During these days the Gaulitanus Choir should have been on its 20th concert tour abroad, the first in its international programme of events for 2020. Of course, this had to be postponed. Instead, fittingly also during its 30th anniversary year, the choir will be recollecting some of its early events on foreign soil.
The Gaulitanus Choir’s first venture abroad was an 8-day concert tour in England in September 1995. Indeed this was thanks to an exchange programme with the UK’s Fareham Philharmonic Society, which eventually also saw the British choir performing in Malta and Gozo in 1996. The Gozitan choir was initially based in Portsmouth, Hampshire – where its programme was fully organised by the FPS led by its chairman Steve Pearce –, before it moved on to London.
The artistic programme of events opened with a concert of sacred music at St Mary’s Church in the picturesque medieval Portchester Castle, Portchester (Fareham). Amongst the various works performed, the choir also presented Maltese compositions by Colin Attard, Joseph Vella and Pietro Paulo Bugeja. The Fareham Philharmonic Choir also took the stage for a few numbers under the direction of Sheila Javes and accompanied by Eunice Pike, before teaming up with the Gaulitanus for some joint and rousing final numbers. Amongst others, the concert was attended by Fareham mayor Mike Godrich, who was very much abreast of our exchange programme. Of course, gifts were also exchanged.
The next event was in London, thanks also to the assistance of the Malta High Commission in London. Indeed, the choir had the honour to give a concert at St James’ Church, Piccadilly, one of the top lunchtime concert venues in the centre of England’s capital. Two contrasting cantatas were presented, namely Elgar’s very British ‘For the Fallen’ and Joseph Vella’s ‘Il-Barri’ set to the poem by Gozitan poet Gorg Pisani. A bouncy Neapolitan medley concluded the concert. The audience was led by Maltese High Commissioner in London, Mr Saviour Stellini.
The choir’s final artistic commitment was sung mass at St Edmund’s Church in Beckenham, Kent, during which the choir performed Joseph Vella’s Messa Papa Giovanni XXIII and other excerpts. This was held courtesy of Fr Victor Vella Gauci, a Gozitan priest serving at St Edmund’s. After the mass the choir was hosted to an entertaining social by the St Edmund’s community.
The choir’s principal soloists during this UK concert tour were sopranos Phyllis Bajada Abram, Georgina Gauci and Rita Dimech, with alto Jacque Vassallo, tenor Joseph Calleja and bass John Mary Grima also delivering a few solo lines. Resident pianist Stephen Attard accompanied while the choir’s founder-director Colin Attard conducted.
Of course, the choir, which was accompanied by some supporters, also made the best of the UK visit with lots of organised sightseeing – whether in Hampshire or London – as well as attended concerts and musicals. Helping maestro Attard with the tour’s co-ordination were choir member Robert Vella and de facto president John Scerri.
While everything was extremely exciting, perhaps the cherry on the cake was the completely unexpected and highly positive review of the London concert appearing in The Times (of Malta) and penned by reviewer Albert G. Storace, who had appeared unannounced at St James’s. (This is being reproduced herewith, along other pertinent documents and photos of the artistic events). This ‘officialised’, if ever there was any need, the choir’s first foray abroad!
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