Violinist Carmine Lauri, co-leader of the London Symphony Orchestra, has been elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.

Mr Lauri's name was put forward to the Academy's Honours Committee and was accepted unanimously.

He will be able to receive this honour from HRH the Duchess of Gloucester at the graduation due to be held in London in June.

Mr Lauri has led various orchestras including the St Martin-in-the-Fields and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

As a representative of the London Symphony Orchestra he has also been invited to perform with the World Orchestra for Peace under Valery Gergiev.

His most recent engagements included the Bruch Violin Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican Centre.

Mr Lauri was recently in Malta where he was one of the soloists engaged by the National Orchestra to play Beethoven's Triple Concerto during a Grand Concert held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech has sent a message of congratulations to Mr Lauri on behalf of the government.