Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/497863
Michael VII This week maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 APRIL 2015 Michael Manoel Theatre is presenting as part of its 'Wednesdays at the Ma- noel' series a great recital of works by Chopin and Debussy performed by one of the best up and coming pianists Kotaro Fukuma on April 22 at 20:00. Born in Tokyo, Kotaro Fukuma started learning piano at the age of 5. He was won several awards in international competitions and in 2003, at the age of 20, Kotaro won both First Prize and the Cho- pin Prize at the 15th Cleveland International Piano Competition. Since then his concert career took off and he has since performed in many countries in five continents. Kotaro studied music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (2001-2005) with Bruno Rigutto and Marie- Françoise Bucquet, then at the Universität der Künste Berlin (2005-2010) with Klaus Hellwig and at the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy (2006-2009). He also has studied with several great masters of the piano, including Leon Fleisher, Mitsuko Uchida, Richard Goode, Alicia de Larrocha, Maria Joao Pires, Leslie Howard and Aldo Ciccolini. He has played with major or- chestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Moscow Philharmon- ic, Israel Philharmonic, Finn- ish Radio Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic, Île de France National Orchestra, Galicia Royal Philharmonic, Japan Century Philharmonic and New Japan Philharmonic, under the direc- tion of such conductors asYuri Simonov, Rafael Frühbeck de Bur- gos, Juanjo Mena, Asher Fisch, HannuLintu, Lawrence L.Smith, François-Xavier Roth, Jahja Ling, Kazuyoshi Akiyama and Kazuki Yamada. On April 22, Kotaro performs Debussy's Estampes, La Cathéd- rale engloutie, Images (Book 1) and L'Isle joyeuse and Chopin's 4 Ballades. The recital starts at 8pm with a pre-concert talk for ticket holders at 7.15pm. Tickets are €20 with discounts for students and senior citizens. Bookings: www.teatrumanoel. com.mt, bookings@teatrumanoel. com.mt or 2124 6389 Download the MaltaToday App now Chopin and Debussy piano recital at the Manoel Malta Fireworks Festival returns next week The Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority will be organizing the 14th edition of the Malta International Fireworks Fes- tival, which will be taking place on April 25, 30 and May 2. The Festival has become a landmark event in the Islands' calendar of events, with the closing display this year taking place in the tourist hub of Bugibba. The festival forms part of the an- niversary celebrations of Malta's accession to the European Union and the colourful spectacle annually attracts thousands of locals and visitors alike. Following last year's success, this year's events will kick off in Marsax- lokk on April 25. The spectacle will continue on April 30 in the unique settings of Valletta's Grand Harbour and the closing display in the tourist hub of Bugibba on May 2 with a Pyromusical show. The festival has rightfully earned the title 'international' as over the years it has attracted foreign pyrotechnic companies from as far afield as Australia, Canada and Venezuela and closer to home like, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Several Maltese and foreign fire- works factories will be taking part in the upcoming Malta Interna- tional Fireworks Festival, who will together put on a pyrotechnic show with firework displays synchronized to music. The competitors in this year's Festival were short listed from a number of applicants. The foreign participants compet- ing in the International Pyromusical Competition will be Thailand Fire- works from Thailand, and A.P.E. di Parente Romualdo from Italy. The local participants in this competi- tion will be St Mary Fireworks Factory from Ghaxaq, Lourdes Fire- works Factory from Qrendi and St Andrew's Band Fireworks Factory from Luqa. This is the first time that an Asian Fireworks Factory shall be competing in the Malta International Fireworks Festival. The participants competing for the National Fireworks Competition will be Lourdes Fireworks Factory from Qrendi, St Mary Fireworks Complex from Mgarr and Socjeta Piroteknika 15 ta' Awissu from Mosta. Winners will be conferred with a special trophy according to their ranking, while the other participants will receive commemo- rative trophies. A ground fireworks display will once again be making an appear- ance, with seven local fireworks factories taking part in the display taking place on May 2 in Bugibba, commencing at 20:00. Last year's Festival winners, Pyro- tex from England, have once again been invited to provide a closing spectacle to all those present on the last night of the Festival in Bugibba. Besides this, PyroEmotions from Italy shall also be performing a pyromusical show at the Grand Harbour to end the night on April 30. This year, live entertainment shall be on show at each of the venues hosting the fireworks display. On April 25 in Marsaxlokk, a live concert will be held by Maestro Paul Abela and Band. On April 30, a live concert by Maestro Joe Brown and Band shall be held in the Grand Harbour, while on the closing night in Bugibba on May 2, a live concert will be performed by Versatile Band. For more information, log on to: www.maltafireworksfestival.com, www.visitmalta.com/en/events Kotaro Fukuma