‘I believe in contributing to a team of players, rather than just blending in’ - Carmine Lauri’s life lessons

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My first influence was my uncle who lived next to us in the town of Paola, Malta. He would come over to play his violin with my sister, who played the piano. I was two at the time and always wanted to join in, so I would go to the kitchen, take two wooden spoons and pretend to play with them. My parents got the message and I began lessons at four. I grew up in a very musical family and still remember the hot summers with both my sister and cousin next door practising piano with the windows wide open. Add my practising on top of that and we never left our poor neighbours in peace!

Recordings were another huge influence. Classical music over the radio was limited in Malta at the time, so whenever family came from abroad, they would bring me cassettes or LPs. I distinctly remember being lent an LP of the young Jascha Heifetz playing virtuoso repertoire. I was inspired by his phenomenal playing and didn’t sleep at all that night. Listening to music remains one of my greatest passions…