Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/773562
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 JANUARY 2017 32 This Week MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT UNTIL JANUARY 28 The Valletta International Baroque Festival The Festival takes place between the 12th to 28th January 2017 with top international baroque musicians and ensembles performing in 24 different events in 9 different venues in Valletta. For programme details and booking, visit: http:// vallettabaroquefestival.com.mt/ index.php. JANUARY 17 Piano Pastels Barocco Malta will be organising 'Piano Pastels' at the Oratory of St Francis in Valletta at 12:30. Featuring: Carmelo Pace's Piano works, Piano Pastels, Fields and butterflies (Maytime), Sunset on the sea (Autumn), At the races, Chant sans paroles no. 2, The Valley of Dreams, The Lonely Valley, Moonlight in the Fields and Morceau Lyrique. More information: 7968 0952, baroccomalta@gmail.com. EXHIBITIONS UNTIL FEBRUARY 5 What Comes After the 1 Minute of Silence? Exhibition held at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta presented by Fabrizio Ellul and dealing with the consequences of terrorism on communities in Europe. The exhibition is divided into three parts: an installation of digital drawings, a video installation, and a panel discussion. The panel discussion will be held on January 25 and is being moderated by Mark Micallef. An artist talk on February 3 will conclude the project in which the artist, Fabrizio Ellul, discusses potential future projects based on the theme of European communities. The exhibition is curated by Matthew Attard. UNTIL FEBRUARY 26 Snuff Boxes: From Accessories to Objets d'Art Exhibition of historic snuff boxes at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, Mdina. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:30. The exhibition brings together two hundred snuff boxes and related artefacts, sourced from museum, ecclesiastical and never-seen-before private collections in a show that charts the history of the snuff box from the most stunning examples to the variety of boxes that were created to hold the once precious powder, snuff. Organised in collaboration with Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge. More information: www.palazzofalson. com. THEATRE JANUARY 19, FEBRUARY 9 National Theatre Live in Cinema: No Man's Land Live transmission of the Harold Pinter play No Man's Land at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta at 19:30. Featuring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart and directed by Sean Mathias. Bookings: http://bit.ly/2gIl8vS. JANUARY 19-22 Danny and the Monster Children's theatre production created by and featuring Steve Hili, at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta at 18:00. Also featuring Andrew Schembri and TODAY Acclaimed Russian pianist returns to Malta WHAT'S ON The Comedy Knights: Just4Laughs Annual satirical variety show at Salesian Theatre in Sliema. Directed by Wesley Ellul and featuring Steve Hili, Marc Cabourdin, Pia Zammit, Jo Caruana, Colin Fitz, Thomas Camilleri, Chantelle MC, Chris Dingli. For tickets and more information, visit www.comedyknights.com. Simon Russell Beale performs in The Tempest Young pianist Pavel Kolesnikov will star as soloist in the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra's Russian Masters concert, under the direction of Maestro Jean-Marc Burfin, and featuring Carmine Lauri as guest orchestral leader. Kolesnikov tells DENISE AZZOPARDI how listening to Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 is comparable to enjoying a novel with an intriguing plot. Furthermore, he is aiming to exude its extremely engaging and moving qualities during his performance of the piece at the Mediterranean Conference Centre on February 5 At what age did you begin playing the piano? I started playing when I was six and a half. The piano wasn't my main instrument though; I was concentrating on the violin for about 10 years. Then, at some point, I had to make a choice about which instrument to focus on, and without any difficulty whatsoever, I chose to stick with the piano. By that time, it was evident that I had really mastered the instrument, and I also enjoyed playing it much more. It gave me the opportunity to create my own world. Will this be your first time working with Maestro Jean-Marc Burfin? I have never worked with Maestro Burfin before, so I'm really looking forward to this concert and having the opportunity to collaborate with him. First experiences are a huge part of my musical career right now. How do you manage rehearsals with the conductor being in another country? What do your preparations for the concert consist of? In contemporary concert practice, one doesn't get to rehearse with the orchestra until a day or two before the concert. In most cases it works just fine, particularly when you have played a piece a few dozen times. So in the rehearsal process, we would normally discuss the piece with the conductor (this I find particularly important), then rehearse thoroughly with the orchestra – sorting all the issues and questions that arise, and then have a run through at the dress rehearsal. What are your thoughts and feelings about Tchaikovsky's music and his Piano Concerto No. 1 in particular? Tchaikovsky is a very dear composer to me. An incredibly original artist whose musical language is essentially Russian, though he was very much influenced by Western composers – Mozart and Schumann most notably. However, he developed his own formidably narrative musical style. Listening to his first concerto for piano is more akin to following the storyline of a novel. It can be extremely engaging and moving, and this is what I am really aiming to achieve by playing it. Which are your favourite passages in this piece and why? The whole concerto itself is one of my favourite pieces of music, and every corner of the score is fully charged with emotion and aesthetics. But I must say, the very end of the cadenza in the first movement and the moment when the orchestra joins in is incredibly intense and always gives me shivers. There's also a moment in the development of the first movement, where the piano cries out the same short phrase over and over, while the orchestra concurrently repeats the identical phrase very softly, almost in a whispering fashion. It's a stunningly effective, unusual, and ingenious piece of writing. How has your experience performing and being in Malta been so far? I was in Malta in the autumn of 2015 where I played alongside cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan in the Three Palaces Music Festival, held in various beautiful locations on the island. It was a lovely concert, and I'm really looking forward to returning to Malta. Being a huge fan of Caravaggio, I'll be making it a point to see some of his works while there, as I didn't have the opportunity to do that last time. What message do you have for young pianists like yourself? Being an artist is a great joy and privilege, but at the same time it's a huge responsibility. It is important to acknowledge that there are both sides to the story and to not take anything for granted! The Russian Masters concert will take place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on Sunday, February 5 at 18:00. Tickets are at €10 - €30. Bookings: bookings@mcc.com.mt or phone 2559 5750. For more information, visit www.maltaorchestra.com. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in No Man's Land Pavel Kolesnikov