As Marċi u Bandalori presenter Joe Chetcuti gears up to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the much-loved Radio 101 programme, he tells Iggy Fenech about the show’s legacy and the safeguarding of the traditional brass bands.
Customs and traditions are part of what unites us a people. They give us a shared identity and help create a sense of pride in what it means to be Maltese. From age-old festivals that showcase our local fare, like the one that takes place every Mnarja, to the Baby Jesus processions by the Society of Christian Doctrine (a.k.a. Mużew) every Christmas, each of these harks to something deep within us and may not always be completely understood outside the context of our little island.
Among these are the traditional brass bands, which most of you will have, undoubtedly, encountered as they were jazzing up our streets during the numerous village feasts that take place around Malta and Gozo every year. And while some of us love them, and some of don’t get them, I think few of us could look at that scene and not think of how ‘Maltese’ it all is.
As time goes by, however, these brass bands and the works they play seem to be fading into the pages of history. But there is actually a whole movement of people who are working on keeping this 200-year-old tradition alive.
Among those is Joe Chetcuti who, 15 years ago, established what would become an institution in the world of band marches and village feasts: the popular Radio 101 programme Marċi u Bandalori.
The whole thing, as Joe explained to me, started quite randomly, after he asked his fellow Radio 101 presenter, Indri Attard. During his allocated time, Joe sought to let listeners know about the upcoming feasts and which bands would be playing. That slot, however, proved to be so popular that within months he teamed up with Monica Attard to establish his Sunday morning show.
“Malta still loves the village festa, so it came as no surprise that the show was well received – even by
people who wouldn’t normally listen to this particular radio station due to their political beliefs,” says Joe. “And, while some villages have more than one band that seeks to play in honour of their patron saint, these feasts and these brass bands still connect one village to another.”
As one can imagine, Joe has always been interested in brass bands and village feasts and some of his earliest memories are related to outings with his parents to some village or another for their respective festi.
“One of my favourite parts of every festa was to follow the band around the village and notice the decorations that had been put up for the occasion. So much work goes into each one of them. I also took in the various movements of the band, how they transitioned from one number to another and the variety of people who made up a band.”
The young are not the future of band clubs but the present
The biggest surprise is that Joe doesn’t play an instrument himself. Although his understanding of the works, the maestros that helped compose them, and his passion for all things village festa related can hardly be faulted because of that.
Now, to celebrate 15 years of his show and to continue to inspire his listeners to support brass bands and their works, Joe has organised an anniversary concert that will feature classical works, reworked pop-cultural songs and even one-off numbers that were composed specifically for this momentous occasion.
“The idea for this concert has been brewing in my mind for quite sometime,” Joe explains. “In fact, it was five years ago, during the 10th anniversary concert for Marċi and Bandalori that members from the St Joseph Band Club of Għajnsielem approached me to put up a concert there. I was interested, but there was never a right time to do it before now.”
Five years on, that concert will now be taking place on Saturday with the participation of the Gozitan band D Capital, under the baton of maestro George Apap.
“We didn’t want this to be a concert in the traditional sense of the word, however, so we’ve dotted the night with many surprises. The programme is diverse and will include hits like New York, New York and I Will Always Love You, along with many classical band marches. I am also proud to announce that Noel
Chircop, Anthony Camilleri and Manoel Pirotta have each composed a number in honour of this anniversary. Moreover, the concert will be accompanied by an exhibition of banners derived from every band club in Gozo.”
Joe’s enthusiasm for the future of Marċi u Bandalori and band clubs in general hasn’t waned, either. As he explains, the radio programme is still increasing its reach and now even has an active community on Facebook that’s 4,000-member strong. Meanwhile, all across Malta, teenagers and young adults now make up most of the members in band clubs.
“As I’ve always said, the young are not the future of band clubs but the present. It is only with their support and active participation that these clubs and bands can continue to not just exist but to be more innovative and remain part of the local community,” he concluded.
The 15th anniversary concert for Marċi u Bandalori takes place on Saturday at 7.30pm at St Joseph Band Club in Għajnsielem. Entrance is free and no booking is required.