For the 7th consecutive year, the Gaulitanus Choir ushered in the New Year with another edition of A New Year’s Toast. Held at the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, Gozo, on New Year’s Day, this was supported by the Kempinski Hotel, Bank of Valletta and Playpen.
The programme was divided into 4 sections. The first consisted of a Christmas medley compiled by Colin Attard entitled A Waltzing Christmas. The second section was devoted to British a cappella part songs, namely Arthur Sullivan’s O hush thee my babie, John Barnby’s Sweet and low, Thomas Dunhills’ arrangement of the folk-song Early one morning, and John Hatton’s Over hill, over dale. The third section was also mainly a cappella consisting of Maltese semi-folkloristic numbers, namely Carmelo Pace’s Btajjel, Lapsi and L-Imnarja, and Charles Camilleri’s L-Ghanja tas-Sajf. This section ended with Colin Attard’s set of choral variations on the Maltese Christmas tune Ninni…Ninni. The concert finished with a bouncy Mary Poppins Sing-along compiled by Colin Attard, during which the audience which filled the hall to capacity heartily joined.
The Gaulitanus Choir was joined by its soloists Annabelle Zammit, Marthese Borg, and Anna Bonello, with Jean Noel Attard and Robert Xerri also joining the fray. The choir’s founder-director Colin Attard conducted and accompanied on the piano.

