This October, the Schola Cantorum Jubilate will be hosting the Imperial Male Voices Singers. This choir takes its name from the Imperial College, University of London, where the founder members met in the 1970s. Although Imperial is renowned world-wide 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.
Over 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 1000 years from plainchant and sacred through folk-song, classical, opera, musical theatre and popular genres. Their 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.
"We are very much looking forward to visiting Malta and Gozo between 14 and 20 October. Our planned concerts will focus particularly, but not exclusively, on sacred music and arrangements of traditional/ folk song harmonised for male voices" said Deborah Miles-Johnson.
In Gozo, SCJ will join the IMVC for a sacred music concert Opera Tua. Patrons can look forward to masterpieces by Palestrina, Victoria, Tallis, Schubert, Holst, Biebl, Vaughan Williams, and Chilcott. This concert will take place at the architectural gem of Għarsi Parish Church on Friday 18 October, starting at 7:30pm. Each choir will perform some of their favourites and come together for powerful, uplifting choral pieces, conducted by Marouska Attard and Deborah Miles-Johnson.
On the following day, Saturday, October 19th, the IMVC will present a Lunchtime Recital at the Gozo Seminary Hall in Victoria, beginning at 11:30am. This concert will primarily feature secular music, including folk songs by Vaughan Williams and Holst, as well as traditional American folk tunes. It will also showcase duets by Dvořák and Rossini, performed by Marouska Attard (soprano) and Deborah Miles-Johnson (mezzo-soprano), concluding with Lehár's Vilia.
Concerts are free of charge and open to everyone. These events are part of the Opera is Gozo initiative, supported by the Directorate of Cultural Heritage within the Ministry for Gozo and Planning.
Further details are available on the Websites: www.imvc.org.uk or scjchoir.com and the social media platforms.