European Foundation for Support of Culture to host three-week International Classical Music Academy featuring renowned professors

From April 17 to May 11, Malta is set to be transformed into a classical music capital, with Valletta, Floriana and Rabat playing host to the newly launched Malta Classical Music Academy (MCMA) which will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the annual, world-renowned InClassica Malta International Music Festival organised by the European Foundation for Support of Culture (EUFSC).

The Academy will be incorporating all the educational events and masterclasses that used to form part of the InClassica into a separate event that will run alongside the festival, providing a tremendous opportunity for young musicians who wish to develop their abilities under world-class tutelage.

There will be three one-week courses being held in all, focusing on four different schools – piano, strings, wind, and voice studies. The courses will feature masterclasses and seminars led by world-class international professors, including Zakhar Bron, Ana Chumachenco, Pavel Gililov, Bernd Goetzke, Dmitri Alexeev, Boris Kuschnir, Peter Donohoe, two artistic directors Giuliano Mazzoccante and Davide Alogna, and many others. 

The professors will be hailing from a total of 20 different countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, the US, Canada, Japan, France, Russia, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Armenia, Bulgaria, South Korea, UK, Ukraine, Brazil, Monaco, Israel, Hungary. However, the Academy shall also be showcasing an array of local talent, with the participation of the Maltese violinist Carmine Lauri – who currently holds the position of co-leader of the London Symphony Orchestra and concertmaster of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra– as well as famed Malta-based soprano Andriana Fenech-Yordanova. 

Daniel Hope, violin

This unique event will provide attendees with an unparalleled opportunity to experience studying under these classical music titans, as well as the chance to engage in discussion and obtain an insight into the minds of some of the leading classical musicians of the day.

Davide Alogna extolled the opportunities that will be on offer for students, promising that attendees: “Will enjoy a truly unforgettable experience as you further develop your skills and appreciation for classical music under the tutelage of some of the greatest musicians on the world stage.”

Moreover, students shall be given full access to all the evening concerts taking place over the festival’s 25 days, which shall include performances by a variety of distinguished musicians, including legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Grigory Sokolov, award-winning UK violinist Daniel Hope, celebrated Handel-singer Danielle de Niese, and clarinet leader of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra Andreas Ottensamer, to name a few. 

Maxim Vengerov, violin

The MCMA will also see the launch of a new initiative by the EUFSC called ‘Young Classical Music Stars’. This is aimed at providing audiences with the chance to experience some of the most prodigious young talent in the contemporary classical scene, with virtuosos as young as six-year-olds being invited from all over the world to perform in a series of daytime concerts. Some of these youngsters have already become household names in their own countries, including Russian pianist Elisey Mysin, Chinese violinist Paloma So, and Slovakian violinist Teo Gertler.

There will also be further lunchtime concerts throughout the duration of the festival, featuring preeminent, established musicians like Antonio Tinelli (clarinet), Costanza Principe (piano), Alena Baeva (violin), Sergei Dogadin (violin), Dimitri Illarionov (classical guitar) and David Aaron Carpenter (viola), among others.

Rudolph Buchbinder, piano

The most accomplished students within the Academy shall then go on to be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of performing alongside these musicians, collaborating with internationally-renowned symphony and chamber orchestras to present programmes of works by leading European composers. 

A number of world-renowned performers from InClassica itself, like Daniel Hope, Maxim Vengerov, and Rudolph Buchbinder, shall also be leading a special series of masterclasses which will have the special distinction of giving a number of hand-picked students the chance to assist these legendary musicians. Interested Academy students will be invited to submit a video recording of their performance of a musical piece, and the stars will then personally select the most promising to assist them in their presentation of the masterclasses.

“Supporting the continued development of classical music is a core mission of the EUFSC, and this new initiative has been specifically designed to enable the next generation of artists to benefit from the experience and talent of the great musicians of our day. This unique opportunity will enable all students to develop their abilities to a new level in what promises to be an exciting journey of personal and artistic growth,” said Konstantin Ishkhanov, president of the EUFSC.

All MCMA students who successfully complete the course will also be awarded an honorary diploma in recognition. 

As Giuliano Mazzoccante noted: “I am convinced that our young musicians in attendance will enjoy an unforgettable experience, and one that they will carry in their memory for a lifetime.”

Registrations for the Academy are currently open, and Maltese residents will even be able to benefit from a special reduced price of just €50 down from 300 for an entire course should they choose to apply now.

To register, or to find out more information about the Academy please visit the official MCMA website.