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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 MAY 2020 4 THIS WEEK CULTURE Mandated social distancing leaves plenty of room for stock-taking and ref lection, so TEODOR RELJIC caught up with otherwise busy pianist, composer and self- confessed 'festa freak' Alex Vella Gregory for an in-depth chat about his PhD thesis, presented at Edinburgh Napier University and focusing on the soundscapes of Valletta while also offering a creative re-interpretation of them which takes into account the multi-faceted and ever-shifting social and cultural fabric of our capital city What is Valletta? The sum What personal impressions of Valletta did you take with you upon embarking on the thesis, and how did these impres- sions change along the way, if at all? Valletta has always fascinated me, therefore I was already very familiar with the city prior to embarking on my research. However, the most amazing experience was discovering how much more there was to the city than I could have ever imagined. What started off as an interest in the city's landscape and spaces, quickly developed into a love affair with its stories and communities. I have also seen the city change very rapidly. Some changes were good (no- one misses the car park in St George's Square, and no-one was sad to see the old City Gate go). But I have also witnessed first-hand the depopulation of the city through gentrification and misguided economic policies that only consider the city's physical assets rather than its human assets. But what is Valletta? The pretty buildings? The nice views? The restaurants and boutique hotels? No – it is the sum of its people – those who live with the city whose stories create a rich tapestry of human aspirations. Your research involved a lot of work with the community. What are some of the key ways in which these contacts helped you craft a more authentic and 'lived-in' series of musical works, and what do you cherish the most from the connections you made during those days? They made me rethink all that I knew about the city (and cities in general). Cit- ies are complex living organisms. They are also very fragile ecosystems. I could sense the mixture of pride and defeat – the sense of history and being the last generation. They are witnessing all the buildings they have lived in being emp- tied and in some cases completely gut- ted. Some pretend that this is 'natural progress' while others acknowledge the loss. My musical works about Valletta have less to do with the grand historical narrative (often inaccurate and distorted for political gain), and more to do with real people and their stories. I have made new friendships and gained new insights. I cherish those moments of honesty – the stories they have shared with me. I was a stranger and they welcomed me. Your thesis was submitted just as Val- letta's bid to become European Capital of Culture was about to kick into high gear. How was the impact of this felt in the early stages of your research, and how do you look back upon its impact on Valletta's social and cultural fabric now, "I have witnessed first- hand the depopulation of the city through gentrification and misguided economic policies that only consider the city's physical assets rather than its human assets" Alex Vella Gregory: "I was a stranger and the beltin welcomed me"