School of Music Christmas Concert

On Tuesday 21^st of December, the School of Music presented its Christmas Concert at Senglea Parish Church. This was the first time that the school put up a significant performance since CoVID mitigation measures reduced the possibility of rehearsing ensembles and giving public performances since March 2020. It was therefore a very important milestone for staff and students alike and a moment that will remain ingrained in our collective memory. 

At the start of the concert Ms Blanco said “it is indeed a little miracle to have managed to pull off this feat, with the number of students and teachers that have had to quarantine over the last few days. But it is through this that we saw some of the best team spirit coming through… with teachers helping each other, replacing students, replacing parts on different instruments… anything and everything to support each other in giving our students the invaluable experience of a live musical performance!” 

The concert was a showcase of a variety of school’s vocal and instrumental ensembles, performing a wide variety of genres, mostly with a Christmas theme or seasonal music. The programme included performances by the Clarinet Ensemble, Flute Choir, Guitar Group, Saxophone Group and Brass Ensemble, as well as the String Orchestra, Children’s Choir, Classical and Contemporary Vocal Ensembles and a Jazz Ensemble. It saw the participation of 110 music students, together with 12 teachers leading and performing with their relevant ensembles. Behind the scenes putting everything together was an Events Team made up of seven teaching and administrative staff, and a group of six student and teacher volunteers helping backstage and with the front of house.  

The concert was hosted by the Senglea Collegiate Chapter, and Archpriest Fr Robin Camilleri thanked the School of Music staff and students and encouraged the parents to “continue investing in the children’s musical education”. Fr Robin presented the school and one of its students who is also a volunteer at Senglea Parish Church with a unique Bronze medal which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Parish Church becoming a Basilica earlier this year.  

The concert concluded with the Congregational singing of Angels from the Realms of Glory, which brought all students and teachers together to perform and sing with the audience members, in a memorable rendition of this Christmas Carol.  

A retiring collection raised €380 in aid of L-Istrina’s Malta Community Chest Fund, which was presented on behalf of the School of Music by Ms Maria Blanco on the 26^th of December.