Società Filarmonica Maria Mater Gratiæ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Società Filarmonica Maria Mater Gratiæ is a band club in Zabbar, Malta.

Founded in 1883 by Francesco Saverio Briffa, the organization was initially known as "Societa del Żabbar" or "the village band." Its main purpose was to cultivate music in the town and at the same time offer entertainment to the people of Żabbar. The first bandmaster was Giuseppe Micallef (nicknamed il-Baqrambur). He passed his nickname on to the Band, which ever since has been commonly known as tal-Baqra. After his death in 1914, he was succeeded by a series of bandmasters, including Lorenzo Gonzi and Joseph Abela Scolaro.

Since its very foundation, the band club was part of the life of the people of Żabbar. Its premises, in the upper part of Sanctuary Street, was (and still is) the mecca of all those who sided with tal-Baqra. In fact they had their own minor feast (Our Lady of Holy Doctrine), carried their own statue of Malta on the Friday preceding the village fiesta, and gave their utmost during the festivities of the Crowning of the Effigy of Our Lady of Graces in 1951. Many distinguished persons, both civil and ecclesiastical, honored the club with their visits: it was showered with gifts, honors and glorious moments, particularly after World War II.

In 1948 the immense courtyard of the club, originally a garden, was paved and later served for many years as an open air cinema known as The Blue Arena. It closed down in 1955, and was subsequently used for variety shows, as a theatre, for the occasional fair, and as a venue for wedding receptions. Nowadays it also serves as the venue for several discos organised by the youth committee.

A rivalry with the other local band club, Għaqda Madonna Tal-Grazzja Banda San Mikiel (the Greens), came to an end in 1992. The band club today is a venue not only for music lovers, but also for the staunch adherents of the club itself, who participate in its activities (both social and religious) for the greater honor of the club itself and the people of Żabbar. The current president is Alfred Spiteri, and the present bandmaster is Raymond Sciberras, who assumed his post in 1990.