Mro John Galea

Every year, the King’s Own Philharmonic Society of Valletta organises a symphonic concert to commemorate the award of excellence it achieved at an international music festival in Algiers in 1912.

On that day, the band had received the highest honours, and its director, Aurelio Doncich, was also awarded for the flawless manner in which he had conducted the band.

Since then, the successive directors of the band have always given their best to ensure that the standard is maintained.

The current director, Mro John Galea, is no exception to this tradition, as he works hard to ensure that every time the band performs, the audience gets an opportunity to listen to beautiful and harmonious music.

Preparations are currently in full swing for this year’s concert, which will start with a symphony from the opera Il Finto Stanislao, by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.

The music for this symphony was arranged by the late Mro Carmelo Caruana, who for many years used to be the director of the band. This will be followed by the third movement from the Clarinet Concerto by Krommer.

This concerto has been adopted for the band by Simon Ellul, who is one of the most important bandsmen of King’s Own. The part of the solo clarinet of the concerto will be played by Noel Borg.

The concert will continue with the Peasants’ Polka, by Johan Straus. The first section of the concert will end with the symphony Il Vascella Fantasma by Richard Wagner; this year also happens to be the second centenary from the birth of the German composer.

After a short interval, the band will open part two of the concert with the Intermezzo from L’Amico Fritz, by Pietro Mascagni. The band will then play the Rhapsody by Franz Lizt, a fine example of the romantic compositions of the first half of the 19th century.

The concert will come to an end with an excerpt from the opera Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi.

The band will be conducted by Mro Galea, who this year celebrates his 10th anniversary as director of the band.

Entrance is free, but booking through the King’s Own Philharmonic Society, Valletta, or the Catholic Institute, Floriana, is recommended. The concert will be held on Saturday at 7.30pm at the Catholic Institute Theatre.