MICHAEL PIROTTA

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Michael Pirotta started his musical career during his teenage years at the Peace Band Club of Naxxar. He joined the band back in 1985 and furthered his clarinet studies privately with the renowned Maltese virtuoso Freddie Mizzi. Under Mizzi’s tuition he obtained various diplomas, including a Fellow from the London College and a Licentiate from the Trinity College. During the same time Michael Pirotta won “Musician of the Year” award twice in 1996 and 1998 in a local competition organised by the Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce. This enabled him to further his studies abroad at the London College of Music with Linda Merrick and David Campbell. Back in Malta, Pirotta started to teach clarinet at the “Johann Strauss” School of Music in Valletta and joined on various occasions the Malta National Orchestra. He had the opportunity to play with the Orchestra as a soloist and also joined a newly founded clarinet
quartet under the supervision of the late Ronnie De Battista. “The Valette” clarinet quartet was very active locally and travelled to Germany back in 2000 to deliver numerous concerts. Michael participated regularly as a soloist in the “Malta Cultural Institute” and other established venues promoting works penned by Maltese composers like Carmelo Pace, Charles Camilleri, and Joseph Vella. Pirotta’s clarinet career spans over three decades in which he met various international figures and till today he is active in chamber music and teaches woodwind at the Leone Philharmonic Band in Victoria, Gozo. Pirotta is also establishing himself as a budding composer under the supervision of the prolific Maltese composer Ray Sciberras, under whose guidance he obtained an A Mus TCL in 2021 and an LLCM in composition in 2023. Recently, Michael also studied at the University of Malta under the guidance of numerous professors, namely Professor Michael Laus. Professor Laus’ enthusiasm for the piano influenced Pirotta to give birth to ‘Constellations’. Michael Pirotta is weaving his clarinet career with that of composition and up to this date heis the author of various other chamber works, including an elaborate clarinet quartet  and various other pieces for wind band. This year, Michael’s solo trumpet work and wind band under the name of ‘Due Amici’ is much in vogue. Occasionally Michael has consultation lessons with Geoffrey Thomas and in the coming months he will be having a new experience as a Maestro di Capella in a modest chapel.