Din l-Art Ħelwa marked its 60th anniversary with a fundraising concert, A Voice for Christmas, held in Valletta's oldest church, Our Lady of Victory, built by Grand Master Jean de Valette after the Great Siege of 1565. The church restored with care and dedication over many years, became the perfect setting where Malta's tangible heritage met the intangible beauty of music.
The evening carried a sense of history and resonance, as centuries of devotion and artistry seemed to breathe through the walls and ceiling while the music unfolded.
Perit Patrick Calleja, the very active president of Din l-Art Ħelwa described the concert as a heartwarming finale to the anniversary celebrations, praising soprano Christine Dalli and pianist Patrick Hamilton for crafting a performance that resonated with warmth and artistry, "perfectly capturing the spirit of the occasion at the beautifully restored Our Lady of Victory Church in Valetta - a wonderful coupling of tangible and intangible heritage."
Simone Mizzi, Vice President and responsible for the restoration of the church for DlH commented: "The great restoration task we carried out over so many years at the church of Our Lady of Victory comes into its own when one sits and enjoys the beautiful music of Christine and Patrick below the magnificent 18C Erardi ceiling. Then yes, it was all worthwhile and Malta regains another national treasure." Simone speaks in the same spirit of her father Maltese Judge Maurice Caruana Curran who founded the organization in 1965, "to safeguard Malta's cultural heritage and natural environment."
Patricia Salomone, who is such an active member of Malta's Heritage Trust, comments: "This was a concert of quality music by international musicians. DlH is grateful to Christine and Patrick and to the audience whose contribution supports the maintenance of Our Lady of Victory Church."
Their programme was deeply personal to soprano Christine Dalli, who explained that each piece carried memories and meaningful moments from her artistic journey. Sacred Maze, from Hamilton's album Elements of Nature, recalled tours in the UK and Belgium, while Vivaldi's Winter was given new life through Christine's own lyrics, offering a personal voice to a familiar masterpiece. Mascagni's Ave Maria, adapted from the Intermezzo of Cavalleria Rusticana, conveyed tender devotion and spiritual intimacy while Home for Christmas reimagined the carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, tracing its lineage back to Mendelssohn and Wesley.
My own favourites? Schubert's Serenade (Ständchen) which I recall singing at school and beyond; O Holy Night composed by Adolphe Adam composer of the ballet Giselle; I am rather tired of Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro, which Christine sang with so much heart but never tire of Silent Night or Adeste Fidelis.
The audience responded with warmth and appreciation, their applause filling the church with a sense of shared celebration. It was clear that the programme had touched not only on Christine's personal journey but also on the collective spirit of the evening, where music became a bridge between memory and heritage. The concert stood as a testament to Din l-Art Ħelwa's mission showing how restored spaces can be reanimated through living art.
I loved Patrick Hamilton's improvisations. He has a wonderful gentle touch. The concert started with one of his improvisations: Le Silence des Floçons de Neige. There was Inside Silence and I loved his interpretation of Jingle Bells, so familiar, so lighthearted and a little different.
I asked Patrick for a comment. "This was indeed my first time playing in Malta in this setting and it has been a deeply meaningful experience. Performing here carries a special sense of history and resonance, particularly in a space that has witnessed centuries of human expression and spirituality.
Improvisation, for me, is always a dialogue with the environment. Playing in the oldest church in Malta inevitably shaped the music, the acoustics, the atmosphere, and the silence between the sounds all became part of the improvisation. I found myself responding not only to the instrument, but to the space itself, allowing the music to breathe and unfold in a way that felt respectful of the setting.
I usually prefer a grand piano because of its living, breathing quality, which gives me more inspiration. However, the digital piano served the music well, supported by the beautiful acoustics of the space."
Time for an encore so what else if not the evergreen O Come All Ye Faithful with those members of the audience who had some kind of voice left, joining in. Alas, I was not among them. Only a croak emerges.
Christine was not going to allow us to go out of the church without singing one Maltese carol and so to Ninni la tibix izjed.
In the glow of candlelight and song, not forgetting the red of the pointsettias, Our Lady of Victory became more than a monument-it became a living testament to Malta's enduring spirit. The concert closed not only an anniversary but opened a renewed chapter, where heritage and harmony continue to walk hand in hand.
As the final notes faded, the church seemed to hold the resonance of both history and hope, echoing the organisation's six decades of dedication. The evening was not simply a performance but a reminder that heritage is alive when it is experienced, celebrated, and passed on. In this way, the concert became a fitting tribute to Din l-Art Ħelwa's legacy, uniting past and present in a single, luminous moment.
Sandrina England is multi-talented. She studied iconography and art under authorised instructors, both here and abroad. Moreover art is in her dna, inherited from her grandfather Richard who needs no introduction and also her grandmother Miriam, an Ikebana expert. Sandrina's latest exhibition, Angel Encounters, can be viewed at the Millenium Chapel, St Julian's until 23rd December. The chapel is open daily.