In Belgium - 2010

The Vittoriosa Band visited Belgium between the 11th and the 18th December 2010, in a musical exchange with Philharmonie Royale Concordia from Ottignies. The group of musicians, committee members a supporters counted 54 people. This group left for Belgium on Saturday 18 December afternoon and arrived in the Hotel in Louvain-La-Neuve at around 9 o’clock that evening.

On Sunday 19th, the group attended mass in this city and then left for the City of Nivelles, where the St Lawrence Band club performed their first concert in the Collegial church of Nivelles at half past one in the afternoon, the main church of this city. Here the band club collaborated with the Philharmonie Royale Concordia, under the direction of Mro Paul Schembri, and performed the following programme:

No	Work	Composer
* Light Cavalry	F.V. Suppe
* Blue Danube	Johan Strauss
* Gladiator	Hans Zimmer
* 20th Anniversary	Mro. Paul Schembri
* Feliz Navidad	Jose Feliciano
* Christmas Kings	Arr. A. Balent
* Radetzky March	Johan Strauss

This programme was highly enjoyed by the people present. At the end of the concert, the two bands were invited to a reception in Nivelles top hotel by the Mayor of this city. After the reception the group had time to visit the local Christmas Market, and afterwards went to an official dinner in Ceroux-Mousty organized by the Philharmonie Royale Concordia for their guests.

The following Monday and Tuesday the musicians did not have any official duties, so the group visited various attractions, such as Maredsous, the local convent, the famous saxophone museum in Dinant and the beautiful city of Bruges in Northern Belgium.

Wednesday 15th was another busy day for the musicians. After the group visited Louvaine-la-Neuve, the band performed in the local main square to the joy of the people visiting the local Christmas Market. The Band performed the following the programme in the cold afternoon:

Light Cavalry F. V. Suppe 20th Anniversary Paul Schembri Blue Danube Johan Strauss Best of Zucchero P. Pia The Best of Maltese Folklore Arr. A. Chircop Carmen George Bizet La Vita e Bella Nicola Piovani Feliz Navidad Jose Feliciano Christmas Kings A. Balent

On Thursday 16th the group visited Waterloo. Here they visited the house where the Duke of Wellington resided, the museum, various short movies and the grounds where the famous battle took place.

Friday 17th was the most important day of this trip for the group, where the group left for Brussels in the afternoon, where after the group visited the Grand Place and various other landmarks in the centre of the European Capital, the Band started the preparations for Mass and a concert in Malta House. In Fact the St Lawrence Band Club performed various Christmas carols in the first mass ever held in Malta House. After mass, the Band Club accompanied a number of children from the local Maltese community while they sang Christmas Carols.

Also, the St Lawrence was the first Maltese Band to perform in Malta House, and appropriately, by invitation of the Maltese Ambassador to Belgium, the band prepared and performed this beautiful programme:

Light Cavalry F. V. Suppe Il-Bajja tal-Mellieħa Arr. Mauro Farrugia Blue Danube Johan Strauss Best of Zucchero P. Pia Niftakar Fik Arr. R. Zammit 20th Anniversary Paul Schembri The Best of Maltese Folklore Arr. A. Chircop Feliz Navidad Jose Feliciano Christmas Kings A. Balent

This programme was very well received by those present. After this programme, there were a number of speeches and presentations to the committee, the director of the Philharmonie Royale Concordia, and the Maltese Ambassador H.E. Pierre Clive Agius. After an official reception for this occasion, the Philharmonie Royale Concordia performed a programme for the occasion as well.

Saturday 18th way the Band’s last day in Belgium, which started early in the morning where the group was invited to a traditional Christmas Breakfast in a Farmhouse in Ottignies. Afterwards, the Philharmonie performed a concert for the group, where the Maltese contingent group could observe how this orchestra rehearses.

Nevertheless, this trip came to an end, and under threat of a severe snowstorm, the group left Belgium and landed in Malta around midnight of the same day. This trip was a great success in all its facets, musically, logistically and entertainment wise, and this was confirmed by both those who were part of it and in various articles on local media.