Mary Ann Kissaun left us a few days ago, at the venerable age of 96.  For a woman of her generation she achieved much. When we first met we hit it off as we both loved the arts and regularly met at the theatre.

She was the daughter of Syra, née Botti who came from a family of professional musicians and was herself a pianist. Among them, and so well-loved in Malta, was Maestro Cardenio Botti, Syra's brother, who was in Malta for 22 years guiding the Società Filarmonica Nazionale La Valette which he led to many achievements here and abroad. He left Malta because of the war. They love him and honour him to this day.

Maryann and Lyana Briscoe at a concert at the Casino Maltese (undated photo)

When I was editor of this newspaper's monthly magazine First I had interviewed Maryann in her elegant flat in 2005. There I got to know her better.

She had told me that in Malta during WWII she continued her piano lessons in spite of the constant air raids and the fact that they were living in temporary accommodation as their home in Floriana had been bombed. She walked to Sliema fortnightly for piano lessons with Miss Bascetta. She and her sister Nadya also walked to school in Lija. The shortage of petrol in the war meant that private and public transport were rare.

Their mother Syra instilled in her and her sister not only the importance of discipline and perseverance but also a great deal of love of all music. "If we were listening to music on the radio and some great musician, such as Rubenstein was playing, she would turn to me and say: "Così si suona," which of course on the one hand inspired me to do better but on the other, sometimes somewhat discouraged me, leaving me to wonder whether I would ever be able to attain such great heights."

Although WW II interrupted school attendance and daily piano practice she persevered despite hours in air raid shelters. Encouraged by Mro Paul Nani she accepted several short recitals for Rediffusion. During lulls between air raids, she memorized and explored the then little known works of Carmelo Pace and Charles Camilleri.

Maryann and her sister Nadya in Malta Story (undated photo, early 50s)

Maryann was awarded two major scholarships: in 1945 the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (London) scholarship and in 1946 the British Council Scholarship, to run concurrently for three to four years at the Royal College of Music, London.

In 1946, accompanied by her father, Michael Kissaun, she sailed on MV Ascania, a troopship, to London, to start her life's journey in music. Maryann often spoke with great affection of her father, a cultured man and who, after a long career in the police force, was appointed the first manager of the Manoel Theatre.

In her second year at College she won a Diploma in a competition of Beethovan's Sonatas and was invited to play for the BBC, proudly introduced as 'The Maltese Pianist'. Although nurtured in the classics and Romantics, when Mro Carmelo Pace composed Scherzo for Twenty Fingers for Maryann and her sister Nadya, also a pianist, she welcomed the challenge and gave the first performance at the British Institute, Valletta in 1953. Several piano-duo recitals with her sister followed over the years, introducing a first-ever in Malta and Gozo.

In 1951 the then Director of Education, JP Vassallo offered Maryann a teaching post in three secondary schools, which she accepted.

She pursued a double career, that of performer and teacher. Several of her students achieved excellent results and were awarded scholarships to London and USA.

In 1953 she was invited to participate in The Coronation Concert at the Manoel Theatre. In those years she regularly gave solo recitals in Gozo at the British Institute.

She continued to teach in Malta and to play recitals and concertos on Rediffusion and TV, Manoel Theatre, British Institute and many recitals in Italy, France and Germany.

1966 she gave a 'different' kind of concert at the request of H.E. Sir John Martin who presented a piano to the Hospital for Mental Diseases on behalf of the people of Britain.

In 1967 as the only Maltese pianist who had established a concert career abroad at the time, she was invited to play in a concert of works by Maltese composer Charles Camilleri to celebrate Malta Independence Day at the Royal Festival Hall. The following year she was invited to participate in The Belfast Festival and played Camilleri's Sonata No. 2.

Maryann last row second from right wearing a hat on the day the awards and honours were distributed around 2010

The concerts abroad inspired her to adopt London as a second home.  Together with the works of Pace, Camilleri and the young composer Pawlu Grech, then living in London, she put together a group of fascinating yet contrasting pieces which would feature in her recital programmes for many years.

Maryann went on performing in many countries including Malta, Britain, various countries in Europe as well as Mexico and Argentina. Between 1970 and 1984 she also devoted time to playing piano-violin duo recitals and teaching in London. She was Professor at The London College of Music for 10 years up to 1988-89.

When not giving recitals and teaching Maryann was judging competitions here and in England.  She was also on the board for scholarships offered by the London College of Music.  

She returned to Malta for good in 2004.

Eminent musicians who have enriched her 'path' by their friendship and wisdom include Peter Katin, Frank Merrick, Shura Cherkassky, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Yehudi Menuhin and Helen Airoff Dowling.

She was awarded a Maltese honour in 2010, I believe it was.  

Listening to her rather than talking to her was a pleasure and an educatiion. She knew all about music of course and after a recital I would ask her for a review and she would give it to me in her own witty way.  She was merciless and did not tolerate fools gladly, especially musicians who did not come up to her high standards. She was full of anecdotes many of which were from her travels round the world. I have never heard her boast of her tremendous achievements.

A trailblazer in many ways, she was one of Malta's distinguished personalities in her field having spent the greatest part of her life - over 50 years, immersed in music.

 It is time someone gets hold of the papers she left behind and writes her biography.

Maryann was truly exceptional and I salute her.