Gorgeous little Malta is a great option for your next music tour. Fantastic weather all year round, incredible performance venues and great audiences made up of friendly locals and foreign tourists - what more could you want?
The ‘Jewel in the Mediterranean’, Malta, offers diverse performance opportunities, including music festivals, performing as part of a Mass in one of the country's dazzling churches, or at one of the country's top tourist sites.
Obviously, one of Malta's great draws is the weather, and it's a great option for getting some much-needed sunshine outside of the summer season. Malta is a small country and easy to get around, so it's possible to see many places without spending too long on a coach.
There are several popular resorts, with the jewels being Valetta and Mdina. These are two lovely old cities in which to wander, shop and eat. Mix in boat trips to Gozo, some time on the beach, or even a visit to the catacombs, and you can be certain your tour will be full of lifelong memories.
The people are really warm and friendly, and most speak excellent English. Using the same plugs and even driving on the same side of the road makes this a very easy trip for British school groups.
Where can we perform in Malta?
Being a predominantly Catholic country, Malta's really great for choirs with both sacred and secular repertoires, as there are so many churches and cathedrals that invite touring groups to perform.
Valletta is the home of many of the best venues, with churches such as St. Paul's the Shipwreck, which boasts a beautiful interior with painted ceilings and columns. Choirs can perform concerts here (and you can even perform as part of a Mass, if you wanted to).
Malta's also a great choice for bands, with plenty of vibrant squares available for evening performances. There's St. George's Square and its dancing fountains, or the Fallen Theatre (right in the centre of Valletta, this is a purpose-built stage theatre in the ruins of an ancient theatre destroyed in WW2).
Many towns have festivals that you can perform in, too.
One really iconic performance opportunity is at the Upper Barrakka Gardens. These lovely gardens overlook the bay and the 'Three Cities' and are one of the most popular tourist sites in Valletta. Cannons are fired from below the gardens, signalling the start of your performance, surrounded by throngs of tourists.
