The Three Palaces Festval 2026 - …and other stories: Toy Piano Corner for 5 toy pianos
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Tricia Dawn Williams, piano
Fiorella Camilleri, flute
Karol Aquilina, guitar
Synopsis
Within the ancient fortifications of St James Cavalier in Valletta, musical stories unfold in a place that carries stories of its own. Piazzolla and Zgraja transport us through the living traditions of tango and flamenco, while the Toy Piano Corner opens miniature worlds of memory, imagination and play. Yet not every story is known in advance: another voice may enter, another chapter may emerge, leaving space for the unexpected. Across cultures and generations, through grand journeys and fleeting vignettes, the programme explores music as storytelling—where past and present, place and memory, the monumental and the miniature, the known and the unknown come together in sound.
Fiorella Camilleri - flautist
Fiorella Camilleri is a Maltese flautist, chamber musician and cultural practitioner who has built a versatile career spanning orchestral, chamber and cross-cultural music. She has been Sub-Principal Flute and Piccolo with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra since 2004, performing extensively in Malta and internationally. A passionate advocate of chamber music, Fiorella has collaborated with musicians from Europe, Latin America and beyond, exploring classical, contemporary, tango, Cuban and world music. She is the founder and member of several ensembles and projects, including the Catal flute and guitar duo with Cuban guitarist Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas, Cinco Flores with Mexican guitarist Andrés González Najera, and the Arcana Quintet, dedicated to the music of Astor Piazzolla. Her international engagements have included performances at Mumbai’s Mood Indigo Festival, as well as projects and concerts in Cuba, Italy, Japan and Sweden.
Her artistic work is strongly connected to cultural diplomacy and intercultural exchange. In Japan, she led a Malta Arts Fund-supported research project exploring connections between Maltese and Japanese traditional music, reflecting her interest in using music as a bridge between cultures. Fiorella holds a Master’s degree in Flute Performance from the Istituto Pareggiato Orazio Vecchi Tonelli in Modena, Italy, and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Malta. She has further developed her artistry through masterclasses with internationally renowned flautists and orchestral principals. She continues to combine performance, education, research and cultural collaboration in her artistic practice.
Karol Aquilina - guitarist
Karol Aquilina is a Maltese concert guitarist specialising in Classical and Flamenco music. His musical journey began at an early age under the guidance of his father, Jorge Aquilina, a classical and flamenco guitarist, continuing a family tradition established by his grandfather, the late Carmelo Aquilina.
Driven by a passion for the guitar, Karol has developed extensive expertise in both Classical and Flamenco music, mastering intricate techniques, rhythms, palos and falsetas. He regularly performs as a soloist and alongside his father, while also collaborating with instrumentalists, vocalists, choirs and internationally recognised opera singers. He also regularly performs with various Flamenco dancers. In 2024, Karol won first prize in Classical Guitar at the inaugural Malta Concerto Competition. In 2025, he performed as a soloist with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Manoel Theatre, accompanying international opera singers. He also performed Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Guitar Concerto with the Malta Philharmonic and Youth Orchestra, followed by Joaquín Rodrigo’s
Concierto de Aranjuez.
In March 2026, Karol performed with internationally renowned opera singers in Verdi’s Falstaff at the Manoel Theatre. He has also performed internationally with his father, including in Abu Dhabi, and collaborated with him on Alex Camilleri’s film Żejtune, contributing to its soundtrack and performing in various scenes.
Karol holds advanced qualifications in Music Theory and Composition and Performance, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the University of Malta. He has also immersed himself in other instruments, including piano and saxophone. Composition has become an important part of his musical career, with numerous original works written in different styles and forms for solo guitar, chamber ensembles, concerts and special events. He regularly performs his own compositions and continues to develop new works for a variety of musical projects. He also regularly performs recitals at prestigious venues, such as Villa Corinthia, among others.
Tricia Dawn Williams - pianist
Tricia Dawn Williams is a Maltese pianist of Irish and Welsh descent who is known for applying multimedia innovation and experimental technologies to contemporary music. She creates immersive performances blending video art, electronic soundscapes and extended piano techniques that include motion-capture technology via the MYO band. Her international career features landmark performances at venues including Les Invalides (Paris), Kennedy Center of Performing Arts (Washington) Montreal’s Satosphère. A champion of new music, she has commissioned and premiered the work of various composers and earned international recognition for her project Transition, selected for the Classical:Next live showcase in 2019 among 11 major innovative projects. Williams has also developed an international following among toy piano enthusiasts. Recent highlights include the Kinderklavier Concerto with the Brno Contemporary Orchestra and the ToyPiano+ project, involving 13 composers and video artists
The Three Palaces Festival returns between the 27th October and 1st November. 🎭
For more tickets and information visit www.festivals.mt/ttp
The Three Palaces Festival is organised by Festivals Malta, with the support of the Ministry for the Arts, Culture and National Heritage. Sponsored by Schweppes
Fiorella Camilleri, flute
Karol Aquilina, guitar
Synopsis
Within the ancient fortifications of St James Cavalier in Valletta, musical stories unfold in a place that carries stories of its own. Piazzolla and Zgraja transport us through the living traditions of tango and flamenco, while the Toy Piano Corner opens miniature worlds of memory, imagination and play. Yet not every story is known in advance: another voice may enter, another chapter may emerge, leaving space for the unexpected. Across cultures and generations, through grand journeys and fleeting vignettes, the programme explores music as storytelling—where past and present, place and memory, the monumental and the miniature, the known and the unknown come together in sound.
Fiorella Camilleri - flautist
Fiorella Camilleri is a Maltese flautist, chamber musician and cultural practitioner who has built a versatile career spanning orchestral, chamber and cross-cultural music. She has been Sub-Principal Flute and Piccolo with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra since 2004, performing extensively in Malta and internationally. A passionate advocate of chamber music, Fiorella has collaborated with musicians from Europe, Latin America and beyond, exploring classical, contemporary, tango, Cuban and world music. She is the founder and member of several ensembles and projects, including the Catal flute and guitar duo with Cuban guitarist Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas, Cinco Flores with Mexican guitarist Andrés González Najera, and the Arcana Quintet, dedicated to the music of Astor Piazzolla. Her international engagements have included performances at Mumbai’s Mood Indigo Festival, as well as projects and concerts in Cuba, Italy, Japan and Sweden.
Her artistic work is strongly connected to cultural diplomacy and intercultural exchange. In Japan, she led a Malta Arts Fund-supported research project exploring connections between Maltese and Japanese traditional music, reflecting her interest in using music as a bridge between cultures. Fiorella holds a Master’s degree in Flute Performance from the Istituto Pareggiato Orazio Vecchi Tonelli in Modena, Italy, and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Malta. She has further developed her artistry through masterclasses with internationally renowned flautists and orchestral principals. She continues to combine performance, education, research and cultural collaboration in her artistic practice.
Karol Aquilina - guitarist
Karol Aquilina is a Maltese concert guitarist specialising in Classical and Flamenco music. His musical journey began at an early age under the guidance of his father, Jorge Aquilina, a classical and flamenco guitarist, continuing a family tradition established by his grandfather, the late Carmelo Aquilina.
Driven by a passion for the guitar, Karol has developed extensive expertise in both Classical and Flamenco music, mastering intricate techniques, rhythms, palos and falsetas. He regularly performs as a soloist and alongside his father, while also collaborating with instrumentalists, vocalists, choirs and internationally recognised opera singers. He also regularly performs with various Flamenco dancers. In 2024, Karol won first prize in Classical Guitar at the inaugural Malta Concerto Competition. In 2025, he performed as a soloist with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Manoel Theatre, accompanying international opera singers. He also performed Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Guitar Concerto with the Malta Philharmonic and Youth Orchestra, followed by Joaquín Rodrigo’s
Concierto de Aranjuez.
In March 2026, Karol performed with internationally renowned opera singers in Verdi’s Falstaff at the Manoel Theatre. He has also performed internationally with his father, including in Abu Dhabi, and collaborated with him on Alex Camilleri’s film Żejtune, contributing to its soundtrack and performing in various scenes.
Karol holds advanced qualifications in Music Theory and Composition and Performance, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the University of Malta. He has also immersed himself in other instruments, including piano and saxophone. Composition has become an important part of his musical career, with numerous original works written in different styles and forms for solo guitar, chamber ensembles, concerts and special events. He regularly performs his own compositions and continues to develop new works for a variety of musical projects. He also regularly performs recitals at prestigious venues, such as Villa Corinthia, among others.
Tricia Dawn Williams - pianist
Tricia Dawn Williams is a Maltese pianist of Irish and Welsh descent who is known for applying multimedia innovation and experimental technologies to contemporary music. She creates immersive performances blending video art, electronic soundscapes and extended piano techniques that include motion-capture technology via the MYO band. Her international career features landmark performances at venues including Les Invalides (Paris), Kennedy Center of Performing Arts (Washington) Montreal’s Satosphère. A champion of new music, she has commissioned and premiered the work of various composers and earned international recognition for her project Transition, selected for the Classical:Next live showcase in 2019 among 11 major innovative projects. Williams has also developed an international following among toy piano enthusiasts. Recent highlights include the Kinderklavier Concerto with the Brno Contemporary Orchestra and the ToyPiano+ project, involving 13 composers and video artists
The Three Palaces Festival returns between the 27th October and 1st November. 🎭
For more tickets and information visit www.festivals.mt/ttp
The Three Palaces Festival is organised by Festivals Malta, with the support of the Ministry for the Arts, Culture and National Heritage. Sponsored by Schweppes
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Where is it happening?
Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta - SMOM, Valletta, Malta
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherThe Three Palaces Festival
