Maltese violinist Carmine Lauri’s international career continues to go from strength to strength, underpinned by his long service as co-leader of the London Symphony Orchestra and concerto appearances with many of the world’s foremost orchestras. He returns to the Festival as soloist in two works from the heart of the nineteenth-century virtuoso violin tradition, Pablo de Sarasate’s flamboyant showpiece Zigeunerweisen and the equally exciting Polonaise de Concert by the great Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski. British-born, Berlin-based pianist Freddy Kempf first played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra during childhood as soloist in one of Mozart’s piano concertos. They continue their long and fruitful relationship with Alexey Shor’s From My Bookshelf, a beguiling concerto-like suite of eight movements inspired by such beloved fictional characters as Don Quixote, Cinderella, Tom Sawyer and D’Artagnan. Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, among his favourite compositions, crowns this wonderful programme.

The InClassica Malta International Music Festival is organised by the European Foundation for Support of Culture (EUFSC), led by Konstantin Ishkhanov, in collaboration with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO).