Efforts to set up music academy continuing

Efforts for the setting up of a music academy are continuing, even though efforts to secure EU funding and assistance from Mro Roccardo Muti have not been successful.

The Ministry of Education and Culture said the proposed academy would group existing elements such as the School of Music and the Music Institute of the University.

The original idea was for the academy to be based at Villa Bighi, where renovations costing €5 million were under way. But since EU funding was not forthcoming, that project had to be stopped.

Nonetheless, the ministry said it had maintained its contacts with Mro Muti's representatives in Ravenna and it twice wrote to him asking for a meeting.

The ministry said it would explore new ways how the academy could be set up.

The Times on Saturday reported that Malta had missed the boat on having world-renowned conductor Riccardo Muti attached to the Mediterranean Music Academy, according to the chairman of the University's Mediterranean Institute for music studies. Fr Peter Serracino Inglott said Mro Muti had expressed his disappointment that the project never got off the ground and had since taken on other engagements.

It also reported that plans for the highly publicised music academy, which was meant to be up and running this October, had faltered.

See also:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090815/local/muti-unlikely-to-be-back