Malta International Double Bass Festival to Land in Valletta this November
Between the 11th and 14th of November, the 6th edition of the International Double Bass Festival is set to launch in Malta, with the event taking place at Palazzo de la Salle in Valletta, and incorporating, for the first time ever, the inaugural edition of the Joseph Sammut Malta International Double Bass Competition.
For the 6th year running the Malta International Double Bass Festival shall once again be making its mark on Malta's cultural calendar, as organisers Gjorgji Cincievski and Michelle Agius look to build up on the success and experience of previous editions with an event that will combine all the highlights of past years with new and fresh endeavours.
Musicians of all ages and experience levels are welcome, from complete beginners to full professionals, with the only requirement being a love for the bass, be it double bass, bass guitar, or even mini-bass. The intense schedule of events planned for this weekend festival is designed to cater for all comers, and will include a varied series of masterclasses and solo lessons led by internationally-acclaimed double bassists and musicians. These will incorporate beginners' courses, intense technical training, choice of Classical or Jazz lessons, orchestral training, chamber music, lessons in electric bass, bass guitar and Big Bass Orchestra, and ensemble training. In addition, there will also be a number of recitals, and a closing concert for all participants, to mention a short list of all that will be on offer.
The main aim of the Malta International Double Bass festival is to promote the double bass as the true versatile instrument that it is and bring it closer to the wider public, making it more approachable and encouraging young musician to pick up this wonderful instrument, as well as motivate advanced students to further their studies and careers on this instrument.
For the first time ever, this year's event will also see the introduction of the Joseph Sammut Malta International Double Bass Competition which, for this year only will be held online due to Covid restrictions, but will start to be held live from the 2nd edition onwards. The aim of the competition is to encourage young and professional musicians to perform, whilst creating a platform where they can build their confidence and experience through their musical and artistic expression. The competition seeks to discover musicians and artists in every sense of the word, which means that judges will not just be focusing on the purely technical aspects of the performance, but also on the charisma and overall artistic impact that the performer will bring to the table.
The ultimate goal of this competition is for competing musicians to fully discover and fulfil their potential by being heard and acknowledged by some of the leading double bass players and tutors of today, which in turn, may act as a springboard to launch and develop potential international careers. As such, the competition is open to contestants of all nationalities and countries, with participants competing in categories based on their age. There will be three categories in all, namely the:
Argotti Category - intended for candidates up to 13 years of age by the 1st of November 2021. The programme is to include a choice of one compulsory work from the list AND a free choice contrasting piece, lasting no longer than 5 minutes
St. Elmo Category - intended for candidates from 14 to 17 years of age by the 1st of November 2021. The program is to include a choice of one compulsory work AND a free choice contrasting piece, lasting no longer than 7 minutes
Il Kastilja Category - intended for candidates from 18 to 24 years of age by the 1st of November 2021. The program is to include a choice of the compulsory work AND a free choice contrasting piece, lasting no longer than 10 minutes.
All pieces can be performed either with or without piano accompaniment.
All evening concerts for this year's event will be free of charge, however donations towards Malta International double bass days are welcome.
For more information, or to submit an application, please visit the official website at https://maltabass.com/ or write to the organisers directly via email at maltadoublebass@gmail.com
The 2021 edition of the Malta International Double Bass Festival is being organised by Malta Bass in collaboration with the Valletta Cultural Agency, and with the kind support of the Janatha Stubbs Fondation, Pirastro GmbH, Teatru Manoel, Discover Double Bass, DPA Microphones, Digital Magic Malta, and others.
