Palazz Marija Assunta

Triq Rokku Buhagiar,  Qrendi QRD 1011
 MALTA

 Tel. 356 2164 2224

Last Update:

August 2008

  Â The St. Mary's Band was founded by Mro.Giuseppe Muscat (1906-1982). For two years he gathered some  people and began to teach them the musical instruments. Its debut was when they accompanied the statue from Valletta to Qrendi in 1945 after redecorating. Maestro Giuseppe Muscat remained Band master till 1975 when he retired. During this time he had an assistant Joseph Tonna (1929-  ) A bust to commemorate him was unveiled in 1985. He wrote the club Hymn also and  which was worded by our famous poet KarmenuVassallo (1913-1987) in 1945. This Hymn is still played to the present day. He composed quite some band marches. The next Band  Master was Maestro JulioTanti (1934-  ) from Mqabba. Then in 1979 came Mro. Joseph Tonna also of Mqabba took over. In 1980 the band nominated Mro. Paul Schembri M.I.W.M. M.I.S.M. born in 1931  from Luqa, to direct it. He wrote a band  March for the band which is still very popular. The band increased its services to Luqa, Qormi, Siggiewi, Msida, Marsa, Zurrieq, Bormla, Zebbug and at the Feast of St. Cecilia and Christmas in Valletta. He remained till 1985 when Mro. Frankie Mercieca born in 1962 from Zejtun, took over. In September 1999 Mro.VictorVella was designated new Band Master. There are many persons learning music which promises a good future for the Band. Along the years the Band took part in Bands Defile in Valletta on the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1947 the band started services outside Qrendi, in Sliema, Valletta and Mellieha. In 1955 it played in Valletta on the occasion of the National Grand Lottery. It recorded several Music Cassettes . The first was in 1984, then in 1986, 1989, 1993 and 1995. Now they also recorded a Compact Disk . The collected music manusripts are stored in an archive made for the purpose..

Is-Surmast Kompożitur Joseph TonnaA. (Mus.) L.C.M. (Lond.)

Mro. Tonna twieled l-Imqabba fl-1929 fis-16 ta' Frar u huwa beda jistudja l-mużika fl-eta ta' 16-il sena fil-każin tal-Banda Lily taħt Mro. Jos. Darmanin A. Mus. L.C.M. li għallmu jdoqq diversi strumenti. Mro. Tonna huwa magħruf ħafna bħala mużikant li jdoqq il-Bass in E flat.

Huwa akkwista ċertifikati minn diversi kulleġġi, ħa lezzjonijiet fil-kompożizzjoni tal-mużika u wieħed mis-suċċessi tiegħu kien meta fl-1962 ġie t-tielet fil-kompetizzjoni nternazzjonali li saret f'Londra għall-mużika ta' l-accordion. Barra minn dan Mro. Tonna għandu ħafna kompożizzjonijiet shieħ, bħalma huma mażurki, beguines, waltzes, polkas, funeral marches, sambas, Hymn for the Stage, Vexxilla għall-orgni, songs u ħafna marċi militari, Fuga in La bemolle, Fuga in Sol għal pjanu, Round for voices Soprano, Contralto and Tenor, Overture in F minor (Il Mondo) Serenads for Orchestra, Passo Dabled Maria, Silvana, Morning Star, Missa Grande a Tre Voci, Tenore A, Tenore B e Basso con Organo ecc. Mro. Tonna gie elett Associate Member of the Performing Right Society fil-11 ta' Lulju 1963 wara ħa ftit lezzjonijiet għand Mro. Abela A. Mus. L.C.M., L.R.S.M.

Barra milli kkwalifika fil-London College of Music, Mro. Tonna kkwalifika wkoll fi tliet kolleġġi oħra li huma I-British College of Accordionists, ir-Royal School of Music u fit-Trinity College of Music u minn dawn il-kulleġġi ħa ċ-ċertifikati finali with distinction. Mro. Tonna huwa magħruf ħafna għan-numru kbir ta' mużiċisti li ħarġu tajbin bil-ħila tiegħu.

Mro. Tonna studja taħt Geofrey Sayers B. Mus. (Dunelm), F.R.C.O. A.R.C.M., Hon. F.L.C.M. bil-korrispondenza, ħa lezzjonijiet mingħand il-magħruf Surmast Clo. Pace F.L.C.M., L.R.S.M., O.S.J. u wara kkwalifika għall-A. Mus. L.C.M.

Is-Surmast Joseph Tonna huwa ex -Surmast Direttur tal-Banda Lily li ġiet fdata f'idejh minn Marzu ta' 1-1980 sa 1-1988. Mro. Tonna huwa wkoll ex-Surmast, għalliem u Direttur tal-Banda Santa Marija tal-Qrendi, mill-1979 sa 1-1983. Is-Surmast Tonna, u s-Surmast Joseph Muscat kienu jiftehmu ħafna u l-akkademja mużikali mxiet 'il quddiem ħafna. Għandna l-pjaċir f'Awissu 2005 li s-Surmast J. Tonna reġa' ġie biex ikompli fejn kien ħalla. Minn dak iż-żmien sal-lum il-kompożitur u surmast kiteb numru kbir ta' kompożizzjonijiet oħra. Is-Surmast J. Tonna u s-Surmast Victor Vella qed jaħdmu flimkien biex il-banda tkompli miexja '1 quddiem.

F' Jannar 2006 waqt is-Seduta Generali li saret fis-Sala Ġawhra b’akklamazzjoni kbira, Mro.Joseph Tonna ġie maħtur Surmast Onorarju fuq rakkomandazzjoni tal-Kumitat Ċentrali. Mro. Joseph Tonna jagħti l-għajnuna professjonali tiegħu lis-Surmast Direttur Mro. Victor Vella.waqt it-tagħlim ta' l-alljevi u jieħu sehem fil-laqgħat tal-Kumitat ta' l-Akkademja tal-Banda.