This year’s OltreOceano Festival Live was held on 7 August (Baby and Junior section) and 8 August (Senior section).  After organising the auditions for this festival in Malta throughout the year, I had the pleasure of taking up 10 singers from various local vocal teachers (1 singer was my student Anna Salimon) to Monreale (Sicily), and getting to know them and their families. What a wonderful group they were! We were welcomed at the fantastic Rocca di Monreale B&B by the Gionti clan, who really treated us like family and helped us so much throughout our trip.

I am pleased to say that all 10 singers sang wonderfully and fared very well in the results. Nathaniel Attard, who sang in the Baby section, won the Critics’ Choice Award and in the Junior section, Raisa Micallef came 1st (on the left) and Milena Bianco came 3rd (on the right).

There were four singers from my group in the Senior section. All sang excellently – Jessica Magro won the Critics’ Choice Award and Emma Muscat came 2nd. Here we all are celebrating on stage after the festival – from left, Emma Muscat, Livia Massa, me, Jolene Samhan and Jessica Magro.

The Head of Jury was none other than the famous backing vocalist of the late Lucio Dalla, Iskra Menarini.  During this trip, she also conducted a master class for all the participants.