Joanne Camilleri

Joanne Camilleri (born 1982) is a Maltese pianist and harpsichordist. Her childhood was very conventional, with mainstream academic education and music lessons as part of her extra-curricular studies. From a young age, she showed a natural and gifted aptitude towards her piano studies, which enabled her to successfully absorb and perform a lot of repertoire as she was guided through the stages by her tutors.

Loved by her audiences for her passion and sensitivity, Camilleri is nowadays regarded as one of the most outstanding and sought-after pianists to emerge from Malta, described by international pianist William Fong as "a musician of high intelligence and artistic vision". She currently combines her busy performing schedule with a love for teaching.

Music education

Her early music education was through private tuition in her homeland Malta, where she followed exams of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.[1] She was tutored by Vincent Borg and then by Ingrid Calleja in her higher grades, while complementary studies in theory and aural awareness were pursued with Prof Dr Dion Buhagiar, Davinia Galea, Yvette Galea and Anthony Spiteri.

As a result of an outstanding performance in the last grade exam (grade 8 ABRSM), Camilleri was recommended for an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music International Scholarship by the examiner. However, due to her young age, she was not able to take up the offer to audition for one of the prestigious music conservatoires in the UK.

At the age of 15 she was successful sat for her first performance diploma (ATCL) from the Trinity College of Music,[2] obtaining the highest mark in the session.

Just over a year later she sat for her second performance diploma, this time following the ABRSM programme, obtaining another high Distinction in her performance and as a result she was once again recommended for an international ABRSM scholarship by the examiner. This time, at age 17, she was just one year short of being able to take up the offer of an audition. Therefore, the offer was postponed for a year, when she was successful in auditioning and obtaining a place at the conservatoire of her choice, the Royal Northern College of Music[3] in Manchester, UK, on a four-year full international scholarship, to follow the undergraduate course. To date, she has been the only pianist, and just one of two musicians to have been awarded such a prestigious scholarship.

As a young pianist, Camilleri placed first in all the then-available Maltese competitions, one of which was the prestigious Bice Mizzi Vassallo Music Competition, which gave her the opportunity to attend the Lake District Summer Music Academy[4] in the UK. At 17, she was the youngest pianist on the advanced solo course, where she enjoyed her first taste of international music-making. Her seasonal participation at the Lake District Summer Music Academy, made possible through the aid of scholarships, was truly inspirational, giving Camilleri opportunities to work with international pianists including Arnaldo Cohen,[5] Ben Frith, Klaus Hellwig, Renna Kellaway, Leon McCawley,[6] Thomas Sauer and Barry Snyder[7] and members of internationally renowned chamber ensembles, namely the Chilingirian String Quartet,[8] the Sorrel String Quartet, the Skampa Quartet,[9] Trio Ondine and Gould Piano Trio.[10] Over the years while participating in the Academy, Camilleri performed in several Young Artists Concerts in Ambleside, Windermere, Grasmere and Hawkshead, and was also invited to give a solo recital to the LDSM Patrons.

Between her first and second year of undergraduate studies at the RNCM, Camilleri also sat and obtained a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM) in Performance, with Distinction.

In 2004, she obtained a First Class honours Bachelor of Music degree, with first class in her final recital, also obtaining the highest mark awarded in her year.

This was followed by a master's degree in performance, with distinction, a year later, and following that, a Postgraduate Performance Diploma with distinction. She topped her final year at the conservatoire with an outstanding mark in her final recital exam. Both postgraduate years were sponsored by the Janatha Stubbs Foundation.[11]

While at the RNCM, Camilleri was tutored by one of Britain's foremost pianists and tutors Carole Presland[12] and by Russian virtuoso Alexander Melnikov. In her last year at the college, she was one of twelve students selected to take part in the prestigious Gold Medal Weekend - a showcase for the college's most outstanding students - where she performed a solo recital to high acclaim.

During her student years, several international musicians were influential to Camilleri's musical development. She participated in Masterclasses with acclaimed musicians such as Marcel Baudet, Sergei Dorensky, Franco Fodera, Nelson Goerner,[13] Ruth Harte, Daniel Hoexter, Stephen Hough[14] (on one occasion working with him on one of his own compositions), Jin Ju,[15] Nina Kazimrova, Steven Osborne,[16] Stephen Savage, Cynthia Turner and Akico Wakabayashi; while chamber music Masterclasses included those with Ian Brown, Yair Kless,[17] the late Christopher Rowland, Jeremy Young,[18] Marco Von Pagee, Jesper Svedberg of the Kungsbaka Piano Trio and the Piano Duo Jennifer Micallef and Glen Inanga.

In 2007, when she returned to Malta, Camilleri read for a Doctorate in Performance at the University of Malta,[19] where she was mentored by Mro Michael Laus. She was the first pianist to be awarded a Doctorate of Music in Performance by the University of Malta.

Career

As a student at the Royal Northern College of Music, Camilleri was already making a name for herself as a sough-after soloist and chamber musician, performing in numerous venues around Manchester, St Martin-in-the-Fields in London and also further afield at the Isle of Man and Tunisia.

Following her third and final graduation at the RNCM, throughout her Doctoral studies at the University of Malta, as well as during the subsequent years, to date, Camilleri has performed extensively as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician and orchestral pianist both locally in Malta and Gozo, and around Europe, America and Asia. Her performances have taken her to Sweden, Switzerland, Wales, Ireland, around the UK, as well as to Moscow and St Petersburg in Russia, New York, Philadelphia and Maryland in America, and also in various venues in China.

She has been invited to perform at prestigious functions including those at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, President's Palace in Malta, at the German Ambassador's Residency and the American Ambassador's Residency, as well as other concerts organised under the auspices of the Ambassadors for Ireland, UK, Tunisia and China. Commemorative events have seen her perform alongside other prominent international musicians such as British pianist Ann Rachlin at the age of 13 at the National Manoel Theatre in a Mozart Night, alongside Russian pianist Vladimir Ovchinnikov in a millennium year concert of Twentieth Century Music and alongside London Symphony Orchestra leader Carmine Lauri in a concert to celebrate Malta's Independence Day in London.

As concerto soloist and orchestral pianist, she has performed with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra,[20] the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and British Orchestras, collaborating with distinguished conductors such as Wayne Marshall, Lancelot Fuhry, Clark Rundell, Eric Hull, Philip Walsh, Karl Jenkins, Sergey Smbatyan, Brian Schembri and Michael Laus amongst others.

An avid chamber musician, she has worked with many professional partners in various ensembles, performing in the acclaimed Chamber Music International Festival (RNCM),[21] the Malta International Arts Festival,[22] the Three Palaces Festival[23] and the Victoria International Arts Festival[24] on several occasions. She also performed in various festivals while touring Sweden and the UK on several occasions, as former member of the Camilleri Trio, with whom she also premiered a number of works, including a score for a silent film by Yasujirô Ozu which was recently recorded and released on DVD by the British Film Institute.

Joanne Camilleri with harpsichord

Baroque Interest

Having a keen interest in 17th- and 18th- century repertoire, Camilleri also plays the harpsichord and organ continuo with the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble (VIBE),[25] with whom she regularly performs. In 2017 they were invited to tour Madrid, Paris and Berlin as ambassadors to mark Malta's EU Presidency.

She has collaborated with baroque music specialists such as harpsichordists James Johnstone and Nick Parle and baroque violinist Catherine Martin, while playing with the Ensemble as well as during performances as part of the Valletta International Baroque Festival.

Her doctoral thesis, which focused on Johann Sebastian Bach: Aria with 30 Variations - An Insight into its Style, Structure and Interpretation, was complemented by an acclaimed performance of the work on the piano, that was described as a "monumental feat" performed with "superb confidence", bringing "to each variation an insight that never failed to be intriguing" The Sunday Times of Malta.

Camilleri has given a number of solo recitals dedicated to the repertoire of the baroque era and specifically of works by J. S. Bach. She has also released two solo CDs dedicated to Bach's works.

Teaching

Apart from her busy performing schedule, Camilleri also has a steady teaching calendar. She has taught a number of students who have successfully achieved advanced performance credentials and also others who have continued to progress to professional music careers.

While still in the UK, in 2006 she was visiting piano tutor at Uppingham School in Rutland. When she later set base in Malta, Camilleri joined the teaching staff at the Malta School of Music[26] as a full time member, teaching both solo piano performance and also chamber music.

For several years, she was also invited to give masterclasses as part of the annual Victoria International Arts Festival[24] in Gozo.

Awards

Degrees
YearDegree
2004Bachelor of Music in Performance, First Class, with First Class in Final Recital (RNCM)
2005Master of Music in Performance, with Distinction (RNCM)
2006Postgraduate Degree in Performance, with Distinction (RNCM)
2012Doctorate of Music in Performance (University of Malta)

Performance Diplomas
YearDiploma
1997ATCL – Associate of the Trinity College of Music
1999Adv. Cert. – Advanced Certificate Diploma of the Royal Schools of Music
2001LRSM – Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music

Competitions
YearCompetition
Jun 1993Malta Youth Competition ~
1st Prize: Classical Section
1st Prize: Semi-Classical Section
Mar 1993Finalist: Bice Mizzi Vassallo Music Competition, Malta
Jan 1995Finalist: EPTA (Malta) Competition, Junior Section
Jan 19961st Prize: EPTA (Malta) Competition, Intermediate Section
May 19991st Prize: EPTA (Malta) Competition, Senior Section
Jun 19991st Prize: Bice Mizzi Vassallo Music Competition, Malta
Nov 2001Finalist: RNCM Concerto Competition
Apr 2001Finalist: Silverstone-Blank Piano Duo Competition
Jan 2004Award: RNCM Concerto Competition
May 2004Finalist: Silverstone-Blank Piano Duo Competition
May 2006Gold Medals Weekend RNCM

Prizes/Scholarships
YearPrize/Scholarship
2000Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music four-year international scholarship
2004Ruth Hewitt Scholarship
2004The Alfred Clay Scholarship for Piano
2004Two-Year Scholarship from Janatha Stubbs Foundation
2005Ruth Hewitt Scholarship
2005The Clifton Helliwell Memorial Award
2006Peter Frankl Prize for Piano

Prestigious recognition
YearRecognition
2005Camilleri was presented by the Maltese Council for Culture and the Arts as one of Malta's young highly gifted artists to the European Cultural Foundation Europamusicale[27] Board of Trustees in Munich.
2006Selected as one of the most outstanding students at Royal Northern College of Music to perform in a showcase during Gold Medal Weekend

Discography
  • In Bach's Footsteps
  • Bach's Goldberg Variations
  • Chopin 24 Preludes Op.28
  • Trio for clarinet, cello and piano by Ed Hughes[28]

Recording Music for Film
  • Silent Film directed by Yasujiro Ozu (2010)
  • Storbju directed by Davide Ferrario (2020)

References
  1. "ABRSM: ABRSM is the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music, delivering over 650,000 music exams and assessments every year in 93 countries". mt.abrsm.org. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. "Music Diplomas | Trinity College London". www.trinitycollege.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  3. "The Royal Northern College of Music - Music Conservatoire". RNCM. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  4. "LDSM Academy Artists | Lake District Summer Music". www.ldsm.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  5. "Cohen: Home". www.arnaldocohen.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  6. "mainpage". Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  7. "HOME". barrysnyderpiano. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  8. "Music features, education, performance by @Chilingirians". Chilingirian String Quartet. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  9. "Skampa Quartet - About Us". www.skampaquartet.cz. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  10. "Gould Piano Trio". Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  11. "The Janatha Stubbs Foundation | NGO Explorer". Ngoexplorer.org. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  12. "Carole Presland - homepage". www.carolepresland.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  13. "Official website of pianist Nelson Goerner". Nelsongoerner.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  14. "The Official Website of Pianist Stephen Hough". Stephenhough.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  16. "Steven Osborne". Steven Osborne. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  17. "Yair Kless Violinist". Yairkless.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  18. "Jeremy Young Homepage". Jeremyyoungpiano.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  19. "Department of Music Studie". L-Università ta' Malta. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  20. "Homepage". Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  21. "RNCM Chamber Music Festival". Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  22. "Festivals Malta | MIAF". FestivalsMalta. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  23. "Festivals Malta | The Three Palaces". FestivalsMalta. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  24. "viaf.org.mt – Victoria International Arts Festival". Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  25. "VIBE Valletta International Baroque Ensemble". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  26. "Home". Malta School of Music. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  27. "Europäische Kulturstiftung EUROPAMUSICALE: Aktuell". www.europamusicale.eu. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  28. "Trio for clarinet, cello & piano by Ed Hughes - performed by the Camilleri Trio". Vimeo. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
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