Background

When the Stella Maris Band Club was founded in 1914 the concept of a musical society was not new in Sliema. Between 1876 – 1912, four band clubs had been formed however by 1912 they had ceased to exist. Maestro. Ferdinando Camilleri is the synonymous with these clubs, as it seems he was the promoter of the first band clubs in Sliema. The first band to be formed was the “Cavallieri di Malta”(Knights of Malta) and it was active between 1876-1901. From the scarce information we have however it appears that this band was had achieved great popularity on the island and took part in various religious and national events. It was the Cavallieri di Malta which accompanied the new statue of Stella Maris on its arrival in Sliema from Paris to the parish church in 1891. The Cavallieri di Malta seems to have been dissolved at the turn of the 20 th Century. It was followed by two short lived band clubs “Mannarino” and “Melita”. By 1902 Maestro.Camilleri had formed a new club with the new “Queen Victoria”. This new society had made some positive steps in the right direction but never achieved the longevity of the Cavallieri di Malta and by 1912 in was dissolved although it seems that it was no longer active for some years.

The Foundation of the Stella Maris Band

In early 1914 a group of men, mainly supporters of the Stella Maris feast approached Parish Priest Manche to ask his help for the formation of a new band club. He gave them his wholeheartedly support and he himself convinced Maestro Camilleri, to make another attempt to form a band. The Parish Priest made only one request that the new society, was to be named after the Parish Church and that the encouragement of the Stella Maris feast was to be main aim. It appears from the names of the first bands formed in Sliema that they had been formed out some national patriotism furore and unlike other bands on the island did not focus village or town festa. This was probably the main reason for which they did not succeed. On the 16 th March 1914 the first committee of the Stella Maris Band Club met and the new society was formed officially. Mr.Alfons Caruana was the first president and Maestro. Camilleri was the first bandmaster. The bandsmen that formed the band came mostly from the former bands as they followed Maestro Camilleri’s attempt to form a new society. In August of the same year the Stella Maris Band took part for the first in the feast in honour of the Our Lady Stella Maris. In July of 1915 the band played for the first time outside Sliema, for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel held in Gzira and it was also the first time that students from the band club, played.

Rapid Growth

The new society was a hit with the people of Sliema such was the increase in numbers of members and bandsmen that the society had to change three premises in eight years. Until in 1922 it moved into the current premises, a large beautiful house in Sliema’s only square. Certainly the society had benefited from its growing role in the organization of the Stella Maris feast and therefore had a large and solid following unlike the musical societies which had preceded her. The band gained great popularity on the island and was often invited to play during religious feasts and national events in other towns and villages. On the 10 th anniversary of the society in 1924 the band inaugurated a new uniform for the bandsmen an in the following year the band won the first Prize for best performance and costumes for band clubs in the Malta carnival.

The Band in Italy

In September 1925 another first occurred to the society, when it became Sliema’s first band ever to travel abroad. This was after an invitation to play for the Feast of San Corrado in Noto, Sicily from the civic authorities of the locality. About four hundred members and supporters travelled with the committee and bandsmen, for what turned to be a memorable occasion. Such was the success made by the band that three years later in 1928 the band was again invited to play again in Noto.

Silver Jubilee

By the beginning of the 30’s the number of the bandsmen had reached over 100 and it was now necessary to buy new musical instruments. The committee embarked on an ambitious project to buy a complete new set of musical instruments from the famous British firm Boosey and Hawkes for the considerable sum of £450. In February 1934 the consignment of the new instruments arrived in Malta. It turned to be another occasion of great celebrations by the society.

The club had always a special relationship with the parish church in whose shadow it flourished. When the Parish church embarked on the project to buy a new set five bells for the church steeples, the club was the first to contribute.

In 1939 the society commemorated the 25 th anniversary of its foundation with great celebrations in June of that year with band marches from the band and from other band clubs. On the 24 th June a great reception party was held in the premises of the club for members, benefactors and distinguished guests. During the reception a commemorative plaque was unveiled by the then President Mr. Carmel Agius and it was blessed by the Archbishop of Malta Dom. Mauro Caruana. Later fireworks made for the occasion by Italians were let off on the Sliema promenade. The Silver Jubilee celebrations continued with great pomp in August during the Titular feast of Stella Maris.