Chinese 'pipa' virtuoso shines at Gaulitana Music Festival in Malta

In collaboration with the China Cultural Center in Malta, the 17th Gaulitana Music Festival presented the "Eastern Hues" pipa solo concert by Chinese pipa virtuoso Guo Mei in Gozo, Malta, on April 11.

This enchanting performance highlighted the captivating allure of Chinese music, featuring the pipa, a four-stringed Chinese lute, and left a lasting impression on over 150 local audience members and students alike.

Among the repertoire were various Chinese classical pieces, including Spring on Moonlit River, Dragon Boat and Empty Sound. Guo also delighted the audience by incorporating two contemporary Maltese pieces into her performance.

Gualitana Music Festival is one of the major annual international cultural festivals in Malta. Colin Attard, the artistic director of the festival, noted that approximately 80 students from two local schools were in attendance. He emphasized that the concert served not only as entertainment but also as enrichment, using music as a universal language to foster cultural understanding. 

Nataline Debrincat, a teacher from Gozo College Rabat Primary School, and Josephine Xuereb, a teacher from St Francis Primary School in Gozo, expressed their pleasure in experiencing traditional Chinese music for the first time, noting their students' deep engagement with the performance.

Yuan Yuan, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta, expressed anticipation in bringing more cultural events to the Maltese public through the festival and other avenues.