HISTORY
 

Musical Directors 1928 - 1930  Mro. Anton Muscat Azzopardi 1930 - 1946  Mro. Mikiel Farrugia 1946 - 1966  Mro. Ganni Vella 1966 - 1992  Mro. Joseph Farrugia 1992 - 2002  Mro. Joseph N. Sammut 2003 -            Mro. Sunny Galea

Presidents 1928 - 1933  Mons. Ġużeppi De Piro 1934 - 1968  Mons. Ġużeppi Galea Rapa 1968 - 1973  Joseph Cauchi 1973 - 1988  Amabile Cauchi M.P. 1988 - 1990  Joe Xuereb 1991 - 2002  Loreto Spiteri 2003 - 2003  Paul Scicluna 2004 - 2005  Anthony Agius 2005 - 2006  Spiridione Cauchi 2006 -            Gino Cauchi

Secretaries 1928 - 1934  Fr. Ruzar Buhagar 1934 - 1966  Fr. Gwann Galea 1968 - 1972  Michael Attard 1972 - 1973  Joe Zerafa 1973 - 1974  Michael Scicluna 1975 - 1978  Joseph Cauchi 1978 - 1982  Michael Bugeja 1982 - 1982  Charles Spiteri 1983 - 1997  Joseph Attard 1998 - 2002  Paul Scicluna 2003 - 2003  Joseph Sultana 2004 - 2005  Spiridione Cauchi 2006 -             Kevin Cauchi

Click Here to view a list of all the bandsmen from 1928 till today

The Story

Beginning and Early Years

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.

Fr. Luzar Buhagar, Fr. Karm Azzopardi and Mro. Mikiel Farruigia together with the first band of St. Joseph

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. Fr. Luzar Buhagar was in charge of the day-to-day running and administration of the institute and is widely regarded as the first first secretary and treasurer of the band.

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.
 

Mro. Anton Muscat Azzopardi 1928 - 1930	Mro. Mikiel Farrugia 1930 - 1946	This photos shows Mons. De Piro in the presence of some priests at the St Joseph Institute

Under his tutelage, the young musicians went from strength to strength and the villagers started to take note of the new Society in their midst. Now the sixth anniversary of the Institute’s opening was nearing and a special program of festivities to mark the occasion was being prepared. It was decided, by the institute’s directors, that the new band would make its baptism of fire.

The first public debut

On the 17th May 1931, a considerable crowd from all parts of Gozo gathered in the Institute’s yard and environs to witness the public debut of the new St. Joseph Band. On this first occasion, among other renditions. the new Band played the “Omaggio Al Superiore Mons. De Piro”. The work of Mro Mikiel Farrugia. It was fitting that the first notes played by the new band would be in honour of its founder and composed by the Maestro who had trained it to attain the required level to play in public. As witnesses recalled later, Mons De Piro, who was justly moved by the occasion, delivered the inaugural address and wished the new band a long life.

The new band soon showed its mettle by taking part in several feasts and other occasions. It took part in the feasts of St. Anthony and Our Lady of Lourdes (both at Ghajnsielem). On the 5th July 1931, it moved out of the village’s orbit for the first time to take part in the festivities connected with the Sabina Church in Victoria.

In 1932 it took part for the first time in the festers’ of St. George in Victoria and the Sacred Heart in Fontana. in the same year (1932) it played in the hospitals of Victoria and Chambray. On the 25th April 1934 it accompanied the new statue of Our Lady of Grace to its home in the Convent of the Capuchins in Victoria. And on the 17th May 1933, the Band welcomed the Governor with the playing of “God Save” on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of King George V.

Mons. De Piro passes away
A new chapter starts under Fr. Galea Rapa

The year 1933 was a sad year for the St. Joseph’s Home and the young band within it because of the death of Mons. Guzeppi De Piro. Shortly afterwards the Institute passed under the care of the Gozitan Father Joseph Galea Rapa, who became its new director. He was assisted by Fr. John Galea who was acted both as a secretary and treasurer.

The arrival of this priest opens a new and important chapter in the history of the band. It was time that the band developed in a new direction and became an integral part of the village of Ghajnsielem. Father Galea Rapa did not find a promising situation when he became Director. There were very few musicians as only members of the Institute could play and these were always changing. Therefore he. could not rely on a solid base of musicians and this fact was hamstringing the band and threatening an early demise. It was now that Father Joseph saved the new Band and rejuvenated it with new blood by opening its doors to youths from the village and with one stroke enlarged it and put it forever in the mind and affection of the villagers of Ghajnsielem. His first achievement was to secure permission from the Bishop Michael Gonzi to enroll as musicians young men from the Catholic Action of Ghajnsielem.
 

Dun Guzepp Galea Rapa	Presentation of the Union Jack in Comino, 1937

This achievement, though crucial for the Band’s history, created the problem of a shortage of musical instruments. But by 18th February 1937, these were bought and by 1938 the Band also sported a new uniform. By the beginning of the Second World War, the Band was performing in all Gozitan feasts, On the 30th July 1937 it took part in the Comino feast as well: a celebration most sought after by the villagers of Ghajnsielem. On this occasion, the band was presented with a Union Jack by Col. Vella on behalf of Messrs. Cutajar and Smith.
 

The World War and the end
of the first part of the Band’s history

With the falling of the first bombs and the macabre wail of the sirens, the Band stopped playing. The War brought with it the end of the first part of the Band’s history. What did the future hold for this relatively young Society, which after only a short time, had become established on the Gozitan musical scene?

After the war ended the band reorganised itself. In 1946, however, Mro. Mikiel Farrugia, due to other commitments, resigned and his place was taken by Mro. Ganni Vella. The latter started to train new musicians and the Band soon began to take part in the Institute’s annual fair and in several parochial feasts in Gozo.

In 1947 a new bandstand was inaugurated, the work of several enthusiasts from Ghajnsielem among them the late Guzeppi Cutajar and Angelo Gauci. Among the memorable events of the post-war period one notes the annual invitations which Capt. A. Zammit Cutajar extended to the Society on the occasions of the Feast of Comino and the inauguration of the ferry “Bancinu” to which the Band was invited by Mr. Joe Gasan, the owner of the ship.

One may also mention the presentation of trophies by Mr. G. Mizzi, President of the “Duke of Connaught” Band Club of Birkirkara which in that era used to take such an important part on the Ghajnsielem feast under the baton of Mro. Anthony Aquilina. But this was a challenging period for the Society, fraught with problems and obstacles. Several of its best musicians began to emigrate and by the start of the fifties the Band was in crisis. The number of musicians fell to around a score: new musicians were few and far between and soon fell to a trickle and the Band dissolved. This is a “dark period” in the Society’s and the village’s musical history and there is little concrete detail to follow what exactly happened.

1966
 The St Joseph Band is Reborn

Years passed. One generation followed another and by the mid sixties the youths of the village began to talk about re-founding the village’s Musical Society. It was a hard time in the village: the building of the new church was being finally taken seriously by the villagers, the Football Club was on its way to the top, the directors of the institute under the leadership of Father Guzeppi Galea Rapa began. in 1966 to encourage the remnants of the post-war band to resurrect the Society.

In May 1966, that old war-horse, Guzeppi Attard, with whose name the Band Club has become synonymous, together with some other enthusiasts, made a formal plea to the Director of the Institute for the use of the Institute and the old Society’s musical instruments, With this plea granted, these members were successful in engaging the services of the up-and-coming Mro. Guzeppi Farrugia, son of mentor Mro. Mikiel Farrugia. It is worth nothing that Guzeppi Attard beside being an active bandsman, held the position of secretary for over 30 years and was the driving force behind some of the most important decisions in the history of St Joseph Band.
 

The era of Mro. Joseph Farrugia

The young Maestro started the Herculean task of instructing the youths of the village in theory and practice and within a year the old society rose from the ashes like the mythical phoenix. On the13th April 1967, the band gave its first concert as preparation for its first march some time later. The first Committee was formed with Father Galea Rapa as its first President and on the 7th May the “new” band but with an “old name” played its first tunes in a march which was attended by a large and enthusiastic crowd.

This was the start of a new era for the “St. Joseph Musical Society” Under an energetic young maestro, a veritable chip off the old block, the new band progressed beyond recognition during its first years. Every year the band was strengthened with a crop of bright new students that never dipped below forty.

In 1968, Joseph Cauchi who was part of the first band in 1928 replaced Father Galea Rapa as President of the St Joseph Band in 1968. Joseph was still occupying this position when he suddenly passed away on the 6th of June 1973. He was replaced by his brother, Amabile who at that time was a Member of Parliament. Amabile Cauchi held this position for 15 years and was later appointed Honourable President of the Club until he passed away in 1995.

Mro. Farrugia presented his compositions both festive and religious to the Band. He also composed and presented to the band his own “Marching Hymns” only a year after its renovation. The Band soon became a regular on the Gozo “festa” circuit and one can say that it became the bed-rock on which the village’s own “festa” was based.

Among many other commitments the Band started to take a very active part in the feasts of Saint Mary and St George in Victoria where, for a number of years, they were allotted some of the most challenging musical programs on the rival band stands of “it-Tokk”, which previously were the prerogatives of sophisticated Maltese bands.
 

This annual challenge was taken up with gusto by Mro. Farrugia and his young musicians who. over the years. played selections from ‘Rigoletto”. “II Trovatore”. “Madame Buttefly” and other operatic masterpieces. In I 93 during the feast of the Assumption, in a veritable act of hubris, Mro. Farrugia dared to present to a critical public, the overture “1812” by Tchaikovsky. This performance was the “apex” reached by the Maestro and his young musicians - nothing since then has matched this achievement.From 1967 onwards. the Band has taken part in several feasts on the larger island, both during Holy Week and those connected with the summer “festa”. It also took part year in year out in the Carnival festivities in Victoria. Besides its already mentioned importance in the Ghajnsielem feast, it also took part in the ‘victory’ marches celebrating Ghajnsielem F.C. ‘s successes in the early 70’s and also in the almost contemporary activities connected with Ghajnsielem Week, which was organized by the Cultural Club of the village.

Building of the new premises

From the beginning the problem of an adequate headquarters always loomed large. At first the Band occupied part of the Institute’s building and as space was no problem the Band could organise cultural and social activities, besides the basic musical ones. But after some time, it was felt by many members that the musical society should cut off its connection with the institute.

This problem was tackled and (with hindsight) overcome by the then Committee, with the contract for a piece of land centrally located near Ghajnsielem’s New Parish Church of Our Lady of Loreto. The land was owned by the Gozo Curia and the transfer contract was signed on the 17th of December 1973 at the Curia offices in Victora. The club was represented by President Amabile Cauchi, Secretary Michael Scicluna and Treasurer Joseph Attard on one side while Rev. Mons T Curmi and Archpriest Espeditio Tabone represented the Church. The plans were drafted by Architect Joe Dimech of Victoria. By 1975, the new headquarters was functioning and immediately became not only the musical center of the community but also a social and cultural club. A side terrace extension was built in 1992 while imposing front terrace was extended in 2005. It is also worth noting that the premises today enjoys one of the busiest bar and restaurant on the island. Recently, the committee started a long-term plan to renovate and refurbishment the premises.
 

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary and
the visit of Pope John Paul II

On the 11th December 1988 on the initiative of its new President Joe Xuereb, the Society celebrated the 60th Anniversary of its inception by unveiling two plaques, one commemorating this anniversary and another commemorating Mons. Guseppi De Piro, its founder. The large crowd present also greeted Mikiel Ciangura, paterfamilias of a family long connected with the Society, who was part of the original band in 1928. On that memorable occasion “old Mikiel” was the living link between those dim days of an uncertain past and the confident but challenging days of a vastly different era. On the 26th of May 1990, the St Joseph Band proudly welcomed Pope John Paul II to Gozo. In 1991, Loreto Spiteri was elected the sixth President of the club, a position he held for 11 years. He immediacy embarked on a project to built a terrace on the left side of the premises. The extension was inaugurated in 1992.

Mro. Joseph Farrugia passes away

In 1992 Mro. Giuzeppi Farrugia’s connection with the Society was terminated by his early demise. His place was ably filled by Mro. Joseph N. Sammut who rose to the challenge of directing the Band into the new millennium. In 1992 he inaugurated a program of classical scores to be performed at the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto, thus maintaining and strengthening the link with his predecessor’s love for this genre of music.

In 1995 the St. Joseph Musical Society, under the leadership of Loreto Spiteri and Giuseppi Attard, participated in the celebrations of the seventh century anniversary of the translation of the House of Nazareth from Palestine to Loreto in Italy by organizing the band’s first tour abroad. This ‘adventure’ was a great success and augured well for the future.

In 1996, several bandsmen were honoured for their 30 years of service to the Society. A year later, the St Joseph Band joined several other Maltese bands which also bear the same patron saint and accompanied the statue of St Joseph from Valletta's City Gate to the Our Lady Of Mt. Carmel Basilica. In 1998, the St Joseph Band commemorated the 70th Anniversary. Mikiel Ciangura and Peter Camilleri, then being last two bandsman still alive which formed part of the first band in 1928 were special guests for that occasion. During the same year, the St Joseph Band also issued the first album on Compact Disc (CD). The band celebrated the new millennium by taking part in national festivities held towards the end of 1999.

Since Mro. Sammut’s advent, the Band’s commitment to inject new blood into it has resulted in the inclusion of many young youths (of both sexes) into its ranks. The ‘young bloods’ who formed the core of the 1967 band are now middle-aged or approaching their sixties but now their thinning ranks are being replenished by young talent which shows every promise of emulating the ‘veterans’. The administration also started to give more importance to the School of Music by encouraging new students to join the Band. The music lessons and trainee sessions started to be organized on a weekly basis, teaching practice and theory of music to new students. The students are given a musical instrument by the club.

Mro. Sunny Galea chosen as the new Band Director

After the resignation of Mro. Sammut in February 2003 the committee headed by new President Paul Scicluna chose wisely when appointing Mro. Sunny Galea A.L.C.M. was appointed Band Conductor. During his first few months in this position he wrote various new pieces for our band including 'Innu Marc lill-Madonna ta' Loreto' and a Religious Marc dedicated to Mons. Guzeppi De Piro to commemorate the 75th anniversary from when he founded the St. Joseph Band Club.

In 2004, the members elected Anthony Agius as their eighth President and one his first activities was on 1st May 2004, when the St Joseph Band took part in the celebrations when Malta joined the European Union. Anthony Aguis also donated a replica of the Ghajnsielem Arch-Parish church built by himself to the Club. But unfortunately, a year later, the St Joseph Band faced a period of uncertainty when on the 6th of April 2006, President Anthony Aguis passed away. It was just a few months before when he started the extension and re-pavement of the front terrace.  The works were completed by Acting President Spiridione Cauchi and was inaugurated two months later. The imposing terrace is today synonymous with the club's premises. During the same year (2006), the St. Joseph Band also took part in the celebrations of Ghajnsielem F.C. who were crowned 2005/6 Gozo League Champions and also the 150th Anniversary of the Ghajnsielem Parish.

Renovation of the Club's Premises
and the Musical Archive

The Club was facing problems in finding fresh members for the administration but in 2006, a new committee of ‘young bloods’ was elected. The new committee was headed by President Gino Cauchi, Secretary Kevin Cauchi and Treasurer Elvin Tabone and included of several new faces. Full of energy and enthusiasm,  the new committee together with the veterans, immediately embarked a long-awaited project... the Musical Archive. During the same year, the committee welcomed to its premises Mgr Mario Grech, the new Bishop of Gozo.

In 2007, the the St Joseph Band organized an eight-days tour in Italy for 140 people. A year later, the club commemorated the 80th Anniversary with several activities including a Musical Program under the distinguished patronage of H.E. Dr Edward Fenech Adami, President of Malta.

The last two years were very busy and important for St Joseph Band as the committee created a long-term plan to renovate and refurbishment the club's premises. Works immediately started on the Formal Committee Room which will soon host the Musical Archive. The Main Hall is also being upgraded while the committee is currently discussing designs for the upgrading of the bar and restaurant area. It is also worth noting that the club recently started to organize several cultural exhibitions on a regular basis as it aims to turn the Band's premises into a cultural centre.

Second Visit Abroad

Following the successful visit to Loreto, Italy in 1995, the St. Joseph Band was invited to perform for the feast of St Paul in Palazzolo Acreide near Siracusa. The strong 80-people delegation (which included over 50 bandsmen, members of the executive committee and supporters) arrived in Sicily on the 28th of June 2009 for a  4-Day trip which included a band march around the village and a musical program on 29th of June, Feast Day.

Applause, honour and praise were showered on the St Joseph Band as it proudly represented Ghajnsielem and in particular, Malta during this trip.

Looking ahead

Beside the external services, the St Joseph Band manages to inaugurate a program of new marches both festive (connected with the Ghajnsielem parish feast) and funerary (connected with the Holy Week) on a yearly basis. The club become a hub of cultural and social activities including exhibitions, social evenings as well as catering for the entertainment of the community through such activities as regular ‘tombolas’, high teas and barbecues.

Today, the St Joseph Band is proud to have a record of over 50 bandsman and 20 students (Alljievi) - all of which hail from Ghajnsielem. Everything started when Mons. Joseph De Piro decided to bring some musical instruments for the St Joseph Institute. Since then, the band faced several moments of happiness but also of difficulties.

The two main pillars which define the core values of St Joseph Band are Christianity and the love to the village of Ghajnsielem. These two values combined together should safeguard its future while preserving its glorious history.