St. Joseph’s Institute for orphans opened its doors in Ghajnsielem on the 21st May 1925. It was a red-letter day for the village because one of its major institutions saw its beginning then. Above all it was a notable date because about three years later, under the Institute’s aegis saw the birth of the village’s own musical society: the St.Joseph Band Club.

The founder was Monsignor Guzeppi De Piro, a figure, now as then, of national importance. At that time he had already become justly famous for his work among boy orphans and he bad been asked by the Gozitan See to extend his activities to the Sister Island. After overcoming many difficulties he has seen this dream come true on the 21st May 1925. From the beginning he put himself to work with characteristic vigour and he exploited all his organisational talent to found and maintain the first orphanage of the Sister Island.

About three years later in 1928, at an unspecified date he was seen arriving from Malta with a big parcel in his hands. This parcel contained the first musical instruments, which were going to be used by the yet unborn St. Joseph Band.

As expected the founding of a new Musical Society created several problems. Mons. De Piro tackled this task with characteristic courage and energy. He engaged Mro. Anton Muscat Azzopardi who died as recently as 1982 to undertake the training of the band’s first students. Among the first students one finds Mikiel Ciangura from Ghajnsielem, Pinu Gatt from Sannat and Kristinu Gatt from Nadur. These were all young boys residing at the Orphanage during that time.

At first the new Band’s training encountered several obstacles, not the least of which was Mro. Muscat Azzopardi’s other responsibilities with other Bands in Malta and he found it difficult to cross over to Gozo regularly. He was the first to realise that the society needed new blood to help it survive, let alone flourish and he recommended Mro. Mikiel Farrugia from Victoria, Gozo to replace him in 1930. Farrugia was a timely choice: as he was a Gozitan he could carry on with the training of the musicians with greater dedication and energy. He was still quite young and was himself well-trained as besides being a musician in the Armed Forces, he was also a soloist with the famous “Kings Own Band” of Valletta: music was his life, so to speak.
 

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