Music Evening

Sunday 8th July 2018

On Sunday 8th July, a group artists have come together at Aldabra Atelier & Gallery, SmartCity Malta creating a truly magical evening with live music in candlelight. 

The Cal State La Classical Guitar Ensemble at Aldabra Gallery

California State University Los Angeles Classical GuitarEnsemble, was founded in 2016 by ensemble Director and CSULA music faculty, Satik Andriassian. The ensemble members consist of a wide range of performers including music majors, non-music majors, alumni and other university community members.

The Classical GuitarEnsemble quickly made much recognition on campus as one of the majorensembles in the Music Department. For the past two years, the ensemble has performed for several important functions on campus as well as their regular season concerts. The ensemble was the featured ensemble in 2017 Gohar & Ovanes Andriassian Classical Guitar Competition and Festival. The ensemble is scheduled for their first California Tour during the Fall of 2018.

Satik Andriassian, Music Director & Conductor

CAL STATE LA Classical Guitar Ensemble Members
Anahit Momjian
Giselle Ortez
Michael Anthony Villa
Gabriel Almazan
Mickayla Nicole Claffey
Jose Juan Vasquez
Jeremy Esque

Pianist Niya Morrissey

Niya Morrissey is an Irish pianist, who over the years has performed in major music venues in Malta, Switzerland, Greece, Germany and Russia, to name a few.Closer to home, Niya’s shared her passion for music in Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Katherine Brennan Hall of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, St Anns Church, University College Dublin’s O’Reilly Hall and Little Museum of Dublin.Multiple prize – winner Niya is the recipient of the University College Dublin Music Scholarship in 2011. Niya has also received awards in Chisholm and O’Hea competitions in RIAM’s annual Pianofest, along with the Nordell and Benson Senior Piano competitions at Electric Ireland Feis Ceoil in 2015 and 2016.

In her Alma Mater, that is Royal Irish Academy of Music, Niya was the finalist of the 2015 Maura Tessier Piano Bursary. She also participated in the Irish Round of the Dublin International Piano Competition in 2014 and 2017. Niya has performed her debut solo recital in Biel/ Bienne, Switzerland in February 2016. As well as performing solo repertoire, Niya possesses keen interest in chamber music and song accompaniment. In 2017 alone, Niya and her trio partners have given numerous performances of D. Schostakovich’s Piano Trio no 2 in Royal Irish Academy of Music and most recently, at Belfast Arts Festival, as a part of their Chamber Music series.

Other highlights of 2017 include working with distinguished Romanian Soprano Corina Ignat, as a part of the French Music workshop curated by the renowned vocal coach and pianist Iain Burnside. Most recently Niya participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists such as Vanessa Latarche, John O’Conor, Fali Pavri, Aaron Shorr, Therese Fahy , Hilary Coates, Ivan Ilic, Christian Favre, Iain Burnside, Christopher Elton, Joanna McGregor, Ronan O’Hora, Katja Avdeeva, Katya Apekisheva and Sara Bryans.As a part of the Culture Night September 2017, Niya was honoured to perform a solo recital in the Mansion House - official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Micheal MacDonncha. Niya is a graduate of Royal Irish Academy of Music and Trinity College Dublin, where she studied with renowned pianist and pedagogue, Lance Coburn.

Swara

Swara is a soothing Indian Fusion project. Noel Scerri and Anthony Curmi both state that they are musically inseparable. With this solid bond as a backbone to any of their interesting projects, and after having formed the critically much well acclaimed Indian Fusion band Cushion, Noel and Anthony wanted to return to their roots.

Swara is a modern approach, a new perspective, to the ancient enchanting sounds of Indian music. Using only Sitar and Keys, which actually are two opposites when comparing the ultra modern technology that Noel is using in this project, opposed to the ancient bare and enchanting sound of the sacred Indian Sitar that Anthony lays over the carpet of sublime ambience, creates a truly magical and unique sound, Swara.

Noel and Anthony are studying Indian Classical music together, using a method that even in itself is innovative, and to this knowledge base, they are adding modern ideas with no boundaries to create their own unique sound. Swara is an experience in itself, and the wall of sound created by Swara is quite impressive when considering that all the music one receives is coming just from two musicians. Noel and Anthony are also humble in approach, and they state that even if they touch just one single spirit during their performance night, they are satisfied. Thing is, it happens that with their beautiful music, good for young and old and basically for all open minds, they are surely doing more than just that. With their increasing appearances, a few recordings also in mind, and a growing fan base, Swara seems to be more than just a duo, and surely a special one.

Adrian Ir-Russu Brincat 

Adrian Irrussu Brincat (b. 27 January 1976) is a professional musician born from Ħaż-Żabbar, Malta. He is commonly known as Irrussu (the Russian). He started studying music at the age of nine at the Maria Mater Gratiae Philharmonic. After he developed his skills and techniques under the supervision of Paul Borg. Adrian's trumpet playing gained immediate attention.
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In 1993 he joined the KRAB Brass Quartet leaded by Paul Borg. At that time the band played Classic, Swing and Rags style. KRAB Brass was invited by the Malta Arts Council to perform various kinds of music from worldwide composers. Later on KRAB was transformed into the Versatile Brass Ensemble featuring twenty musicians.

In 1994 Adrian joined the Band of The Armed Forces of Malta and currently he is the lead trumpeter there. The Army band participates regularly on international military tattoos, more times have been in Germany, also in Belgium, Russia, Italy and Libya as well. Adrian usually plays solos in the shows and also likes jamming with other musicians abroad.
In 1999 he studied at School of Music to improve his Jazz skills and learning harmony under the supervision of Mro.Paul Abela. One year later Adrian joined the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra as a part time musician for five years.From time to time Irrussu participated in concerts held by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra including the National Orchestra Goes Pop, the Movie Spectacular, Pop Fever and Rockestra.

In the meantime Adrian continued to improve his jazz techniques on trumpet and early he became a self-taught artist.His impeccable performances started to attract the attention to many local and foreign music experts and he constantly received excellent reviews, in particular due to his participation in festivals organised by the Malta Tourism Authority including the Valletta Festival, the Mdina Festival, the Fireworks Festival, the Mediterranean Food Festival and the Malta Historic Cities Festival. Including other national festivals like for example Festival of History and Heritage, Pageantry Music and Dance, International Summer Festivals or Malta Arts Festivals.
Adrian is also a popular face on television as he is a resident musician in number of TV programmes. He has also taken part in various musicals under the direction of local and foreign directors including Les Miserables, Sister Act, Fiddler on the Roof, Moulin Rouge, the Seussical Musical,West Side Story, Legally Blonde and yearly Pantomines (Christmas shows) for more than 10 years.

Adrian Ir-Russu is a freelance trumpet player, based in Malta. As a versatile musician, Adrian plays in different bands and with various changing setups.

Aldabra Atelier & Gallery would like to thanks all musicians, artists and guests for their participation. 
A special thanks to Panta Lesco Group, Brincat Pianos, The Londoner Pub, Protrade Malta, Callus Garden Centre, Pictures & Frames, J.Lautier, Asciak Carpets, Coronation Candles and JB Stores for their kind support.