There are evenings when one attends a concert out of habit, even duty - and then there are evenings which remind one why music matters at all. This final concert of the DVCO inaugural season belonged firmly to the latter. I went expecting a good performance, I left feeling quietly uplifted. I had attended two of their previous concerts and had enjoyed them so much that I was looking forward to the final one.  

Perhaps it was the sense of occasion - a closing chapter, the end of a shared journey. Or perhaps it was the presence of Hansjörg Schellenberger, a musician of such calm authority that I immediatly sensed we were in safe hands. Watching him move between conducting and playing the oboe,  I found myself wondering at the discipline and inner stillness required to handle both roles so naturally. There was nothing showy about him - only clarity, intelligence and a deep respect for the music. 

At his side anchoring everything was our own Carmine Lauri, the orchestra's music director and concertmaster. I have heard him before, several times in fact, but each time I am struck anew by the quality of his playing - that rare combination of technical mastery and emotional honesty. There is no excess, no exaggeration, just truth. One senses that the orchestra trusts him completely, and this trust translates into a cohension that is increasinbly rare.

The opening Mozart Symphony No 1 brought a smile almost immediately. Written by a child of 8 and yet in the right hands never childish.  As I listened I found myself thinking of beginnings: of young talent, of first attempts, of how something so small can already contain the promise of so much. The DVCO played it with freshness and lightness, and I felt an unexpected affection for this early Mozart, as if reacquainting myself with an old friend I had not quite taken seriously enough before. 

Then came the Oboe Concerto with Schellenberger as solista. The sound of the oboe - so close to the human voice - has always moved me, and in this performance it seemed to speak directly without artifice. At this point I was no longer analysing anything; I was simply listening, and that is perhaps the highest  compliment one can pay.

The Bach Concerto for Violin and Oboe came next. It brought what I can only describe as a conversation - not just between instruments, but between two musicians who understand one another deeply. Carmine Lauri and Schellenberger did not compete; they listened. Their lines intertwined with a quiet inevitability, supported by the gentle presence of the harpsichord. I found this particularly moving - the sense of balance, of give and take, of music as dialogue rather than display. It reminded me, in a way, of the best human conversations: those in which one feels heard.

And so we returned to Mozart with Symphony No 29, a work I love for its elegance, and here it unfolded with grace and poise. There was a moment, a fleeing one, when everyhing seemed perfectly aligned:, conductor, players, audience. These moments cannot be manufactured; they simply happen, and when they do, one feels privileged to be present, as indeed I did.

The Kreisler concerto performed by Lauri, brought a different kind of pleasure - virtuosity, yes, but also charm. There was a lightness of touch, a hint of playfulness, as if he were inviting us not to take things too seriouisly. After the depth of Bach and Mozart, this felt like a gentle release.

By the time we reached the encores - Mozart's mischievous  Presto from a Musical Joke and Anderson's delightful Pink, Plank, Plunk - the ambience had changed entirely. One could feel the audience relax, smile and even laugh inwardly - at least I certainly did. It was a reminder that music need not always be profound to be meaningful; sometimes it is enough that it brings joy. 

As I left, I found myself reflecting not just on performances, but on the people behind them - on the dedication required to reach such a level, on the humility  of serving the music rather than oneself. In a world that's often noisy and hurried, this evening offered something quieter and infinitely more valuable: a place to listen, to reflect and to feel.

And perhaps that's is why this evening will stay with me. 

I must add that is was good to see that the new minister of culture etc., Dr Malcolm Agius Galea was there with his family even if due to another engagement they had to leave halfway.   

It is a pity that there is no space to publish  Carmine's speech at the beginning of the concert. He thanked sponsors and also told us something about the eminent musicians who form DVCO. Most impressive. On the morrow he told me: "We had such a buzz on stage last night and I'm so proud of all of them". 

There is nothing left for me to add.          

Photos: Gordon Formosa