The Maria Mater Gratiæ Philharmonic of Zabbar was founded in 1883 with the aim of cultivating love towards music. Throughout all these years the Society has abided by this principle and has always strived to hire top class bandmasters and music teachers to teach the music language to its students – in this way safeguarding the existence and enrichment of its band. The Society has always carried out this service free of charge but with utmost dedication and in most advance practices and well-equipped facilities, so much so that many of today’s most established Maltese musicians have their grass-roots in this Philharmonic.

The Society’s annual activity is without any doubt its external participation in the Zabbar Feast in honour of Our Lady of Grace, Patron of Zabbar. As its name shows, the Society is dedicated the Our Lady of Grace and the Society involves itself massively in the external organization of the Feast which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the 8th of September. During the Feast, the Maria Mater Gratiæ Band organizes various band marches along the streets of Zabbar and also holds an annual music concert.

Besides the Band, the Society also caters for the Feast street decorations, fireworks and other decorations accompanying the Band. Thus, apart from the Executive Committee and the Band Sub-Committee, one finds three other sub-Committees to take care of these aspects as well. In this way, the Maria Mater Gratiæ Philharmonic Society of Zabbar plays an active role in the development of the Maltese society, in particular the Zabbar society and for all these years has been instrumental in cultivating love towards music. Given that it is a voluntary organization it also helps injecting a voluntary and pro-active spirit in our youths.

Punti qosra tal-ET George Vella, President ta’ Malta waqt il-programm mużikali u l- inawgurazzjoni tat-Teatru wara restawr estensiv, 8 September 2019.

• B’sodisfazzjon nosserva li l-membri fi ħdan is-Soċjetà komplew juru impenn u dedikazzjoni kbira biex jelevaw l-isem ta’ Ħaż Żabbar u jaraw li l-festa tal-Madonna tal- Grazzja tkompli tkun waħda mill-aktar popolari mal-Maltin. Huwa grazzi għalikom li dan is-settur tal-kultura Maltija jkompli jiġġedded u jisseddaq matul iż-żmien. Grazzi tal-ħin, ir-riżorsi, u l-ħidma tagħkom
• Hekk kif qed niċċelebraw l-inawgurazzjoni tar-restawr li sar fuq il-palk tat-Teatru Blue Arena, tajjeb li wieħed jaħseb fuq l-importanza soċjali u mużikali ta’ dan il-palk u l- valur miżjud li restawr simili jġib lir-raħal u ż-Żabbarin kollha
• Mhux talli l-banda tferraħ permezz tal-mużika u l-briju li tqajjem, iżda hija wkoll laboratorju mużikali ħaj u li jkompli jxerred l-apprezzament u l-imħabba għall-mużika. Grazzi anka għal-każin u l-possibilità li kulħadd jingħata aċċess għall-lezzjonijiet tal- mużika bla ħlas, il-banda kienet, għada u tibqa’ ċentru strumentali biex it-tradizzjoni u l-patrimonju mużikali Malti jiġi ppreservat u msaħħaħ għall-ġenerazzjonijiet li ġejjin
• Nieħu pjaċir nara li huma bosta ż-żgħażagħ li jersqu lejn is-soċjetà u jipparteċipaw b’mod attiv. Nemmen li ż-żgħażagħ huma ċ-ċavetta għall-innovazzjoni u li organizzazzjonijiet bħal tagħkom ikunu qed jikkultivaw teżor nazzjonali meta jinvestu fiż-żgħażagħ u jresqquhom eqreb lejn it-tradizzjonijiet u l-kultura Maltija.
• Minnbarra dan, iservu wkoll biex inisslu fihom sens akbar ta’ identità mal-patrimonju Żabbari. Nifhem li dan qed isir dejjem aktar importanti għal bosta lokalitajiet ġewwa Malta li qed jesperjenzaw tibdil demografiku u infrastrutturali b’rata mgħaġġla.
• Issa li ninsabu ġimgħa biss ’l bogħod mill-festa, nappella biex tkunu kawti f’dak li tgħidu u ma tħallux il-piki tal-festa jdaħħlukom f’kunflitti ma’ ħaddieħor. Ma ninsewx li l-iskop prinċipali tal-festa, iġifieri l-funzjoni reliġjuża hija wkoll mezz ta’ kif nippromwovu l- paċi u l-għaqda bejn il-komunità
• Nagħlaq billi nirringrazzja u nifraħ lis-Soċjetà Filarmonika Maria Mater Gratiae għal

dan il-kunċert mużikali mill-aqwa

-tmiem-