Music performances and interdisciplinary performances by Renzo Spiteri Audio Music albums & recordings Aug 2024 Feb 2021 Nov 2020 May 2020 Jul 2015 Nov 2011

An original score composed for a contemporary dance company, inspired by Mallarmé’s symbolist poem and Debussy’s scoring of Prélude à l’Après-midi d’Un Faune. Anima/Animus Inspired by Mallarmé’s symbolist poem and Debussy’s scoring of Prélude à l’Après-midi d’Un Faune, Anima/Animus is a contemporary narrative and music adaptation which, like the sources motivating it, seeks to push the boundaries of creative technique into new listening experiences for the audience. The original composition considers the symbolic associations of the instruments and phrases in Debussy’s work and builds them into an archetypal story about self and shadow, masculine and feminine, anima and animus, desire and defeat. The piece uses sound as the primary platform through which to tell the story as the audience is invited to travel across six sections entitled ‘Home’, ‘Desire’, ‘Dream’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Fate’, ‘Return’. Whilst ‘Home’ situates the nymphs and the audience close to the sea in a move suggestive that one of the nymphs may indeed be the Calypso of Homer’s Ogygia, ‘Desire’ and ‘Dream’ tell a coming of age story in which the faun reaches outwards exploring, through his imagination, the different possibilities that his surroundings offer him. What he finds surprises him and through a series of primal struggles with himself and Calypso he encounters his ‘Shadow’ and ‘Fate’. The return ‘Home’ is not so much a return to a geographical place, although the sounds of the sea remind us of the beginning of this story, but rather it is a space in which self and other come together, each having grown through the adventures experienced. The piece uses sound as the primary platform through which to tell the story as the audience is invited to travel across six sections entitled ‘Home’, ‘Desire’, ‘Dream’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Fate’, ‘Return’. Whilst ‘Home’ situates the nymphs and the audience close to the sea in a move suggestive that one of the nymphs may indeed be the Calypso of Homer’s Ogygia, ‘Desire’ and ‘Dream’ tell a coming of age story in which the faun reaches outwards exploring, through his imagination, the different possibilities that his surroundings offer him. What he finds surprises him and through a series of primal struggles with himself and Calypso he encounters his ‘Shadow’ and ‘Fate’. The return ‘Home’ is not so much a return to a geographical place, although the sounds of the sea remind us of the beginning of this story, but rather it is a space in which self and other come together, each having grown through the adventures experienced. Anima/Animus is as symbolist and multisensory in nature as the work it draws on, innovatively combining the archetypal and abstract with a resonant cultural, social and artistic set of codes, allowing engagement with the piece to be different each time. Anima/Animus was released in July 2015 and is available for purchase as a physical CD, and for streaming and download on all digital platforms including Bandcamp , Amazon Music, Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. "Just by listening to the first track, 'Shadow' I was taken to a deep place of the soul.... an exploration. I can say that I am always touched deeply by the sounds you create." Dorothy M. Project type Music Album Credits Created, recorded and produced by Renzo Spiteri. Total time: 56:09 Cover photo: Lauren Raine Acknowledgements Anima/Animus was commissioned by ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble (Malta's National Contemporary Dance Company) as the musical score for Je Tiens La Reine, a contemporary dance adaptation of Mallarmé’s 1876 L’Après-midi d’un Faune and Debussy’s 1894 Prèlude a L’Après-midi d’un Faune. Je Tiens La Reine was premiered during Malta International Arts Festival 2015. Events Album released July 2015.

Music composed for the solo dance piece, Hieligenstadt - Another World Inside, commissiones by The Three Palaces Festival 2020, Malta. Beyond Sense Inspired by Beethoven’s The Hieligenstadt Testament, the music is an expression of the tensions between an inner and outer self, a within and without. The experiential self is in a divide, where the within can hear the music, can feel what the inner world is all about and can negotiate with that reality. On the outside, the experience is of suffering, of loss and of fragility. My music for this project conveys the emotions, the tensions and releases of a being in this state of loss, of isolation and desire. It’s very rhythmic and unsettling at times and there’s an element of aggression that comes as a result of the desire to release tensions that are building inside a person who is experiencing suffering, despair and loneliness. I also used filtering processes as a reflection of the auditory frequencies that we start losing in different stages of our lives but which, naturally, are more aggressive in someone who is becoming deaf. The filtering of sounds at times leaves us with very muted sound textures and this is a concept that I sought to develop in two of the three tracks, ‘Within Without’ and ‘You Wrong Me’. The major source of inspiration was the testament itself. Over the countless times that I read this letter, different layers, thoughts and inspirations emerged. Through a continuous level of engagement with the writing, I knew that I needed to commit myself to giving this writing a new life, a new perspective that although coming from the early 1800s, is relevant in this present age. In my head, the letter started morphing into a score. And like a music score, the printed notes can only become alive through interpretation and performance. This is exactly how I felt about the Hieligenstadt Testament, sonically conveyed in the particular treatment and the sculpturing of words and phrases from the text as sound within an inner headspace. The music is born out of these thought processes and is a journey of struggles and of disquiet until, at the end with ‘A Dark Sense’, the music conveys a reflection on the idea of surrender, of filtering emotional conflicts as a solution that would ‘free me from a state of endless suffering’. Beyond Sense was released in November 2020 and is available for streaming and download on all digital platforms including Bandcamp , Amazon Music, Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. "The music rages, deliberately discordant at times, with Spiteri’s flawless technique and an innate affinity for exalting contemporary sounds, revealing layers of beauty. The work as a whole, which is Spiteri’s composition, is pulsating and introspective at the same time. Spiteri is masterful in his craft and artistry, creating a work that is as powerful as what it is trying to convey." Ramona Depares, www.ramonadepares.com Project type Music Album Credits Created, recorded and produced by Renzo Spiteri at Orange Dot Studios, Shetland. Total time: 18:10 Cover photo: Renzo Spiteri Acknowledgements Beyond Sense carries the music composed for the solo dance piece, Hieligenstadt - Another World Inside commissioned by The Three Palaces Festival 2020, Malta. Events Album released November 2020.

A contemporary solo percussion performance inspired by prehistoric sites spread across The Maltese Islands. Silence Sounds and Spaces solo performance Silence, Sounds and Spaces is a contemporary concept project inspired by prehistoric sites spread across the Maltese Islands. What began as a commission by Heritage Malta (the Maltese national agency for Museums, Conservation Practice and Cultural Heritage) to score music to the visitors' audio guide of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), developed into the release of a music album , and the presentation of a series of solo percussion performances in Malta, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. "Silence Sounds and Spaces is about creating a painting in notes and sounds through a transparent and simple score. The music is a tapestry of sounds overlaying each other, weaving ideas together." Renzo Spiteri Photos: Nick Critien shot at St James Cavalier, Valletta (Malta). Project type Music | Solo percussion performance Created by Created, performed and produced by Renzo Spiteri Events Premiere performance and CD launch: November 2011, St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta (Malta). Other performances: Studio de l'Ermitage, Paris, France (November 2012), held in collaboration with The Embassy of Malta in Paris and the Cultural Diplomacy Fund Passionskirche, Berlin, Germany (November 2012), held in collaboration with the Embassy of Malta in Berlin and the Cultural Diplomacy Fund Chapel Arts Centre, Bath, UK (June 2012), supported by National Lottery Good Causes Fund Acorn Arts Centre, Penzance, UK (June 2012), supported by National Lottery Good Causes Fund John Moore Theatre, Worcester, UK (May 2012), supported by National Lottery Good Causes Fund European Graduate School Annual Conference, Malta (April 2012)

Music performances and interdisciplinary performances by Renzo Spiteri Production & Sound Installations Ambient sound composition, field recordings, sound design & sound installations As a freelance sound recordist, ambient sound composer and sound designer, I have developed my craft over years of experience in the field and have a passion for capturing the essence of environments around the globe. Location sound is my primary focus, and I am available to record sounds that are specific to a production - whether capturing wildlife in their natural habitats or the vibrant pulse of cultural festivities, I strive to convey the true essence of each location with authenticity and depth. My portfolio spans a diverse range of projects, including film soundtracks, nature documentaries, sound installations and immersive audio experiences, in which I have been commissioned as composer, sound recordist, and/or sound designer. Working from my own professionally-equipped studio, I approach each project with a creative vision and can have meaningful and productive conversations with production companies and commissioning agencies to deliver bespoke end-products and rich palettes of audio textures to enhance projects. I have spent several years travelling to diverse landscapes and cultures, meticulously documenting natural and urban soundscapes. As a result I have amassed a vast collection of high-quality audio recordings that span a wide spectrum of environments and atmospheres and that are readily available for purchase. Contact me for kit list and rates. Billy & Molly Film | Sound Recordist Music in Malta: From Prehistory to Vinyl Exhibition | Audio Production & Sound Design Sonic Interactions Audio / Video Works Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum Audioguide | Composition, Audio Production & Sound Design

A commission by Heritage Malta to score music for the visitors' audio guide of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum audio guide Project Info Creation of the visitors' audio guide for the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Project type Audioguide Produced by Heritage Malta, 2007 Role in Project Field recordings, composition, audio production and sound design Location Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Malta In 2007, I was commissioned by Heritage Malta (the national agency for museums, conservation practice and cultural heritage) to score music for the visitors' audio guide of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Hypogeum is an underground burial complex which was in use between 4000 BC and 1500BC. Covering a remarkable 500 square metres, it is a unique monument, consisting of halls, chambers and passages hewn out of globigerina limestone. The complex is dug in three levels, with the site users digging deeper as space became limited. All the sounds heard during the introductory sequence and throughout the audio guide were recorded during a three-week period working and experimenting inside the Hypogeum. I had the opportunity to spend quite a few solitary nights enthralled by the mysteries that shroud this magnificent site. The unique space, the particular environment, the known and the unknown, chambers that vibrate and resonate so splendidly- these were all factors that have inspired me to put together this contemporary score. I have played the barest of ‘instrumentation’ using materials such as stone, clay, wood and voice in keeping with the particular soundscape that I wanted to create for this Hypogeum. The music heard at every stop of the guided tour has been recorded in that specific area. I felt that this would enhance the experience of each particular space. Part of the music of the audio guide is available on the CD SILENCE SOUNDS AND SPACES (2011) which also features music inspired by and recorded on site at the various archaeological sites spread across the Maltese Islands. This work also led to the creation of a solo percussion performance that toured the UK and mainland Europe. Photos: Gaby Giacchino shot at Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Malta.

A contemporary concept album featuring unique on-site recordings at prehistoric sites of The Maltese Islands,
 including music from the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (a UNESCO World Heritage site) audio guide. Silence Sounds and Spaces music album Silence Sounds and Spaces is a contemporary concept album featuring unique on-site recordings at Prehistoric Sites of The Maltese Islands,
 including music from the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (a UNESCO World Heritage site) audio guide. Silence, Sounds and Spaces is a contemporary concept project inspired by the prehistoric sites spread across the Maltese Islands. What began as a commission by Heritage Malta (the national agency for museums, conservation practice and cultural heritage) to score music to the visitors' audio guide of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), developed into the release of a music album, and the presentation of a series of solo percussion concerts in Malta, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. In Renzo's words: "All the sounds heard during the introductory sequence and throughout the Hypogeum audio guide were recorded during a three-week period working and experimenting inside the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. I had the opportunity to spend quite a few solitary nights enthralled by the mysteries that shroud this magnificent site. The unique space, the particular environment, the known and the unknown, chambers that vibrate and resonate so splendidly- these were all factors that have inspired me to put together this contemporary score. I have played the barest of ‘instrumentation’ using materials such as stone, clay, wood and voice in keeping with the particular soundscape that I wanted to create for the Hypogeum." Created, produced and performed by Renzo, Silence, Sounds and Spaces is best described as art music with rich, engaging and deeply expressive soundscapes, and a skilful blend of unique on-site recordings at the various neolithic sites (including Ghar Dalam, Ggantija temples, Hagar Qim temples and the Hypogeum), an extraordinary world of sounds and the use of non-conventional instruments to evoke powerful visuals of Malta’s stunning archaeological sites. The result is a “chilling, mysterious, and forward-thinking musical journey” that draws listeners in to Renzo’s personal musical universe. Silence Sounds and Spaces was released in November 2011 and is available for purchase as a physical CD , and for streaming and download on all digital platforms including Bandcamp , Amazon Music, Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. Photos: Gaby Giacchino shot at various neolithic sites in Malta. Project type Music album Credits Music: created and produced by Renzo Spiteri Additional mix & mastering: Andrew J.Jones, 2bit Studios, London (UK) Total time: 42:20 Acknowledgements With thanks to Heritage Malta for granting access to the various neolithic sites in Malta (including Ghar Dalam, Ggantija temples, Hagar Qim temples and the Hypogeum) allowing on-site recordings. Events Album released November 2011.

A contemplative sonic narrative that combines music, spoken word, soundscapes and field recordings of the natural environment gleaned from different locations in The Shetland Islands. Drift Into An Elsewhere Drift Into An Elsewhere is a contemplative sonic narrative capturing the deep connection between human emotion and nature through music, soundscapes and field recordings of the natural environment of Shetland. Drift Into An Elsewhere is a quiet, contemplative and meditative sonic experience. Working with percussion, electronics, soundscapes, spoken word and field recordings of the natural environment in Shetland, Renzo brings in his own unique sound to explore the deep connection between music, human emotion and nature. The compositions seek to capture and convey uplifting emotional musical narrative that embodies the themes of hope, resilience, community spirit, collective strength and a profound connection with nature. The creative process and the end product act as a sonic exploration of these themes, weaving a musical tapestry that celebrates life, that reflects the strength, resilience and unity demonstrated by Shetland islanders, either as individuals or communities, during and beyond challenging times of the COVID19 pandemic. The incorporation of sounds from nature from various outdoor locations around Shetland offer a unique and evocative layer, symbolising healing and renewal, creating a connection between the work and the broader themes of life's cyclical nature. Using soft, ambient, layered sounds, Renzo invites listeners to immerse themselves in this body of work and to be transported to an elsewhere, offering a reflective experience that crosses boundaries of music, improvisation and performance. Drift Into An Elsewhere was released in August 2024 and is available for purchase as a physical CD, and for streaming and download on all digital platforms including Bandcamp , Amazon Music, Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. In February 2023, five Shetland-based artists were commissioned to create works that captured the experiences, during the first Covid lockdown, of people living in The Shetland Islands. The creation of these works was documented, resulting in the creation of a COVID memorial for Shetland - a book titled Mindin’ Tagidder - which formed part of Remembering Together, a nationwide project commissioned by greenspace scotland with funding from the Scottish Government, delivered by Shetland Arts Development Agency in partnership with Shetland Island’s Council. Below is an extract from the book that documents the creation of Drift Into An Elsewhere, Renzo's artistic contribution for this project. Photos: Gaby Giacchino shot at St Ninian's Tombolo (Bigton), Noss Sound (Bressay) and Lerwick. Project type Music album Credits Music & text by Renzo Spiteri, performed by: Renzo Spiteri: percussion, electronics, field recordings Annalie Irvine: violin Natalie Cairns-Ratter: violin Clare Rickets: viola Sophie Wishart: cello Billy Mail: voice on tracks 3 & 6 Osla Jamwal-Fraser: voice on track 4 Brett Culp appearing on track 1 by kind permission. Composed, recorded, mixed & produced by Renzo Spiteri at Orange Dot Studio Shetland, May 2024 Strings & additional percussion recorded at Mareel Recording Studio, Shetland; engineer: Tim Matthew Total time: 33:00 Acknowledgements Drift Into An Elsewhere is part of Shetland's Remembering Together project, funded by Scottish government and delivered through greenspace Scotland, Shetland Islands Council and Shetland Arts. Events Album released August 2024.

Music performances and interdisciplinary performances by Renzo Spiteri Live Events Music performances and interdisciplinary collaborations Nordic Resonance Music | Experimental / Improvised Terra Verunt Contemporary Dance / Theatre Now Here | Nowhere Sound & Spoken Word Heiligenstadt Contemporary Dance Nordic Nights Music & Storytelling Silence Sounds & Spaces Music | Solo Percussion The Eyland Project Music | Folk/World

From A Silence Within merges music, and selected field and hydrophone recordings, gleaned from Noss and Noss Sound in Shetland. From A Silence Within My work explores the inter-relationship between silence, the spatiality of nature’s sounds, presence, perception, and focused listening. From A Silence Within merges selected field and hydrophone recordings, gleaned from Noss and Noss Sound, and my music. As often happens with sites around Shetland that inspire my work, I am drawn by what I observe and what I listen to around me as I wander through the particular atmospheres of Noss, and the Sound that separates Noss and the island of Bressay. Personally, it’s inevitable that such elements find their way into my music. The minimalistic sound textures that I immerse myself in - from bird calls to sheep and the sea - feed into the creation of From A Silence Within. As I spend more time walking along Noss Sound observing Noss from different viewpoints, the more profound my experience of it becomes. This work expresses an interpretation of such experiences. A sound texture that tickles our memory of time and space, a play on the real and illusionary while engaging with the wonderful richness of Noss and its immediate surroundings. From A Silence Within was released in May 2020 and is available for streaming and download on all digital platforms including Bandcamp , Amazon Music, Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. In Tune with Nature was judged by a panel of well-known faces from the Scottish music industry, including Julie Fowlis, Vic Galloway, Gill Maxwell and Karine Polwart: "This is great, I love the approach! Lots going on, and a beautiful vibe. Atmospheric soundscapes." "Love the hydrophone sound and watery textures - undeniably of the place." "Minimalist, percussion and ambient, I will be seeking out more of his music. " Project type Digital track Credits Created, recorded and produced by Renzo Spiteri at Orange Dot Studios, Shetland. Total time: 05:07 Cover photo: Renzo Spiteri Acknowledgements From A Silence Within placed in the top three entries in the competition In Tune With Nature: Noss Category , organised by Nature Scot and Fèis Rois as part of the celebrations for Year of Coasts and Waters 2020/2021. Events Track released May 2020.

A contemplative work commissioned by An Lanntair (Isle of Lewis), part of The Hebridean Dark Skies Festival 2021. Under Dark Blue Skies "Such a beautiful journey. [...] Every time I hear it the experience seems to change." Annalise F. "It’s lovely! So nice to listen with my headphones. Felt like I was bathing in icy audio. I love the delicate parts around 15:00. Chimes and water droplets. I was picturing the ice crystals we’ve had on our window in Helsinki - creeping up the glass as the sun goes down." Chris. B. Under Dark Blue Skies is an immersive and contemplative work inspired by periods of deep listening during certain times of the day. From the forewarnings of heavy rains to the still nights under clear skies, shades of dark blue often make me stop and listen to sonic events around me. For this composition I used a variety of sounds gleaned during winter on Shetland, from the most present to the minutest. Different atmospheric conditions, and the randomness of a plurality of sound events that reach my ears every time I am listening and recording, have inspired me to shape this composition. From lochs with creaking icy surfaces to windy nights, whooper swans and clacking pebbles, I sought to create a tapestry of sounds within which I interweaved sparsely employed delicate percussion instruments, vibraphone and electronics. I invite listeners to make themselves comfortable and, for twenty minutes, immerse themselves in this short journey under dark blue skies. Due to the nature of this work, the use of headphones/speakers/earphones is highly recommended. Under Dark Blue Skies was released in February 2021 and is available for streaming and download on all digital platforms including Bandcamp , Amazon Music, Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify. Project type Digital track Credits Created, recorded and produced by Renzo Spiteri at Orange Dot Studios, Shetland. Total time: 22:18 Cover photo: Renzo Spiteri Acknowledgements Under Dark Blue Skies was commissioned by An Lanntair as part of The Hebridean Dark Skies Festival 2021. Events Track released February 2021.

A solo contemporary dance work that draws inspiration from Beethoven’s The Heiligenstadt Testament written in 1802. Heiligenstadt Another World Inside Heiligenstadt – Another World Inside is a multi-disciplinary performance and contemporary solo dance work that celebrated Beethoven’s 250th anniversary. The work drew inspiration from Beethoven’s The Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter that Beethoven penned to his two brothers in 1802, the topic being his despair at his increasing deafness. "The music rages, deliberately discordant at times, with Spiteri’s flawless technique and an innate affinity for exalting contemporary sounds, revealing layers of beauty. The work as a whole, which is Spiteri’s composition, is pulsating and introspective at the same time. Spiteri is masterful in his craft and artistry, creating a work that is as powerful as what it is trying to convey." Ramona Depares, www.ramonadepares.com Beethoven’s The Hieligenstadt Testament acts as a framework for Beyond Sense , the music that I composed for the solo dance piece, Hieligenstadt - Another World Inside. It is a revealing testament, a first-hand experience by Beethoven, but it is also a reality that human beings go through even presently. The music that is heard in one’s head is muted on the outside. A longing to reach to the outside transforms into despair, in the knowledge that, in most cases, this is a perpetual hinderance. The music is an expression of the tensions between an inner and outer self, a within and without. The experiential self is in a divide, where the within can hear the music, can feel what the inner world is all about and can negotiate with that reality. On the outside, the experience is of suffering, of loss and of fragility. My music for this project conveys the emotions, the tensions and releases of a being in this state of loss, of isolation and desire. It’s very rhythmic and unsettling at times and there’s an element of aggression that comes as a result of the desire to release tensions that are building inside a person who is experiencing suffering, despair and loneliness. I also used filtering processes as a reflection of the auditory frequencies that we start losing in different stages of our lives but which, naturally, are more aggressive in someone who is becoming deaf. The filtering of sounds at times leaves us with very muted sound textures and this is a concept that I sought to develop in two of the three tracks, ‘Within Without’ and ‘You Wrong Me’. The major source of inspiration was the testament itself. Over the countless times that I read this letter, different layers, thoughts and inspirations emerged. Through a continuous level of engagement with the writing, I knew that I needed to commit myself to giving this writing a new life, a new perspective that although coming from the early 1800s, is relevant in this present age. In my head, the letter started morphing into a score. And like a music score, the printed notes can only become alive through interpretation and performance. This is exactly how I felt about the Hieligenstadt Testament, sonically conveyed in the particular treatment and the sculpturing of words and phrases from the text as sound within an inner headspace. The music is born out of these thought processes and is a journey of struggles and of disquiet until, at the end with ‘A Dark Sense’, the music conveys a reflection on the idea of surrender, of filtering emotional conflicts as a solution that would ‘free me from a state of endless suffering’. Photos: Emma Tranter Project type Multi-disciplinary, contemporary dance Created by Music Composition, Production & Sound Design: Renzo Spiteri Choreography and light design: Francesca Tranter Dancer: Zoe Camilleri Orchestral score and original concept: Michelle Castelletti Voice: Antony Edridge Filming: Jean-Paul Caruana, Emma Tranter Acknowledgements Premiere performance part of The Three Palaces Festival Malta, November 2020