choristers which were chosen by audition.
Kor Malta will also be providing professional training for its choristers with masterclasses by local and international tenors and tutors.
Next week, in preparation for its launch concert, choristers will undergo masterclasses with world-famous tenor Nicholas Mulroy.
The engagement of a tenor of the calibre of Mulroy for these masterclasses is another feather in the cap of the ACM and will surely benefit the choristers.
The Liverpool-born tenor has performed at many of the world's greatest concert halls: the Sydney Opera House, the Boston Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Berlin Philarmonie and much more.
Mulroy started his career as a chorister at Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral before studying Modern Languages at Cambridge and voice study at the Royal Academy of Music.
He has since been in high demand all over the world in a wide range of concerts, recitals and opera engagements.
Debut concert
Kor Malta's launch concert is called Motets & Madrigals... from Sacred to Profane. It will include works by Byrd: Non Nobis Domine; Monteverdi: Adoramus Te Christe; Monteverdi: Sfogava con le Stelle; Palestrina: Sicut Cervus; De Wert: Or si Rallegri il Ciel; De Victoria: O Magnum Mysterium; Bruckner: Christus Factus est; Mendelssohn: Die Nachtigal; Lauridssen: O Magnum Mysterium; Elgar: Lux Aeterna; and Diacono: Quam dilecta Tabernacula tua Domine.
Kor Malta will be making its debut at St Paul's Co-Cathedral in Valletta on December 2 at 6pm. The concert will be completely a cappella to showcase more the choir's capabilities, with choristers positioned in different areas of the cathedral for the different pieces of music.
As part of the government's Outreach in the Community project, the choir will be giving another performance at St Nicholas Parish Church in Siggiewi on 4 December at 7.30pm.