It is taking place from the 20th to the 22nd of April 2026 at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta, with the final day held at Teatru Manoel. The competition, directed by Frank Bonnici, continues to grow as an international platform for emerging musicians, welcoming contestants from Austria, the Czech Republic, Malta and other countries. Participants aged between 16 and 40 will compete across four genres: film music, classical music, traditional music, and pop or jazz. Eligible musicians must have at least six years of experience or be performing at intermediate, advanced, or diploma level.

The programme opens tomorrow,  Monday, 20 April, with a presentation by Professor G. W. Pirotta, former Ambassador of Malta to the Czech Republic, at the Malta Society of Arts. This will be followed by a presentation by Dr. Joe Lia on arts and cultural policy. Soprano Anastastasja Holec, accompanied by Serbian pianist Helena Grovska, will give a special performance at 3.45pm; this appearance forms part of the day's programme but is not part of the competition. Contestants will then perform in the Film Music category, featuring sixteen participants. The afternoon continues with a trumpet lecture by Alex Bezzina, representing the brass section, followed by a presentation by Diana Brincat on Hoffmann and Zimmermann. A live link with C. Bechstein in Prague will connect audiences in Malta with the Czech Republic for a session on innovative piano design and performance practice. All competition sessions from Monday to Wednesday will begin at 4.15pm.

The three-day festival includes lectures, masterclasses, performances, and educational talks, forming a cultural collaboration between Arts Council Malta, Teatru Manoel, and international partners. Dr. Joe Lia will represent Arts Council Malta, while Adrian Mamo will represent Teatru Manoel during the presentations. On Wednesday, double bassist Anthony Saliba will perform at Teatru Manoel at 3.00pm as part of Frank Bonnici's trio. Joe Camilleri, a member of the MCMC26 team and one of the competition's judges, will also perform at Teatru Manoel on 22 April at 3.00pm alongside Bonnici.

The competition's international partnerships continue to expand. The first prize includes accommodation at Hotel Beethoven in Vienna, Austria, where winners will stay as part of their prize package. Through the collaboration between MCMC and C. Bechstein Austria, the winning contestants will also be offered a calendar of concert opportunities. Additional seminars led by Frank Bonnici at C. Bechstein in Prague will explore performance practice across the competition's genres, offering further artistic development for participating musicians.

The Malta Cross Music Competition remains committed to fostering artistic exchange, supporting young performers, and strengthening Malta's cultural ties with European institutions. Further information may be found at maltacrosscompetition.eu, on the Malta Cross Competition Facebook page, or by contacting [email protected].