Percussion combo Ritmi-KA empowering children through music

● Marseille-based percussion group Hop! Trio to perform pieces with students after workshops at Bormla and Tal-Ħandaq secondary schools

The International Spring Orchestra Festival 2017 (ISO Festival) will open on Friday, 28 April at Pjazza Teatru Rjal with Ritmi-KA, a concert that brings together the creative energies of three professional percussionists and those of students from the Santa Margerita and San Injazju Colleges.

Now in its second year, the Ritmi-KA project is a collaboration between the Ministry for Education and Employment and the ISO Festival, and was conceived with the aim of giving access to music, culture and creativity to young people.

The Hop! Trio, made up of Christian Bini, Pierre Quiriny and André Groen, have been conducting percussion workshops with the Bormla and Qormi students since January and the ISO Opening Concert will be the culmination of the hard work of these masterclasses.

“Hop! Trio wants to create pathways for the artistic development of each and every person, irrespective of their class or origin,” explains Mr Bini. “Through a collaborative process, we will present exciting versions of a piece by Frank Zappa called The Black Page and of Children’s Songs by the famous American jazz pianist Chick Corea, among others.”

Apart from teaching specific percussion and rhythm techniques, the workshops also helped foster a sense of discipline, teamwork and commitment in the students. Aleks Farrugia, Education+ coordinator and co-leader of the project together with ISO Festival artistic director Karl Fiorini, believes that “the fact that students managed to get to the stage of a public concert over a period of three months delivers the message that through hard work and collaboration they can achieve success, which in turn strengthens their confidence and sense of selfworth. In fact, we’re very satisfied with how this project has touched the lives of participating students in very concrete ways.

“I truly believe that music has a sort of magical power to enlighten those who seem to have lost their way, and to give them a sense of discipline,” adds Mro Fiorini. “Music is a language anyone can learn and one that can really change people’s lives.”

Following every concert, audiences can also meet the organisers and artists for drinks and dinner at Michael’s, Archbishop Street, Valletta.

The ISO Festival is supported by The Ministry for Finance, the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU, the ADRC Trust, Malta Enterprise, the Central Bank of Malta, the Ministry for Education and Employment, the Office of the Prime Minister, Griscti Advocates & Associates and the French Embassy.

Tickets are at €5 and free for children 15 years and under.