Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/204636
40 maltatoday, THIS WEEK SUNDAY, 3 NOVEMBER 2013 The Three Palaces: celebrating music A new festival features music at the sumptuous three Presidential Palaces THE sumptuous interiors of the Presidential Palaces are set to provide the backdrop to a music festival featuring a mix of classical, modern and jazz music. Running from Monday 4 November to Sunday 10 November, 'The Three Palaces: Celebrating Music' will bring together a glittering line-up of international artists as well as established and upcoming local performers, who have all shown excellence in their field. The festival – which is being held for the first time – is being organised by the Office of the President in collaboration with the Parliamentary Secretary for Culture and Local Government. The festival will open on Monday 4 November at 7pm at Verdala Palace with a pre-concert talk on 'Romanticism: the resonance of silence', which will be delivered by well-known Byron expert Prof. Peter Vassallo. This will be followed by a concert by the Nash Ensemble, whose performance will include Schubert's 'Trout Quintet'. Dubbed as "chamber music royalty" by The Sunday Times, the Nash Ensemble is the Resident Chamber Ensemble at Wigmore Hall. The next day, two musicians from the Nash Ensemble – Ian Brown and Adrian Brendel – will also give a chamber music recital at Verdala Palace. This will be followed on Tuesday 5 November – again at Verdala Palace - with piano and jazz vibes by Nicholas Vella Laurenti on the piano and Charles 'City' Gatt on vibes and Joe Debono on the piano. On Wednesday 6 November, soprano Miriam Cauchi together with Maria Frendo on the piano and Simon Abdilla Joslin on the cello will give a vocal and instrumental recital at San Anton Palace. The following day, John Lill will perform a selection of Beethoven sonatas at San Anton Palace. On Thursday 7 November he will give a masterclass at Verdala Palace. YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt On Friday 8 November, soprano Lydia Caruana and pianist Yvette Galea will give a recital at San Anton Palace. The following day, Dominic Galea Trio and guest vocalist Deborah Harrison will perform Jazz Inspirations at Verdala Palace. A vocal and instrumental recital of French music – featuring soprano Gillian Zammit, mezzo soprano Clare Ghigo, flautist Rebecca Hall and Britt Arend on the harp – will be held on Saturday 9 November at the Palace in Valletta. The festival will come to a grand finale on Sunday 10 November with a family day at the Verdala Palace gardens. On the same day, a chamber music recital – featuring Nadia Debono on the violin, Gjorgji Cinciesvki on the double bass and Joanne Camilleri on the piano – will be held at Verdala Palace at 16:00. Charlene Farrugia will close the festival with a piano recital featuring works by Chopin and Schumann at San Anton Palace. The festival will also host fringe events in schools and at Mater Dei Hospital. The artistic committee is made up of Cynthia Turner, Albert G. Storace and Lucia Micallef. Entrance to this series of events is free of charge but seating allocation will be by invitation and on a first-come first-served basis. Seating is also very limited therefore early booking is highly advisable. Concertgoers are kindly reminded that donations to The Malta Community Chest Fund will be much appreciated. For further inquiries please call on 2559 5563/4. Stephanie Gonley Sustainable Tropical Timber Mostly a Mirage 376. IS-SIMAR Deforestation of Southeast Asian rainforests and logging-related human rights violations are major problems compounded by global overconsumption of tropical timber products and by inadequate laws, according to a new Friends of the Earth International report released this week. The report, 'Sustainable' tropical timber production, trade and procurement', questions forestry governance in Malaysia, especially in relation to indigenous peoples' customary land rights, as well as ineffective timber regulatory measures in Japan, South Korea and Australia. After the successful restoration of Ghadira in the 1980s, BirdLife tackled the Xemxija end of Wied il-Pwales. The area was known as Is-Simar (after the rushes that grew there) and had been once a small wetland before it was drained dry. The restoration project turned the clock back with the creation of a network of pools and canals, with many small islands for natural vegetation to flourish. A sizable reedbed grew, adding another scarce habitat to the lagoon habitat. And yes, the rushes began to grow back. Since the 1990s, several birds - including reed warbler, little bittern, little grebe, moorhen and coot - have nested at Is-Simar, some of them nowhere else in Malta. The reserve is open Sundays 10.30am to 4.30pm, with free entrance and tour. Have you signed the REFERENDUM PETITION to BAN SPRING HUNTING ? Please write to cashmalta2013@gmail.com. Text Victor Falzon | Photo Charles Coleiro The report explains how we are witnessing a global depletion of natural timber resources and also how sustainable tropical timber remains essentially a mirage. Current laws and policies regulating timber production, export and import are often inadequate. They ignore the reality on the ground. For instance they ignore systemic corruption, violations of human rights, and unsustainable production and consumption patterns. One key finding in relation to policy efforts on timber importation and procurement in the public or private sector is the fact that consumer countries tend to require that timber legality and sustainability be accepted on faith. They lack adequate understanding of the flaws of timber production systems and the realities on the ground for affected communities. The full report can be downloaded from www.foei.org. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us www.foemalta.org. You can also support us by sending a blank SMS donation on 50618070 (€4.66) or 50619223 (€11.65). GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 278 Combine car trips – As the weather gets colder, your car has to work harder and use more fuel to get going. Make the most of any necessary car trips by combining errands such as shopping, picking up the children and visiting friends or family.