Case study
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra is Malta's national orchestra, performing a concert season in Malta alongside education programmes, a youth orchestra and international touring. M7Alpha designed and built its website, which leads visitors to concerts, education and support from the first screen, and hosts and maintains the site.
The project
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) is Malta’s national orchestra, with a full concert season, the Malta Youth Orchestra, education programmes and international touring. M7Alpha designed and built the orchestra’s website and hosts and maintains it. This case study explains how the site helps very different visitors, from concert-goers to young musicians and sponsors, find their way quickly.
What did the orchestra need from its website?
The orchestra needed a website that puts concerts first while still giving education, support and recruitment a proper home.
An orchestra’s audience is broader than it first appears. Most visitors want to know what is on and how to get tickets. Others are parents looking for youth programmes, musicians looking for auditions, companies considering sponsorship or event organisers hoping to hire the orchestra. A site that only lists concerts leaves those people searching, and a site that tries to say everything at once buries the concerts.
How does the homepage send each visitor the right way?
It asks them directly. Below the orchestra’s name, an “I’m here to” prompt offers five clear choices:
- View concerts: the upcoming season.
- Learn about the orchestra: the musicians and conductors.
- Join the orchestra: calls for musicians and youth opportunities.
- Education programmes: workshops, masterclasses and MPO Kids.
- Hire the orchestra: for organisers and partners.
A visitor who knows why they came is one click from the right page. Everyone else can keep scrolling through a homepage that introduces the season, the orchestra’s supporters, its education work and its latest news.
How does the site turn a concert season into something people can browse?
Each concert gets its own numbered card with a title and a short description, so the season reads like a programme rather than a list of dates.
The season runs from intimate chamber concerts to large symphonic works, with series such as Beethoven200 and concerts by the Malta Youth Orchestra. The current season programme is available as a booklet, and a Past & Current Booklets page keeps earlier seasons on record. A Past Events archive does the same for performances, which matters for an orchestra whose reputation is built season after season.
Ticketing is handled with care for the visitor’s time. The contact page explains that booking options depend on the event, venue and organiser, that most performances can be booked online from the event listing, and gives booking details for the main venues, Teatru Manoel and the Robert Sammut Hall.
Which sections serve education, support and recruitment?
Each has its own section in the main menu rather than a paragraph on the About page.
| Section | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Workshops & Masterclasses | Young and developing musicians |
| MPO Kids and Malta Youth Orchestra | Children, young musicians and their parents |
| Watch & Listen | Audiences who want performances and behind-the-scenes content at home |
| Support Us: Individuals, Corporates, Partners & Sponsors | Donors, companies and partners |
| Careers | Musicians and administrative staff |
| News & Blog | Press, audiences and the music community |
The Careers page labels each opening by type, such as orchestra or administration, so a violinist and an accountant can each find what applies to them. News posts cover calls for musicians, youth orchestra auditions and tenders, keeping the orchestra’s public notices in one place.
Why does accessibility matter for a cultural website?
A national orchestra serves the whole public, so its website should be usable by as many people as possible.
The site includes an Accessibility Statement, clearly labelled menus and submenus, and a contact form with required fields marked. Cookie preferences let visitors choose how they are tracked. These details are easy to overlook, but they shape whether everyone who wants to attend a concert can find one.
What can other orchestras and arts organisations learn?
Let visitors say why they came, then make the programme the centre of the site.
- Offer a short “I’m here to” choice on the homepage.
- Give every concert or event its own page with a plain description.
- Keep past seasons and programmes online as an archive.
- Explain clearly where and how to book tickets.
- Give education, support and careers their own sections.
Clear event pages also help AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity answer questions like “what classical concerts are on in Malta this month”. Our guide to getting recommended by ChatGPT explains why plain, structured content helps.
How M7Alpha helps cultural and arts organisations
M7Alpha designs, builds and hosts websites for cultural organisations, venues and event programmes in Malta, with the whole team in-house. See our web design and development service, or talk to us about your organisation’s website.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra website?
M7Alpha Creative Studios, a web design, development and branding agency in Żurrieq, Malta, designed and built the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra website at maltaorchestra.com. M7Alpha also hosts and maintains the site.
What should an orchestra or arts organisation's website include?
An up-to-date programme with a page for each event, clear booking information, an archive of past seasons, education and youth programmes, ways to support the organisation, careers and a news section. An accessibility statement and simple contact details are essential.
Should an arts organisation sell tickets on its own website?
Not always. Many organisations perform at venues with their own box offices or use a ticketing partner. What matters is that every event page tells visitors exactly where and how to book, so nobody has to search for it.
How can a cultural organisation keep its website up to date with a changing programme?
Use an event structure that staff can update themselves, with each concert or workshop as its own entry that moves to the archive once it has taken place. Regular news posts and a hosting and maintenance arrangement keep the rest of the site current.
