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Malta featured in 'The Sound of Europe' concert series

May 18, 2017

Germany's finance ministry opened its doors once more to host a concert of the series "The Sound of Europe." This time, the music of Malta was the star of the event.

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The Sound of Europea - Malta
Image: DW

The Sound of Europe: Malta

Germany's Federal Ministry of Finance in Berlin hosted on Tuesday the eighth concert of a series entitled "The Sound of Europe." This time, the event highlighted the music of Malta, the country that is currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Diverse sounds, diverse people

Representing Malta's two opera houses, tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens and baritone Joseph Lia serenaded the audience with arias while two ensembles, led by Michael Gumbo and Jo Mike Agius respectively, introduced Malta's traditional folk music, called ghana songs, to the Berliners attending the show.

The Valletta International Baroque Ensemble (VIBE) meanwhile showcased music by various Maltese composers, and pop group The Travellers sang its melancholic tunes in both English and Maltese.

Artist Anthony de Giovanni accompanied the evening with live painting.

The eurozone's music

Showcasing music for every taste, from classical music to traditional folklore sounds, and from jazz to pop, the concert series has been taking place for four years now, with a different concert from a selected eurozone country every six months.

"The Sound of Europe" aims not only to highlight the diverse musical traditions of the participating nations, but also to demonstrate the unity of the EU through music.

The concert series has previously highlighted the sounds from Estonia, Latvia, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovakia and the Netherlands. In most cases, the event highlights the country that holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

More than just music

"The Sound of Europe" not only presents musical traditions from across Europe, but also features a discussion on public funding of the arts across the 19 nations of the eurozone, which is why the event is held at the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF).

On this occasion, Maltese Finance Minister Edward Scicluna spoke to his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schäuble at the Erzberger Saal hall at the BMF, stressing the importance of culture as a main aspect of the European Union.

DW is a media partner of the event.

Sertan Sanderson Moderation
Sertan Sanderson DW journalist & human seeking to make sense of the world and understand what motivates other humansSertanSanderson