History of the Society
1864 - The Archpriest of Zurrieq Fr. Vincent Schembri founded the Saint Catherine V.M. Musical Society. The first maestro was Luigi Carabott.
1866 - In 1864, the band was designated as an orchestra, but in 1866 the band ‘La Filarmonica del Zurrico' was founded. The band used to take part in the feast of Saint Catherine, under the direction of Maestro Francesco Zammit.
1883 - ‘La Filarmonica del Zurrico' was divided in two bands. One of these, ‘La Filarmonica Mannarino', under the direction of Maestro Ignazio Catania, used to take part in the feast.
1893 - The two bands were re-united. The new band was called ‘La Concordia' and was under the direction of Maestro Carmelo Zammit.
1899 - The society's headquarters were in number 123, Main Street, Zurrieq. The building was known as ‘ Circolo Santa Caterina'.
1900 - The executive committee asked Maestro Nicola Montebello to form an orchestra, named Saint Catherine Orchestra.
1906 - Some members of the orchestra formed the Saint Catherine Band under the direction of Maestro Francesco Zammit. The band's headquarters were in St. Michael Street, number 86.
1910 - The Saint Catherine Band has a new uniform.
1912 - The society's headquarters are moved to Piazza Maggiore, number 20, where today one finds Palazzo Alexandria.
1920 - In the 1920's, emigration was in its full bloom and many band players left the country. Due to this, the Saint Catherine Band became the Saint Catherine Orchestra, directed by Mro. Ferdinando Falzon. In September 1920, the Orchestra played at Safi where celebrations for the inauguration of a new set of bells were held.
1923 - The drama company ‘La Pace' starts to hold drama and comedy events at the Sociey headquarters. Between 1923 and 1944, the Saint Catherine Orchestra used to take part in these productions.
1924 - The Saint Catherine Orchestra takes part in the celebration of Giovanni Battista Ghigo's commencement as Archpriest of Zurrieq.
1930 - Some documents belonging both to the Saint Catherine Musical Society and to the theatrical company ‘Rossini' quote that the Orchestra used to play also as a jazz band.
1940 - The Orchestra used to take part in the liturgical celebrations held during the week of the feast of Saint Catherine.
1944 - Maestro Espedito Deguara began to direct the Orchestra.
1946 - The Saint Catherine Orchestra is once again turned into Saint Catherine's Band.
1954 - The band takes part in a musical programme in Sicily, in the city of Noto.
1955 - Once again the Saint Catherine Band plays outside the island, this time in Acireale, Sicily.
1956 - The artistic bandstand, on which the band still performs during the feast, is inaugurated.
1959 - For the third time, the Saint Catherine Band plays abroad. This time in Catania, Sicily.
1980 - The first women's section within a Musical Society is formed.
1986 - Maestro Francis Falzon becomes director of the band. In the same year the Saint Catherine Fireworks Factory is inaugurated.
1989 - The Saint Catherine Band performs a programme in Malta's most famous theatre, the Manoel Theatre.
1991 - The executive committee decides to buy the location in which the Society has its headquarters.
1992 - After the women's section, a youth section is formed within the Society, the first one at Zurrieq.
1997 - Once again, the Saint Catherine Band is invited to play outside Malta. It takes part in various fesitivities in Bari, Italy.
2002 - A delegation from the Saint Catherine Musical Society has an audience with His Holiness Pope John II at the Vatican.
2002 - The first community radio in Zurrieq, Radio Santa Katarina, starts its first transmissions.
2004 - The Saint Catherine Band creates a twinning with the Filarmonica Pietro Mascagni from Camporgiano Lucca.
2004 - An artistic archive for librettos and manuscripts is inaugurated.
2005 - The 1700th anniversary of Saint Catherine's martyrdom is commemorated with great festivities.
2005 - A new warehouse for street decorations is inaugurated.
2005 - A pedestal with the figures of Saint Catherine together with Pope John Paul II and four angels in inaugurated.
2006 - The Golden Jubilee of the bandstand was commemorated. For this occasion, the Saint Catherine Band, directed by Maestro Francis Falzon and under the patronage of Edward Fenech Adami, President of the Republic of Malta, performed a musical programme. The President honoured also four masters who worked on the bandstand construction fifty years before, and also three musicians who performed in the inauguration ceremony. A commemorative slab was inaugurated also by the President of Malta.
2007 - During the week of the feast, commemorative slabs were inaugurated to commemorated the Maestros and Presidents of the Society throughout the years.
2007 - Throughout the year the Band had 22 programmes, 11 of which were held at Zurrieq, while the other half were around Malta. For the first time, the Band was invited to play at Nadur, Gozo in occasion of the feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The Nadur Band ‘Imnarja', then reciprocated by participating in the Zurrieq feast. In the same year, eight new band players joined the band.
2007 - The Youth Section celebrates its 15th anniversary with various cultural and social activities. On Sunday 19th August, the Band did a march around Zurrieq to commemorate this event. At the end, the youths' committee presented a new flag to the Society.