The King’s Own Band Club recently held a series of events to celebrate this milestone, including a flagship concert at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta. I caught up with the movers and shakers that united the Beltin in one memorable event.
The name King’s Own carries a certain weight around Valletta and beyond, associated with decades of triumphant performances in honour of Patron Saint Dominic. The band club, founded in 1874, has now marked an incredible 150 years of musical excellence, so it was only fitting that its anniversary celebration should be as memorable as its journey.
The concert, which took place a couple of weeks ago, was part of a series of events to commemorate this milestone. But it was a band concert with a difference, bringing together a mix of classical and contemporary elements, as well as a host of artistic collaborations that elevated the event into a multimedia performance.
I spoke to the three main persons whose tireless efforts and creativity made it happen. Director Albert Dimech reflected on the journey and the vision behind the concert, revealing the passion that drove its success.
“My idea was to hold a massive celebration for the anniversary, and brainstorming started around two years ago. I started out with an idea which was on a somewhat smaller scale. But eventually I realised that a more generic planwas actually going to have a bigger impact, so we switched plans. One hundred and fifty is a big number, so it was definitely worth the extra work,” Dimech started off.
This alternate plan saw a musical journey through different eras being performed to scores of enthused Beltin, with the programme including everything from classical music, jazz, swing, popular musicals, soundtracks and more. Not quite what we usually associate with a musical band.
“Originally, the plan was to end with Sinatra’s iconic My Way, performed by the late Joe Cutajar. We adjusted the plan and, instead, Maestro John Galea actually played it on the piano while directing the band,” Dimech said.
The vision for the concert was clear: to showcase the evolution of the King’s Own Band throughout its 150-year history, while highlighting its versatility.
“Typically, most band concerts focus on the marches that are played during the feast. But at the level that the King’s Own has reached, it was never going to be just about that. The band performs a diversity of concert styles, and I wanted the concert to represent this,” he continued.
To fit within this chronological approach, the concert departed substantially from the usually-expected format of playing the band’s anthem at the very end, as a closing salvo. Instead, it was performed with music from the same era. How did the audience react?
“From the audience’s point of view this was pretty groundbreaking. In fact, we actually had to explain why we chose to include it mid-concert,” Dimech says with a smile.
To further emphasize the evolution of the band, the concert featured a segment highlighting the impact of modern technology and new media on live music performances.
“There came a time when the band was no longer the only source of free, live music. We had jukeboxes, radios, rock ‘n roll live bands. I wanted to highlight how the King’s Own remained relevant with a three-song session by Doreen and Amber Galea,” Dimech said. “We performed all the disruptive elements, including musicals like Guys & Dolls, and music from Gene Kelly’s films. After all, we did adapt to the times.”
King’s Own President Ivan Piccinino agrees, explaining how the concert aimed to “surpass everything that a band has achieved before”.
“We even had an element of performative arts, complemented by little vignettes that enhanced the music. It was a multi-disciplinary production that brought together visuals, theatre, costumes and music. Even the host was part of the performance. The message was to move away from the traditional band performances that we usually see,” he elaborated.
The concert was one of six musical events to celebrate this major milestone, each held at various prestigious venues like Pjazza Teatru Rjal and The Presidential Palace in Valletta. The band even performed at the Basilica di San Domenico in Bologna, the city where the patron saint of the Dominican Order is buried.
“Apart from these performances, the celebrations also included historically significant activities, such as the restoration and digitisation of our musical archives,” Piccinino added. “In this way, we are leaving a legacy for future King’s Own members and committees.”
One of the highlights of this series of celebrations was the composition of an original Oratorio for the band, a project led by Maestro John Galea, which took place at the Basilica of St Dominic.
“Of course it was a challenge, as an Oratorio is usually written for an orchestra, not for a band,” the Maestro acknowledged. Titled Kewkba Imbierka, the composition was a significant undertaking, featuring 12 movements that tell the story of St Dominic’s life, culminating in the triumph of the Dominican Order in Malta and worldwide.
“The music includes Mediterranean elements that show colore locale associated with Spain and Italy, where the saint is associated,” the Maestro explained.
The premier of Kewkba Imbierka featured four soloists, including soprano Claire Caruana and tenor Angelo Muscat, and was accompanied by the New Choral Singers under the direction of Mauro Farrugia.
“The choir is so important it’s almost a soloist in its own right, present in 10 movements,” the Maestro continued.
Speaking about the main concert that took place at the Manoel Theatre, Galea added that a particularly challenging aspect was the adaptation of musical genres that are not usually played by bands to a score that could be tackled by the King’s Own.
“Opera was a particular case in point, so I carried out all the necessary arrangements. We also covered operetta, and onto more modern styles, soundtracks and hits, like music from Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” he added.
Visuals played a crucial role in the concert, with Jeremy Dimech in charge of creating the elements that complemented performances as diverse as Nabucco and Grease.
This concert was not just a commemoration—it was a statement about the enduring power of music and the importance of adapting to the times. Clearly, the King’s Own has just embarked on another chapter to remain relevant for the next 150 years.
