The Maltese Council for Culture and the Arts, organisers of the Euromed Festival for Composers, Malta 2007, yesterday learned the names of the finalists for the festival, who will give their final performance on 15 December.

Taking part are composers from European and Mediterranean countries who have signed the Barcelona declaration.

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, told a news conference that preparations were in hand for the setting up of a Mediterranean Music Academy with the support of Maestro Riccardo Muti, who has accepted to be Honorary President of the academy.

He said that the Euromed Festival of Composers, Malta 2007, was giving Maltese composers the opportunity to measure themselves against foreign composers and share their talents with them.

The festival is being held with the collaboration of the National Orchestra and the Manoel Theatre, with the support of the Mackintosh Foundation, the Malta Tourism Authority, Le Méridien Phoenicia, BPC, the Mediterranean Institute of the University of Malta, the University Cultural Cooperative, the Greek Embassy and the Euro-Mediterranean Youth Platform.