MSA - Contemporary piano performance (2023)

Pictures

Gabi Sultana Recital

Artistic Director and Project Designer Karl Fiorini

Malta’s finest musicians will be joining forces to celebrate the Malta Society of Arts’ 100 years at Palazzo de La Salle with a series of monthly concerts and masterclasses, curated by Karl Fiorini.

Compositions from the MSA’s music archive and music by past composers affiliated with the MSA will be brought to life by Christine Zerafa, Dominic Galea, Charlene Farrugia, Carlo Muscat, Philip Attard, Gabi Sultana, Joseph Camilleri (il-Bibi) and many more. In addition, this Maltese musical cultural heritage will be flanked by commissioned compositions by contemporary composers.

Programme:

Frederic Rzewski | Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues

Caroline Shaw | Gustave Le Gray

Pawlu Grech | Due Movimenti

Euchar Gravina | *New Work*

Fazil Say | Black Earth

Benjamin Van Esser | Ten Steps Without A Pace

The concert series is supported by Arts Council Malta under the Programme Support Scheme.

Artist Biography

Described as “a demon of energy; yet one of impeccable articulation”, Maltese pianist Gabi Sultana is an internationally acclaimed soloist and chamber musician, especially within the contemporary music scene. Her love for contemporary repertoire, experimental sounds and electronic music has led her to specialize in works composed circa 1950 to the present day. Her passion and ability to bring contemporary compositions to the public have earned her rave reviews from around the globe.

Gabi’s solo performances have brought her to many prestigious venues and festivals around the world. She gave her Carnegie Hall [USA] solo debut in 2015, followed by her Australian debut at the Canberra International Music Festival in 2015 as a soloist and together with Ensemble Offspring; and her Japanese debut in 2016 with the Frank Nuyts Ad Hoc Ensemble. Her European solo performances include Teatru Manoel in Valletta [MT]; Ars Musica in Brussels [BE]; De Link in Tilburg [NL]; Nymphenburg Palace in Munich [DE]; Festival Frammenti in Rome [IT]; InnerSound New Arts Festival in Bucharest [RO]; De Bijloke in Ghent [BE]; Logos Tetrahedron in Ghent [BE]… and many more

In 2018 she joined forces with electronic musician Peter Van Hoesen for Sourdoreille’s and La Compagnie Des Indes’ unique series “Variations” in Paris [FR], in an ode to John Cage’s “Sonatas and Interludes”. This collaboration was filmed at Salle Wagram and streamed through the French media outlet Culturebox.

Whilst living in Ghent [BE], Gabi became the pianist of SPECTRA Ensemble – one of Belgium’s leading contemporary music ensembles. Together they performed at most major concert halls in Belgium and The Netherlands, namely, Concertgebouw in Brugge; Flagey in Brussels; Opera Vlaanderen in Ghent; Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam; Schouwburg in Rotterdam; to name a few; as well as at many renowned international contemporary music festivals including Transit [BE], Gaida [LT], Musica Sacra [NL], Operadagen [NL].

Gabi holds a Post-Masters’ Degree (MaNaMa) in Contemporary Music summa cum laude, following her success in obtaining her Masters’ Degree summa cum laude, both under the guidance of Daan Vandewalle at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, Belgium. She holds a Bachelors’ Degree from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, The Netherlands, under the guidance of Marcel Baudet. During her studies in Malta, she obtained Diplomas from Trinity College (ATCL), London School of Music (LLCM) and the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music, London (LRSM), under the guidance of Fransina Abela Brincat, with whom she studied for 12 years before proceeding to The Netherlands to further her studies.

In 2021 Gabi moved back to Malta after having lived abroad for 20 years. She currently teaches Piano Performance and Chamber Music at the Mikiel Anton Vassalli College – School of Music (Malta) and the Gozo Visual and Performing Arts School.

“Sultana enraptured us with her superb technique, but above all, with her boundless passion” – Ben Taffijn

NieuweNoten.nl

www.gabisultana.com