Portfolio - Past Projects
Renzo Spiteri and the Idan Raichel Project (2010)
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Renzo Spiteri performed with The Idan Raichel Project from Israel to present an energy-packed live concert that was also selected as a featured performance in the 9th annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days Event. The concert merged Renzo's characteristic musical versatility and passion for cross-cultural concerts with The Project's enchanting blend of African, Latin American, Caribbean and Middle Eastern sounds and upbeat rhythms.
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Sketches from Home (2008)
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Three exceptional artistes brought together by a chance meeting during a WOMAD festival in the Republic of Korea blend their musical styles to present a highly charged and exciting performance of fusion of cultures and music. Chinese flute player Guo Yue, Malta’s foremost percussionist Renzo Spiteri, and British piano and accordion player Ben Murray join forces in a captivating performance of exquisitely inspired interplay of creative musical dialogue that spans from highly energetic to evocative and sensitive moments. This project reflects a truly inter-cultural and trans-national collaboration exposing a geographical, musical and cultural mélange.
Premiered in March 2008 at The Manoel Theatre, Valletta (Malta) and performed at Teatro Politeama, Viareggio (Italy) as part of Festivals of Culture 2008. "...this was an evening of music that echoed each of the performers' talents and passion to perfection and the two hours of the performance flew by far too fast. Each musician said it was a privilege to be performing with the other, but in truth, the privilege was the audience's, to have witnessed and enjoyed such a great performance." M. Bugeja, The Sunday Times |
Intersections: The Art of Duo (2007)
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Renzo Spiteri joined forces with marimba and vibraphone artiste Dan Moore, to present another innovative project of fusion of musical talent that was described in a review as “a collaboration which delivered music that was experimental yet melodic, intriguing yet pleasing and articulate.”
Presented in January 2007 at MITP, Valletta (Malta), followed by a three-week tour of the mid-west United States with concerts in selected theatres in Iowa, Chicago and New York City. The tour also included a World Showcase Concert at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention 2007 (PASIC) held in Colombus (Ohio), PASIC being the world’s largest and most prestigious drum and percussion event of its kind that features the finest leading artistes from the international percussion community who are invited to present and perform. Intersections was part of a music exchange programme between Musiconnect (Malta) and The University of Iowa (U.S.A.), in partnership with The Embassy of the United States in Malta. |
The Drum Collective (2006)
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Musical director and performer in "The Drum Collective", an all-percussion performance by a selection of percussionists and drummers participating during the Sori-WOMAD Festival 2006. Artiste line-up for the performance included:
Renzo Spiteri (MALTA) Trilok Gurtu (INDIA) Joji Hirota (JAPAN) Bethmuel Mombani (S. AFRICA) Yelemba d'Abidjan (IVORY COAST) Nitin Shankar (INDIA) Kim Woon Tae (S. KOREA) |
Chants (2006)
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A collaboration with kora and balafon player N’faly Kouyaté (Afro Celt Sound System) resulting in an energy-packed performance that was described as “an amazing fusion that ran like a seamless thread during a two-hour performance. […] The two musicians performed magnificently whether as soloists or as mutually inspired artistes.”
Premiered at MITP, Valletta (Malta) in January 2006. Presented at Verdala Palace (Malta) under the distinguished patronage of H.E. The President of Malta, and during the Sori-WOMAD Festival 2006 in The Republic of Korea in September 2006. |
Renzo Spiteri and The Percussion Ensemble, China Conservatory of Music (2006)
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Renzo's four-week residency period at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing was the beginning of an ambitious cross-cultural music project that was showcased in several venues in the Chinese capital city in May 2006. Renzo's eclectic music background merged flawlessly with the in-depth knowledge of Chinese traditional music of Wang Yidong, Jiao Shanlin and Wang Jun to present another energetic percussion performance during The Malta Jazz Festival 2006 that was described as "alluring and intriguing".
This project was supported by the Ministry for Tourism and Culture in Malta, the Ministry of Culture in China, and the China Cultural Centre in Malta. |
Renzo Spiteri and Mercan Dede (2004)
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Renzo Spiteri joined Mercan Dede for a captivating performance at the Babylon Club, one of the leading live music clubs in Istanbul (TURKEY). The artistes presented their work again at the Malta World Music Festival 2004 held at Lower Fort St. Elmo (MALTA), an exclusive site of historic importance that was transformed to host a programme offering a traditional, contemporary and multicultural repertoire.
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