Where Music Meets Memory: Andrzej Mandryka and the Sound of the Grand Harbour

In the Mikiel Anton Vassalli College (MAVC) 2026 artistic production L-Aħħar Bastiment – Stories from the Grand Harbour, the musical narrative will be shaped by Polish conductor Andrzej Mandryka, whose expressive direction brings the emotional pulse of the orchestra to life.

Born in 2001, Mandryka represents a new generation of conductors whose approach to music is both precise and deeply expressive. His studies with Prof. Szymon Bywalec at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice and later at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz under Marc Piollet helped shape a musical voice that blends discipline with imagination. Through masterclasses with distinguished conductors including Marin Alsop and Paavo Järvi, he has further refined a style that seeks not only technical excellence but meaningful musical storytelling.

Mandryka has worked with orchestras across Europe, including the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Savaria Symphony Orchestra, bringing clarity and sensitivity to both symphonic and operatic repertoire. In 2024 he became a member of the International Conductor’s Guild, and in April 2025 he conducted the world premiere of Reuben Pace’s contemporary opera TRAB: The Rest is Dust, the MAVC live production of that year.

Alongside his artistic career, Mandryka is founder and principal conductor of the Maxime Association and Maxime Foundation, initiatives dedicated to supporting young musicians and encouraging cultural development – reflecting his belief that music connects people across time and place.

In L-AĦĦAR BASTIMENT – Stories from the Grand Harbour, Andrzej Mandryka shapes the musical currents that carry the production forward. Through the orchestra, memories rise and fade like tides, allowing the voices of the harbour to emerge in sound – stories of loss, courage and hope carried on waves of music.

The performance will take place on Saturday 9th May 2026 at St. Agatha Auditorium, Rabat.

🎟️ Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance via:
https://www.ticketline.com.mt/bookings/Shows.aspx?ProductionId=1293