Music from Austria at Bir Miftuħ

The second concert in the Bir Miftuħ Music Festival series will be held on Friday, 22 May and is a rare treat of Austrian music performed by 2 groups of talented young performers, the Ensemble Pianoflauti II and the SMS-String Quartet.

The recital will take place at the medieval church of Santa Marija ta’ Bir Miftuħ.

The Ensemble Pianoflauti II, all accomplished prize-winning performers from Vienna with dedicated musical backgrounds, are Lucia Rihs and Regina Holak, on the flute, Sophie Schollum, flute and piano, and Leonora Scheib, piano.

An exceptional treat during the evening will be the performance by baritone Benno Schollum who will sing accompanied by his daughter Sophie on the piano. Baritone Schollum has been a regular guest in Malta’s concert halls since the memorable gala concert in May 2004 to mark Malta’s entry into the European Union where he sang alongside Joseph Calleja.

The SMS-Quartet, founded in May 2008 is an extremely talented group of young performers who are coached by Hanna Widl at the Beethoven Music School in Mödling, Lower Austria. The group are Stefan Smoly and Max Schollum on the violin, Stefanie Drach, on the viola and Elisabeth Smoly on cello. Despite their young age, they have already given a number of concerts in their home town, at the nearby Festival of Brühl, at Schloss Weitra and in the so-called ‘Music Factory’ in the town of Zwettl. The quartet was awarded first prize at this year’s Prima La Musica competition.

The programme for the evening consists of a varied repertoire of music from Schubert, Copland, Haydn, Kronke, Mendelssohn, Farkas, Kember, Gattermeyer and Von Steen.

This fund raising concert starts at 2000h and proceeds are dedicated to Din l-Art Ħelwa’s restoration programmes. Tickets cost €20 per person, including refreshments after the performance.

For more information call on 2122 5952 or 2122 0358 Monday to Friday between 0900h and 1200h.

The recital has been made possible courtesy of the Austrian Embassy and MIA plc.