Ghajnsielem band marks 75th anniversary

The St Joseph Band of Ghajnsielem recently gave a concert to mark the feast of Our Lady of Loreto and the 75th anniversary of the band club.

The event, which also commemorated the band's first director, Mro Anton Azzopardi, took place on Our Lady of Loreto Square.

This was the first concert which was conducted by Mro Sunny Galea, who was appointed last February. Since then Mro Galea has conducted various marches, including the anthem dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto.

The evening opened with the religious anthem dedicated to Mgr Giuseppe De Piro, written and composed by Mro Galea himself. The works performed during the concert including the Innu Marc, dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, written by Fr Gorg Mercieca and composed by Mro Galea, Frank Sinatra's My Way , Intermezzo from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, a selection from the Verdi's Rigoletto and a symphonic march entitled Aria di festa.

The president of the band club, Paul Scicluna, presented a memento to Mro Galea and the assistant director, Mro Frank Debono. As the editor of the band club's yearly magazine, Mr Scicluna presented this year's issue to Ghajnsielem mayor Francis Cauchi, to St Joseph Band Club secretary Joseph Sultana, and the club fundraiser Anthony Agius.

The evening ended with the band's anthem, written by the late Giuseppe Farrugia, and the national anthem.

Established in 1928, the St Joseph Band Club's first bandsmen were orphans brought together by the saintly Mgr De Piro. The band, which was eventually joined by residents of Ghajnsielem, is now one of Gozo's leading bands.

The evening was compered by Lelio Spiteri and Lorietta Buttigieg.