The Abbey Music department is very fortunate to be supported by a vastly experienced team of peripatetic teachers. In this feature, we get to know one of them a little better:

Name

Mr Malafronte

What instrument(s) do you teach?

Guitar

When did you discover your love of music?

Seeing my father’s guitar made me very curious about how it felt and sounded. As soon as I started to hear notes and chords being played, there was no turning back!

What advice would you give to young musicians?

Try to learn from everyone, not just your music teachers. It could be a friend that you discuss music with or a programme on tv. If you have an open mind, you’ll never stop learning.

What is your favourite piece of music and why?

That’s far too hard! I really am fascinated by all kinds of music and it can also depend on my mood. Sometimes I might find myself listening to Ravel’s piano concerto, another day I might be listening to a Piazzolla tango and the next day I might be listening to Bob Dylan! All music is truly fantastic and there’s no way I can have a favourite.

What is your funniest musical moment?

When I was a student at Chetham’s School of Music, I was playing in a school guitar quartet. We were performing in a concert and forgot to arrange our music before we went on to perform. Two of us started one piece and the other two began another. Let’s just say it didn’t sound too great!

What is your most memorable musical moment?

I’ve enjoyed some really great musical moments such as performing at amazing venues like the Wigmore Hall and being asked to develop a musical programme based on the artworks of the National Gallery and then perform there. However, the most touching and memorable moments have always been performing in the community. I remember performing at a hospice and afterwards being told that my music had made a difference and even if it was only in some small way, it was by far the most memorable moment.

If you could meet any composer from any point in time, who would it be and why?

It would be extraordinary to have a group meeting with Domenico Scarlatti, J.S. Bach and Jean-Phillipe Rameau. They were some of the wonderful pioneers of the golden baroque era of music and I’m sure it would be a very interesting conversation although we might need some translators!