Recently graduating from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London and having embarked on a further degree at the Royal Academy of Music, violinist Samuel Cutajar’s musical journey has taken him well beyond our shores. He is the second Maltese violinist to read for a degree at the prestigious institution, preceded only by Carmine Lauri.
Cutajar is also the only Maltese member of the EU Youth Orchestra (EUYO).
“Even though I am going all over Europe and beyond at this stage of my journey, it was initiated in the simplest of forms,” says the musician.
“My parents used to take us to concerts of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and I still remember being mesmerised by the sound of the violin section. I remember telling my parents I wanted to learn this instrument, and within a few weeks I found myself playing my first open string on my seventh birthday under the guidance of Antoine Frendo.
“Little did I know that within 10 years, in 2017, I would be an intern with this same orchestra and pursuing further improvement abroad.”
Cutajar moved to London to study at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2018 under the tuition of Clare Thompson, achieving a first class honours. There he became the Vera Kantrovich Bach competition winner and also got to be concertmaster of the Trinity Laban Symphony orchestra, principal second violinist of the Universities of London Symphony Orchestra and became a member of the European Union youth orchestra.
Cutajar also toured with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra this year and performed in the Berliner Philharmonie and Muzikverein.
He performed Tartini’s infamous Devil’s Trill as a soloist with the Uzbekistan National Symphony Orchestra and will be performing Paganini’s Moses Fantasy with the Kyiv Virtuosi in December.
Malta lacks the mentality that a career in music is feasible
He is now following the footsteps of his main inspiration, Carmine Lauri, studying in the prestigious Royal Academy of Music with Philippe Honoré, winning a mentorship scheme with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, becoming a member of Sinfonia Cymru and being selected to perform with the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra.
“Abroad offers more… it is as simple as this,” says the musician when asked how his experiences beyond our shores compare to the local context.
“Studying abroad has been the key factor to my technical and musical improvements, thanks to my professors’ extensive expertise. Being at the Royal Academy has provided many opportunities, for example, and made it possible for me to meet other colleagues who are similarly motivated.
“Malta does offer opportunities, but on a smaller scale of course. Being with the EUYO has also introduced me to new approaches in music making not often applied elsewhere.”
What Malta lacks is not a musical institution, he posits, but a mentality committed to the idea that a career in music is feasible.
“Many still look at music and think risk rather than opportunity for a different career.
“In my experience, I am grateful my parents were open to the idea of me studying abroad to improve substantially, but what Malta lacks in comparison to other countries is the impetus to say, ‘yes, music can be a proper profession’, and this mentality has a ripple effect.”
Despite this, Cutajar says Malta’s musical stance has developed extensively during these past few years, particularly due to the Malta Philharmonic’s improvement.
“Even though I am abroad studying and am in contact with various professional foreign orchestras and ensembles, I am proud to say I perform many times in Malta and will keep on collaborating in the future and strive to improve the general perspective, which is indeed getting better,” he asserts.
Samuel Cutajar is a recipient of a scholarship from the Malta Arts Council Scholarship Schemes.