The Dominican Order in Vittoriosa is this year celebrating two important anniversaries: the 800th anniversary of the foundation of the Order of Preachers and the 125th anniversary of the foundation of The Prince of Wales Own Band.

The Dominicans settled in Vittoriosa in 1528 after they were given a chapel dedicated to The Annunciation which belonged to some lay members. Two years later, the Knights of the Order of St John arrived in Malta and declared Vittoriosa as the capital city.

They took over the parish church and in the middle of the following century, the Dominican church dedicated to The Annunciation served as the city’s parish church. In 1941, during World War II, enemy bombs destroyed both the church of the Annunciation and the priory. These were rebuilt 20 years later.

To mark the Dominican anniversaries, the Prince of Wales Own Band, under its musical director Mro Emmanuel Spagnol, is presenting a concert of Maltese music at the Church of the Annunciation in Vittoriosa tomorrow. The pieces that will be played include a composition by Mro Spagnol himself, a score dating back to 1917 composed by Mro Paċifiku Scicluna and an antiphon to St Dominic. Soloists Rosabelle Bianchi, Charles Vincenti and Alfred Camilleri, accompanied by the La Voix Academy Choir, the St Thomas D’ Aquinas Choir of Guardamangia and the Choir of the Annunciationwill also participate in the concert.

The programme for the evening features brief addresses by the Rev. Provincial of the Order, the prior of the convent of Vittoriosa and the president of The Prince of Wales Own Band Club.

The concert starts at 7pm and entrance is free. This event is being held under the patronage of the President of Malta.