The Palace Concerts at the Corinthia Attard, launched earlier this year, have become increasingly popular. I have attended three, so far,  and enjoyed every one of them.

These are not the usual kind of concerts where, once the performance is over, we hurry home or head to a restaurant for dinner. They offer music in the elegant surroundings of Corinthia Palace or its beautiful Secret Garden, followed by excellent food, pleasant company, and the opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones.

The most recent concert I attended, Just Beethoven and Mozart, a fortnight ago, was a piano recital by Joanne Camilleri, an accomplished pianist and harpist.

The programme opened with Mozart's Sonata in A major, K.331, culminating in the much-loved Alla Turca. This was followed by the sparkling Rondo in D major, K.485 and the expressive Fantasia in D minor, K.397.

 Joanne Camilleri then turned to Beethoven, beginning with the serene and contemplative Adagio sostenuto, the famous first movement of the Moonlight Sonata. She continued with the Sonata in A-flat major before bringing the formal programme to a brilliant and entertaining conclusion with Rondo a Capriccio, Op.129, better known as Rage Over a Lost Penny, one of Beethoven's most virtuosic and good-humoured piano works.

Beyond her technical mastery, Joanne Camilleri brought warmth, sensitivity and intelligence to every work she performed. Whether in the elegance of Mozart, the introspection of Beethoven or the dazzling virtuosity of Rage Over a Lost Penny, she demonstrated not only remarkable pianistic skill but also a deep understanding of the music. Her playing combined precision with expressive nuance, holding the audience's attention throughout an ambitious and demanding programme.

That evening, Corinthia Palace had the pleasure of welcoming a group of Virtuoso luxury travel advisors, in collaboration with SIT, for an intimate evening of culture and music through the Palace Concerts series.

The recital gave visitors a genuine taste of Malta's cultural life, something many tourists rarely experience.

I must say this group of Americans were very friendly and after the concert we enjoyed each other's company and we answered their many questions about Malta as much as we could.

The buffet supper that followed added another enjoyable dimension to the evening. Small tables were arranged in the adjoining dining room, and I was delighted to meet a couple of school friends whom I had not seen for many years. Despite the passage of time, we recognised each other immediately. At least we are still recognisable.

Good food undoubtedly helps to create a relaxed and sociable atmosphere, and that evening a generous buffet offered an irresistible array of dishes. Quite unexpectedly, among the desserts were rum babas, for which I confess to having a particular fondness. It is not quite the same kind of enthusiasm I reserve for Piaf, Chopin, or Consolation No. 3; it is a different sort altogether, one that appeals more to the palate than the heart.

Finally, after spending considerable time enjoying the food, discussing the performance, and attempting to put the world to rights, we were invited back into the concert hall by Alfred Camilleri, a music lover and one of the directors who orchestrates together with his small team, these concerts with great attention to detail.

 By popular request, Joanne returned to the piano to play Alla Turca once again, a gesture that was warmly appreciated by the audience, especially after she had already performed such a demanding programme.

She is a generous performer, and has that rare gift of making the most challenging passages appear effortless while never losing sight of the music's emotional core.

Her encore brought a memorable evening to a joyful and familiar close.

Please put the following in some kind of box

                                           What's next?

The next concert will take place on Sunday 4 October at 6pm at the Corinthia Palace in Attard. In Memorable Piano Quintets, Joanne will be there once again leading an ensemble of Malta's finest string players.

The programme will be as follows:

*Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Divertimento No.3 in F major K.138 for String Quartet

*Franz Schubert-Liszt - Ständchen (for solo piano)

*Franz Schubert - Piano Quintet in A major, D667,   The Trout: Allegro vivace - Andante - Scherzo:

Presto - Andantino, Allegretto - Allegro giusto

You can look forward to another special evening in an elegant ambience and delicious food.