Dr Lydia Buttigieg is an accomplished and well-sought after piano accompanist, teacher/lecturer and pianist/harpist, and musicologist. Her versatility and experience in performing and teaching spans nearly twenty-five years.

She commenced her musical studies at a very young age where she continued to enhance and develop her advanced technique and interpretation under various distinguished concert pianists, amongst Karen Briscoe White LRSM, the late Lina Zammit LRSM, conductor and pianist Michael Laus LRSM and the late Baron Joseph Drago Cuzkieri Testaferrata LRSM.

Dr Buttigieg furthered her musical studies at the University of Malta, where she graduated B.A. (Hons.) (Melit.) in piano performance in 2004. In 2011, Dr Buttigieg obtained the Fellowship Diploma by the London College of Music (FLCM) in piano accompaniment, and was selected by the examiner to perform during the annual graduation ceremony, held in November 2012 at the Casino Maltese. Dr Buttigieg’s credentials have attained her to obtain several diplomas in piano and harp performance from the Trinity College of London and London College of Music respectively. She was the first in Malta to achieve Grade 6 (Distinction) and ATCL diploma, both self-presented in harp performance by the Trinity College of London in 1997-1998 respectively.

Throughout her musical career, where she performed both as a soloist and accompanist, Dr Buttigieg toured several European countries, such as England, Scotland, Greece, Italy and Germany. She has performed both as a pianist and harpist at various important venues, amongst the President’s Palace at San Anton Gardens (under the then Presidents’ of Malta Prof Guido de Marco and Dr George Abela), St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Sala Isuaord, Imdina Cathedral, and St. James Cavallier. Amongst her various public concerts, Lydia has premiered piano and orchestral works by Carmelo Pace, Dr Gordon Zammit, Raymond Sciberras, Bulgarian composer Atanassov and upcoming recent Maltese composers such as Dr Mariella Cassar Cordina and Albert Garzia.

In January 2014, Dr Buttigieg pursued in record time a Doctorate degree (Ph.D) from the University of Durham, UK, specialising in musicology and theoretical analysis. For her research studies, Dr Buttigieg was sponsored by the Janatha Stubbs Foundation. Dr. Buttigieg is currently teaching Music Knowledge and Understanding (theory, history of music, aural training and solfeggio) and lecturing Diploma in Musicology at the Johann Strauss School of Music Malta. Specialising in theory of music, European history and analysis, research and editorial techniques, and performance practice, Dr Buttigieg’s doctoral thesis focused on the life and works of Maestro Carmelo Pace (a prolific Maltese composer: 1906-1993). Her traditional education in classical music and the unexplored wealth of music that is stored in Malta, amalgamated with her experience in performing, created the basis for her main research interest. Dr Buttigieg is currently investigating and publishing on twentieth-century Maltese music literature and music education. Dr Buttigieg has successfully completed a post-graduate certificate in music psychology in education from the University of Sheffield.

 

Peer-Reviewed Research Papers:

2016 – Malta Review of Educational Research (MRER), Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 317-338.

Music in Maltese State Secondary Schools – Developing the Syllabus and Raising Standards

http://www.mreronline.org/issues/issue-2-december-2016/

 

2015 – Journal of Maltese History – Vol. 4, No.2, pp.37-48.

Origins and Development of a Contemporary Maltese Orchestra: The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra

https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/269906/JMH2015-buttigieg.pdf

 

2013 – The Educator, Issue No. 1, pp. 47-74.

A Short Biography of Maestro Carmelo Pace (1906-1993): a prolific twentieth-century composer, musician and music educator.

http://mut.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/The-Educator-Issue-No-1-2013.pdf

 

Thesis and Dissertation:

2014 – Carmelo Pace (1906-1993): The career and creative achievement of a twentieth-century Maltese composer in social and cultural context.

Ph.D, Music School, University of Durham

http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/view/creators/BUTTIGIEG=3ALYDIA=3A=3A.html

 

2004 – A Piano Recital: Analysis of the work performed.

B.A. (Hons.), Department of Mediterranean Studies, University of Malta,

 

Articles:

2014 – Il-Mument, 26 January, p.34.

Mro Carmelo Pace (1906-1996): Gieħ lill-ewwel kompożitur contemporanju Malti tas-seklu għoxrin

 

2014 Think Magazine, Issue 9, pp. 38-43.

The Unheard Maestro

 

2013 – The Malta Independent on Sunday, 1 September, p.29.

Carmelo Pace (1906-1993): Homage to the first modernist Maltese composer of the 20th century

http://dro.dur.ac.uk/11510/1/11510.pdf?DDD23

 

2010 – The Malta Independent on Sunday, 24 January, p. 26.

Maestro Carmelo Pace and his Atonal Music

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2010-01-24/letters/mro-carmelo-pace-and-his-atonal-music-269353/

 

Programme Notes:

2015 – Carmelo Pace Instrumental Concert, 18 April, Imdina Cathedral.

2015 – JSSOM 40th Anniversary Celebration Concert, 4 June, Maria Assumpta Hall, Hamrun.