Maria's Biography
Maltese pianist, Maria Blanco, was the winner of the 1999 Young Musicians National Competition and the 10th Bice-Mizzi Vassallo Music Competition in Malta, 2005.
Most recently she has been awarded
the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme to read for a Masters in Music at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
And from where she is studying with Carole Presland.
Maria performs regularly both as a soloist and chamber musician.
She has given various concerts in Malta as well as in England, Wales, Hungary, Holland and Virginia (USA).
As a chamber musician she
Maria previously studied with Michael Laus at the University of Malta, from where she graduated in 2002 with a first class BA (Hons).
She then continued to specialise in piano performance at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.
And from where she studied with Balázs Szokolay, and had chamber music lessons with members of the Bartók Quartet.
She has also attended various music festivals and participated in masterclasses including those with Andrew Ball, Marcel Baudet, Philippe Cassard, Brian Schembri and Anna Balakerskaia.
Performances
has played with string and wind quartets, collaborated with other pianists.
And accompanied both singers and instrumentalists from various countries.
Her repertoire ranges from the early Baroque to a variety of twentieth-century music.
She has a special interest in contemporary Maltese composers, and has often premiered music by Charles Camilleri, included the Piano Quintet ‘Requiem for the Massacred’ which she premiered in the UK in 2001.
In September 2006 Maria made her debut as a soloist with the Malta National Orchestra, conducted by Brian Schembri, to great public and critical acclaim.
