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Launching
of Oratorio CD Sunday 6th November 2005 |
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| Press Release |
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| On Sunday 6th November 2005, the Beland Band Club proudly launched the new CD "Dawl Fuq Is-Sinaj" at 10:00am during a "Launching Ceremony". The CD includes:
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listen
to samples (COMING SOON!) |
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 Director and Composer Mro Ray Sciberras FLCM |
 Lyricist and Sleeve Designer Mr Trevor Zahra |
 Sporano Rosabelle Bianchi |
 Tenor Charles Vincenti |
 Bass Anthony Montebello |
 Choir SATB "Mirabitur" - Directed by Ms Simone Attard |
 Choir "Tfal Belandisti" Directed by Mro Joe Caruana |
 THE BELAND BAND |
 Composer Carlo Diacono |
 Lyricist Gorg Bianchi |
 Lyricist Dun Mikiel Cassar |
 Composer Michele De Ferraris |
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Ray Sciberras, born in Cospicua - Malta on December 27. 1962. He was attracted to music by his hometown's band when he was still a child. He studied Theory, Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue, Orchestration and History with Dr. Charles Zammit and Carmelo Pace. Later, he followed an intensive course in Composition with Mro Pawlu Grech. His compositions in the traditional and modem idioms are set for different media such as wind band serious music, orchestral, chamber and vocal. His repertoire also includes. "Invitation and Dance' for Clarinet and Piano, awarded first prize in the Performing Rights Society, London and the Society of Arts Manufacture and Commerce contest in 1992. However, due to his connection and intensive commitment among local band clubs, he enthusiastically devotes much of his time composing for the wind band. Click here to visit his list of works. A collection of his music for wind band has been recorded in England by "Doyen Recordings Limited" with the professional participation of the "Yorkshire Wind Orchestra". During this project, which took place in Morley Town Hall, the Yorkshire Wind was under the baton of the well renowned conductor of the "British Concert Orchestra" Frank Renton. The title chosen for this compact disc is "Millennium Salute" which is produced to satisfy both local and foreign market. Mro Ray Sciberras shares much of his time teaching, rehearsing and conducting four Maltese bands: "Maria Mater Gratiae" of Zabbar, "St. Gaetan" of Hamrun and "St George's Band" of Cospicua and the "Beland Band" of Zejtun. [Personal
Website: www.raysciberras.cjb.net]
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Trevor Zahra, born at Zejtun on the 16th December1947; son of Walter and Guza nee Caruana. Studied at the Technical Secondary School in Paola and at the "Liceo". He worked as a script writer with Local TV station and also produced programmes for children. In 1967 he entered the Mater Admilarbilis Training College where he studied for 2 years to become a teacher of the Maltese Langage and Arti in secondary schools. In1971 he published his first book "Il-Pulena tad-Deheb" which was immediately a great success. From then onwards Zahra dedicated much of his time in writing Children's books. In 1972 he published a collection of poems, entitled "Eden". Zahra published a lot of other books, namely "Is-Surmast", "Taht il-Weraq tal-Palm" and "Kuncett u Marinton". Zahra published various Maltese Language workbooks for children and today, he has produced of a 100 books varying form children's books, translations and literature for adults, many of which are illustrated by himself. On the 13 December 2004, H. E. the President of the Malta decorated him with the Midalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika (Medal for Service to the Republic) in recognition for his work in children's literature. His pleasant style of writing, full of humour and imaginative thinking, and his clear illustrative drawings that complement his writings make Zahra the most popular writer of children's books in Malta. [Personal Website: www.trevorzahra.com] |
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Her love for Opera started when at the age of six years watching her first opera on TV (Madame Butterfly), stunned by the beauty of the singers’ voices. At the age of 15 she sang for the first time in St.George Parish Church of Qormi. She entered the Johann Strauss School of Music at the age of 17 under the tuition of Hungarian Soprano Alice Horne but for the past five years she has been training with Mezzo-Soprano Clare Massa. She worked with local and foreign music directors who transmitted her the best of their interpretations. Her favourite opera composer is Giacomo Puccini since all of his Soprano roles are extremely challenging both in technique and interpretation. Rosabelle has already performed with the Beland Band during 2005. She recorded the Hymn “Lill-Padruna tal-Belt Beland” and she also sang Ray Sciberras’ “Magnificat” during the June Feast. |
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Charles
started his voice and musical studies under the direction of the Mro.
Clifford Cauchi at the age of nineteen. In 1998 he enrolled at the Johann
Strauss School of Music in Valletta, where he studied with Ms. Eiros
Jones and since the year 2000 under the direction of Ms. Claire Massa.
In Summer 2000, he attended the Kodaly International School in the UK and studied with Ms. Eva Andor. His operatic roles include Nathaniel & Spalanzani in Tales Of Hoffmann by J. Offenbach, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi by G. Puccini held at St. James Cavalier, Pang (Le Maschere) in Turandot by G.Puccini at the Aurora Theatre, Il Giudice And Il Servo in Un Ballo in Maschera, Roderigo in Otello, both by G.Verdi and Spoletta in Tosca by G. Puccini – all held at the Astra Theatre, Goro in Madame Butterfly by G. Puccini in Portomaso, Tybalt in Romeo et Juliette by C. Gounod, the Governor / Vanderdendur / Ragotski in Candide by L. Bernstein, Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas by H. Purcell and the title role of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana by P. Mascagni held at the Manoel Theatre. Vincenti also participated in several concerts and recitals; singing sacred works by Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Rossini, oratorios by Maltese composers, as well as recitals of operatic excerpts. In
August 2002 through the endeavors of Jeunesses Musicales – Malta,
he was a guest performer in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland,
singing in the production of the Wagner Cycle – “Der Ring
des Nibelungen”. |
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The leading bass singer of his generation, Anthony was born at Gzira. He kept up an interest in serious music from an early age, even while pursuing service in the Malta Police Force. He started singing as a member of the St Julian's Choir and occasionally tackled solo parts which were positively looked upon by critical opinions. This encouraged him to take up serious studies in vocal technique. For five years Anthony studied under the renowned Bulgarian soprano Blagoveste Karnobatlova Debreva and under the Bulgarian pianist Elena Mindisova. He has been singing solo parts in works by Maltese and other composers. He sung in Azzopardi's Mass in F and Magnificat; Zerafa's Te Deum and Lauda Sion; Diacono's Stabat Mater and oratorio Cantico di Frate Sole; and Camilleri's Pawlu ta' Malta. He also sang leading parts in the premiere performances of Pace's Sultana tal-Vittorja; Sammut's Pietru u Pawlu and Requiem Mass; the oratories San Gorg f'Demmna, Mid-Dnub ghall-Qdusija, and Marija Immakulata by Fr John Galea. Anthony sung major roles in Mozart's Requiem, Haydn's Paukenmesse and Kleine Orgelmesse, Puccini's Messa da Gloria, and Rossini's Stabat Mater. He has taken part in many concerts and recitals in Malta and Gozo and he sang the solo part for bass in Zerafa's Magnificat and Te Deum in Vienna's Votivkirche. He has also appeared on the operatic stage in Pace's I Martiri, Verdi's Nabucco, Rigoletto and Otello, Puccini's Turnadot, and in a concert version of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. |
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MIRABITUR
Choir is led by choirmistress SIMONE ATTARD. She started pianoforte
lessons aged four; in 1988 was awarded a scholarship in Siena in modern
pianoforte teaching and performing techniques. In 1991 she graduated
B.Ed (Hons) in Music from the University of Malta, and a year later
obtained her L.R.S.M. diploma as a performer. She is now an accomplished
accompanist, having played with both local and foreign singers and instrumentalists.
A member of various choir groups, she has participated in operetta productions
and as musical coordinator in a number of musicals. She was the first
chorus mistress and musical director of the Malta Children’s Choir
founded by ‘ActReact’ in 1998. Joining the Manoel Theatre
Choir at an early age, she has participated in all the theatre’s
productions and is now the rehearsal pianist and ripetiteur for opera
productions at the Manoel. |
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The choir is made up from over 20 elements, boys and girls whose age ranges from 10 to 14. This choir was agian revived in 2002 to sing Carlo Diacono's Hymn "A Santa Caterine" of the Feast Eve, since the same Diacono specified that this hymn was written "per voci puerili" (for children's voices). Mro Joe Caruana has been directing this choir since then. |
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All this website is about the Beland Band! If you need to get a glimpse of History, visit the section at the top. One point need to mention in this page...the Beland Band has been preparing this CD since 2003...no wonder how good it came. And the Band is preparing and doing all the best it can so that next 19th November 2005, the same Oratorio "DAWL FUQ IS-SINAJ" will be played together with some other pieces inside the Zejtun Parish Church, dedicated to our Beloved Patron Saint Catherine of Alexandria. |
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Carlo Diacono, born at Zejtun on the 1st April, 1876. He was attracted to music at an early age under the direction of his father Orazio,who in 1861 founded the BELAND BAND. He started playing the Eb Clarinet at the age of 10 with the Beland Band. In 1892 Diacono started his studies with Prof. Paolino Vassallo and on the 1st April,1897 he became the Director of the Beland Band until 1903. In 1918 his Opera ‘L’Alpino’ was put for 9 times between the 16th April and the 2nd May. In November 1919 he wrote “A Santa Caterina" – (Dei Sacri Ministri) for the Beland Band and was played by the same band during the Zejtun Parish Centenary in November 1920. On the 9th February, 1923 Archbishop Dom Mauro Caruana put Diacono as "Maestro di Cappella" of St.John's Co-Cathedral after the death of Prof. Vassallo. Carlo Diacono's music has been played during the "British Empire Exhibition" at Wembley in 1924, where it classified as third and for which Diacono was given a medal and certificate. Further more, his music was played in Rome's Massens Basilica in 1938, in Cairo - Egypt in 1942 and in New York in 1957. On the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 Diacono directed 37 Maltese Bands simultaneously inside Valletta's "Main Guard". Diacono wrote 2 operas, 3 oratorios, cantatas, orchestral pieces and overtures, an outnumbering amount of Music for Mass and Psalms, Antiphons and Hymns. He was praised by various foreign composers namely Mascagni, Felice Lattuada, Lorenzo Perosi, Licino Refice and Pizzetti.
Carlo Diacono died on the 15th of June, 1942 at Hal Lija and was buried
on the 16th June at the Zejtun Cemetery according to his will. |
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Born
at Qormi on the 14 th April, 1945. His love towards the Malese language
started at a young age. He studied Maltese Language with Poet Guze Cardona,
Pawlu Aquilina and Guze Chetcuti at the Lyceum. In 1980, Gorg Bianchi
together with two colleagues issued the magazine “Bejnietna”
which often included some of Bianchi's works which he called “Minn
Bejn il-Persjani”. In 1984, assisted by Pawlu Sammut, from Qormi
(residing in Zejtun) issued the Book "Ward mill-Gnejna Qormija",
a collection of Poetry by Qormi poets. In the same year he started the
annual magazine "Ghaqda Muzikali San Gorg Martri".
Gorg Bianchi wrote the lyrics of various devotional Hymns, namely ”Insellmulek O Guzeppi”, “Gilju li Jfewwah” (for Choir, Soprano & Tenor) for St.Joseph Band Club of Hal Ghaxaq, Innu marc Banda San Guzepp (Hal Kirkop). “Ir-Regina ta’ Qlubna” for La Vittoria Band, Naxxar. Innu marc of the Band Clubs Kristu Re and Kristu Sultan in Paola. For St.George Band Club in Qormi he wrote "L-Innu tal-Banda", Cantata “Gawhra Pezzjuza” and devotional Hymn “L-Ghaxqa Taghna” and "Omagg lill-Banda San Gorg Martri". In the same year he wrote ten other hymns dedicated to St.George. He wrote other works for Lily Band Club-Mqabba, Xaghra Band (Gozo), Birzebbuga Band, Australia Band, La Stella Levantina- Attard. And last but not least the Devotional Hymn “Lill-Patruna tal-Belt Beland” in 2005 for the Beland Band, music by Mro Ray Sciberras. |
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Dun Mikiel Cassar was a priest born in Zejtuni, a very well known language Lecturer at the University of Malt. He was a contemporary and a very good friend of Dun Karm Psail, the Maltese National Poet. Dun Mikiel is the Lyricist of the Immortal Hymn to St.Catherine of Alexandria "A Santa Caterina" know also as "Dei sacri Ministri". In this hymn, Cassar shows his mastery in the Italian Language. These lyrics where written much before 1919, when Carlo Diacono wrote the music, adapting these lyrics for Choir, Tenor and Bass, which hymn is still played annually by the Beland Band . However, in the Beland Band archives, we can find another musical version (by Carlo Diacono as well) of the same hymn with the same lyrics by Dun Mikiel Cassar written before 1919.
Dun Mikiel Cassar died at Zejtun on the 23rd Mejju, 1912. |
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Mro. De Ferraris was born in Naples in 1818. He had various connections with our town Zejtun because he was brought to Malta by GioBatta Diacono aiming to set an Orchestra in Zejtun. For a number of years he lived in one of Diacono's houses in Zejtun. Towards 1861 De Ferraris's contribution was fundamental in turning the Zejtun Orchestra in what today is the BELAND Band. together with Mro Orazio Diacono as the First Beland Bandmaster. De Ferraris was a prolific composer and his still compositions still live in many churches round Malta and Gozo. Many of his compositions are found in the Beland Band Archives which vary from festive marches to funeral marches, to polkas, walzes, overtures and opera selections. There is also a considerable amount of sacred music, one of which is the Antifon that the Beland Band shall play on the 19th November 2005 - "Antifona a Tre Voci" (1865). Mro. DeFerraris died in 1892. |
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