Band club membership stood at 25,568 members. This shows an increase of 7.3 per cent over the 23,827 members in 2002, and an increase of 5.7 per cent over the 24,199 members in 2001.

The number of people on band committees fell from 1,257 in 2002 to 1,193 in the year under review, a percentage decrease of 5.1 per cent. In 2003, band club membership included 7.1 per cent of the Maltese population aged between five and 84, a percentage increase of almost 0.5 per cent over 2002.

Although not exclusively the domain of men, this sector is definitely male-dominated, as 79.6 per cent of band club members in 2003 were men, as against 20.4 per cent female membership. Women representatives on band committees in the same year was 15 per cent, a fall of 1.1 per cent over 2002.

In 2003, a total of 1,181 band programmes were performed in Malta and Gozo, a decrease of 6.6 per cent over the previous year. The data gathered shows a decrease in band programmes performed both on home ground and at other venues.

Band clubs produced various types of publications in 2003. These included books, magazines, audio cassettes and CDs. Seventy-eight books were published, 33 per cent of which were from the southern harbour district. There were 110 magazines, with 27 per cent of them also published in the southern harbour district.

This district also boasts the largest number of audio

cassettes and CDs – 25 out of a total of 87 – or 29 per cent. This district was the most productive in this area, with almost 30 per cent of total publications. The northern harbour and south eastern districts follow with 19 per cent each. The northern district was the least productive, with just seven per cent of total publications.

The liveliest participation in band clubs was recorded in the northern harbour region, with a total of 933 bandsmen, of whom 498 were resident and 435 trainees. The south eastern district follows with a total of 818 bandsmen, with 561 residents and 257 trainees. The south eastern district boasts the largest number of band club members – 5,583 males and 2,062 females – 7,645 members in all.

In 2003, band expenditure increased by 24.4 per cent over 2002, and by 32.2 per cent over 2001. The main reason for this substantial rise is an increase of over 50 per cent in administrative running costs. The bulk of expenditure – 39.5 per cent – went towards remuneration to bandsmen.

The total income of band clubs in 2003 increased by just over 30 per cent over the year 2002, from Lm653,300 to Lm854,963.

The majority of the income came from donations, which garnered 29 per cent of the total income. In 2003, band clubs registered a profit of Lm29,541.