Season Greetings

It has been a while now since I last had the time to write something here. After the feast season ends we go directly to having many rehearsals and many concerts. It is really a great initiative to have performances in a less chaotic environment where the most important aspect of the night would be the music and the energy of the band itself. This year I had the pleasure to play in quite a few, something I didn’t have the time to do in the last few years. I was humbly honored to be part of a great event called “Ħuġġieġa” which, in my opinion, have set a new road for our wind band bubble, when it comes to genre of music. Not only that, it was a stepping stone for Maltese established composers to touch surface with the wind band world, which I really hope that it filled them with enthusiasm as much as it did to me.

How can I forget! After my last post, we had the much awaited conference about the document regarding the wind bands and musicians. I was quite let down by the lack of attendance and expected much more musicians to show up and be part of the discussion that was quite interesting and factual. It was also to be expected for such a low turnout but I expected that those making the most questions would show up, not only for their sake of mind but also for those they deem to represent. Although that, many further meetings have already been done to analyze what have been suggested and I am hoping an update should be out in the next few weeks. I am also eagerly waiting to see the new database that was promised, and see how this will work out. Interesting times ahead, I guess.

So as a last note for the coming season, it is time to start thinking about our new year’s resolution. I have some quick ideas that might be used.

For Band Clubs:

Let us show more respect to our musicians, after all they are the soul of the music

Make sure that during the activities we are doing we do not undermine the work of so many people in the music part of the society especially during the feast

Go for quality and not quantity, give your music teachers time to mold their students in metal and not glass.

For musicians:

Respect the societies after all they are run by volunteers that work a whole year for them to give you a platform to play and render your service

Give some time to yourself to up your standard in playing. It is really never enough. Go for quality of sound, remember that flats and sharps are as important as loud and soft.

Be faithful to your word, there are people that are giving faith in your service.

For Music Directors/Conductors (or those that prefer the word Surmast which in English really means headmaster)

Be courages, try new music, the repertoire is infinite.

Do not go big, but go for quality even if it is not popular.

The Audience enjoys music which is being played well and sounds good. They love new music (not only songs). They appreciate a difficult piece as much as they do if the band plays “We are the champions”.

Be strict, do not accept musicians with no rehearsal time.

Plan rehearsals before hand and speak to other directors to be able to find dates that do not conflict as much as they can.

Last but not least Teachers:

You are the future creators

Do not limit your information to just giving a student the tools to play in a march

Give them quality. Show it to them.

Accept that we are not James Morrisons. We do not know each and every instrument, it is good to ask and even let go of students to get further knowledge or their own good.

Be eager to teach more, give more, study more yourself. The sky is not even the limit anymore.

With that in mind… I want to give all of you a holy Christmas greetings and may all your wishes come true.