The Imperial Male Voice Choir (IMVC) from the UK is embarking on a concert tour of Malta and Gozo in October.
The choir takes its name from the Imperial College, University of London, where its founders 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.
The 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. Their concerts usually raise money for charity.
The choir will be visiting Malta and Gozo between October 14 and 20. Their four planned concerts will focus particularly, but not exclusively, on sacred music and arrangements of traditional/folk songs harmonised for male voices. They will be held on October 15 at 7pm at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta, Msida Campus; on October 16 at 6.45pm at the Senglea Basilica; on October 18 at 7.30pm at Għasri parish church; and on October 19 at 11.30am at the Seminary of the Sacred Heart in Victoria.
Their eclectic repertoire spans almost 1,000 years
Programme
The concert on October 15 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.
At the Senglea Basilica on October 16, they 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.
On October 18, at the Għasri parish church, the choir will be hosted by Gozitan choir Schola Cantorum Jubilate, directed by soprano Marouska Attard. Each choir will sing some of its favourite numbers and will join forces in some powerful, uplifting choral pieces by composers such as Bruckner and Vaughan Williams.
The final concert in Victoria on October 19 will feature predominantly secular music in English. However, soprano Attard will then join Miles-Johnson (mezzo-soprano) in duets by Dvorak and Rossini, and combine with the choir in the finale.
Entrance to each concert will be free with a retiring collection held for local charities.
More information about IMVC can be found on its website.
The choir’s visit is being sponsored by Citadel Insurance.