Keeping music alive
Like most other cultural institutions on the island, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra has felt the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this has not dampened its sprit and has instead spurred the orchestra to expand its repertoire. Executive chairman of the MPO Sigmund Mifsud speaks to Lara Zammit on how the national orchestra faced the pandemic and what plans it has for the future.
When COVID-19 struck the island in March 2020, its effect on local cultural institutions was devastating, not least on the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra which was deprived of its audience for the better part of last year.
“We had to stop all events and cancel everything we had planned till the end of the season,” Sigmund Mifsud, executive chairman of the MPO, said.
“We had a Mahler symphony planned which required the engagement of 30 musicians from overseas, but we needed to cancel everything.”
This unprecedented situation required the orchestra to look into other avenues to keep afloat, outside of their usual audience-based initiatives.
“We were very proactive during the pandemic,” Mifsud said.
“Our musicians were involved in making individual videos about their confinement at home. Then we...