The Imperial Male Voice Choir takes its name from Imperial College, University of London, where the founder members met in the 1970s. Although Imperial is renowned worldwide for its tuition and research in the fields of Science, Technology and Medicine, its students and alumni also have a notable enthusiasm and reputation for music-making.
For almost 50 years IMVC has entertained audiences and been successful in competitions at home and on tours to France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Slovenia and Russia. Their eclectic repertoire spans almost 1,000 years from plainchant and sacred through folk-song, classical, opera, musical theatre and popular genres. Musical director, Deborah Miles-Johnson and accompanist, Brian Parsons, are alumni of the Royal College of Music and both have many years of professional experience in performing, directing and teaching music. The IMVC concerts usually raise money for charity.
The choir will be visiting Malta and Gozo between 14 and 20 October. The four planned concerts will focus particularly, but not exclusively, on sacred music and arrangements of traditional/folk song harmonised for male voices.
Concerts
Tuesday, 15 October at 7pm: Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta, Msida
Wednesday, 16 October 6.45pm: Basilica, Victory Street, Senglea
Friday, 18 October 7.30pm: Parish Church, Għasri, Gozo (jointly with Schola Cantorum Jubilate)
Saturday, 19 October 11.30am: Seminary of the Sacred Heart, Enrico Mizzi Street, Victoria, Gozo
Concert repertoire - Malta/Gozo
Tuesday, 15 October
This concert at the University of Malta will focus on secular music, especially male voice arrangements of English folk songs arranged by composers such as Vaughan Williams, Holst and Elgar. The choir will mix things up using American traditional songs and Broadway musicals or popular hits.
Wednesday, 16 October
In recognition of the opportunity to sing in the glorious, inspiring Basilica of Senglea, the choir will present an evening of sacred music covering more than 500 years from plainchant and Tallis through Schubert, Fauré and African-American spirituals to the 21st century
Friday, 18 October
At the Parish Church of is-Salvatur in Għasri, Gozo the choir will again draw on their sacred repertoire but this time it will be hosted by the renowned Gozitan choir, Schola Cantorum Jubilate directed by Marouska Attard. Each choir will perform some of its favourite pieces. Furthermore, they will have the chance to collaborate on powerful and uplifting choral works by composers like Bruckner and Vaughan Williams.
Saturday, 19 October
During the final concert, in Victoria, secular music in English will feature predominantly. Marouska Attard (soprano) will join Deborah Miles-Johnson (mezzo-soprano) in duets by Dvorak and Rossini and they will combine with the choir in the finale.
Each concert will be free to enter with a retiring collection for local charities.
More information about IMVC can be found on www.imvc.org.uk
IMVC is a registered charity No. 1120047