The Maltese Musical Patrimony

Abstract

Professor Joseph Vella was born in Victoria Gozo in 1942. He is one of Malta's leading contemporary composers. He has written for a wide spectrum of musical combinations including solo, chamber, choral and symphonic works. Compositions of his have been performed all over Europe, the USA, and Japan. He has also commercially recorded three Compact Discs of his works with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. His activities as a conductor have taken him to Italy, Spam, France, Germany, Sofia, Tokyo and Canada. His pioneering work in the revival of old Maltese music has led to a wider knowledge and appreciation of an important part of our national heritage which, up to the late 60s, was almost completely neglected. In this field he has researched, edited and performed previously unknown masterpieces by both Maltese and Italian composers, which, over the years, he has presented in concerts not only in Malta, but also in Germany, France, and Spam. He has contributed articles to several local and foreign publications, and he has participated and read papers at music conferences in Malta, Italy, France, England, Turkey and Greece. Joseph Vella is an Associate Professor at the University of Malta. The following is the text of a speech given at the Lowenbrau Symposium.