The year 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the well-known choir Schola Cantorum Jubilate but celebrations had to be cancelled, along with planned events, due to COVID-19. Still, the choir kept rehearsing and is ready to present its annual Christmas concert, albeit in a completely different format.

“We had a plan for the year 2020 since it marked our 20th anniversary but the plan had to change due to the pandemic,” Stefan Attard, choir leader and artistic director of Song Reborn, explains.

“Despite the limitations, we kept contact with our choristers and even started channelling our projects in a different way by using technology and going virtual. This time of silence was also beneficial in rebranding our choir.”

“Without a doubt, COVID-19 greatly affected the cultural and creative sectors,” choral director Marouska Attard added.

“The postponement or cancelling of events left artists struggling, both economically and emotionally. However, artists got innovative and created different platforms to connect with the outside world and to keep alive what they are really passionate about. This was the case with Schola Cantorum Jubilate. We could not quit. We continued singing through the storm.”

But weathering the storm does not come without regrets of what could have been, either.

Soprano and choir director Marouska Attard and tenor Albert Buttigieg during the filming.

“For an artist, particularly a chorister or a singer, this is undoubtedly not the ideal situation because the virtual will never replace the thrill of the live. Interacting with an audience in front of you and exchanging emotions during a concert can never be replaced by technology. However, health at this stage is a priority!”

It is with this health aspect in mind that the choir is presenting a pandemic-safe, virtual concert titled Song Reborn in one of the main squares in Victoria.

Using the latest sound and light technology, including 3D mapping, Song Reborn will draw into the community experience but also the self-evaluation generated by the pandemic and the rebirth of society as it had to adapt to this new reality.

The repertoire will feature popular and other lesser-known carols as well as a piece in Maltese. Some of the carols have been arranged by choir composer-in-residence Paul Portelli and by Emese Toth.

Also taking part in the concert will be the SCJ Children’s Choir and the SCJ Teenage Boys. The singers will be accompanied by the Cordia String Quartet and choir pianists under the direction of Attard. The performing team will also include renowned actor Davide Tucci.

The Cordia String Quartet during the filming of Song Reborn.

To ensure the health and safety of all, Song Reborn will adhere to all social distancing measures and directives issued by the health authority.

The audience is invited to experience the virtual concert in the comfort and safety of their own private cars, with the option of connecting directly with a broadband channel and listening to the music from inside the car, all while viewing the spectacular 3D-mapping event.

Entrance to this open theatre is free of charge but booking is necessary. Bookings and ticketing are both contactless, using a specifically built app.

“The Italians say ‘canta che ti passa’… because when one sings, the pain is relieved. And Song Reborn is being launched with the aim of giving new hope through music for better days,” Attard says.

The 45-minute, drive-in concert will take place at St Augustine Square, Victoria, with two daily shows, at 6 and 8pm, on December 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30. Reserve your car space via booking.scjchoir.com, by sending an e-mail to booking@scjchoir.com or by calling the ticket hotline 7945 0950. Follow Schola Cantorum Jubilate on Facebook, Instagram and www.scjchoir.com for updates on upcoming events.

Song Reborn is supported by the Ministry for Gozo.