The Santa Maria Accordion Band, founded in 1992 and directed by Maestro Marthese Busutill Cassar L.B.C.A., is Malta's only Accordion Band. This year Maestro Busutill Cassar organised the third Accordion Festival-Malta. The visiting guest band was the Swentibold Accordion Orchestra from Holland, directed by Maestro Henk Tiebosh, consisting of 35 members. The first festival took place in 2017, inspired by a suggestion from Philippe Agius, which Maestro Marthese embraced enthusiastically and has pursued ever since.
The Santa Maria Accordion Band has performed abroad and invited other bands to play in Malta. Significant milestones include hosting the Foreign Accordion Orchestra from Potsdam, Germany in 2015, and celebrating the 25th anniversary in 2017 with performances in Italy and Malta at the Teatro Comunale Mario del Monaco and San Anton Palace.
The band invited the Akki-Harmonisti Orchestra from Germany in 2018 consisting of 15 members. That same year the Santa Maria Accordion band received registration as a voluntary organisation.
This year's festival took place at the Santa Maria Band Club in Mqabba on 17 October. The following day another performance was held at The Imperial Hotel, Sliema where they were greeted by a great audience who participated during many popular musical pieces performed by both orchestras. A highlight was soprano Olga Agafonova whose voice during the performance of Habanera kept everyone mesmerised. She also sang the very popular Maltese song, Xemx in Maltese. The last performance took place at San Anton Palace where the bands were honoured by the presence of the Dutch Ambassador to Malta H. E. Djoeke Adimi-Koekkoek, who was very instrumental in getting contacts with the Dutch band.
During each performance, which included pieces such as The Second Waltz by Shostakovich, William Tell by Giacomo Rossini, Barber of Seville, Yo so Maria by Astor Piazzolla and Abba Gold by Andersson the audience joined in with singing and clapping. At the end of the festival the two bands played together - Laurena by Johan Nijs and La Morenita by Jiri Mathis were conducted by Mro Henk Tiebosch whereas Danza Kuduro by Niels Tiebosch and Espana Cani by Pasqual Narro were conducted by Mro Busuttil Cassar.
There were four solo performers from The Santa Maria Accordion band, three of whom were veterans but the one who stole the show was eight-year-old Jean Carl Busuttil who played Waltz from Poet and Peasant by Palmer-Hughes and The Village Tavern polka by Svec. He happens to be Mro Busuttil Cassar's grandson, who started his accordion lessons when he was just four years old!
Maestro Busuttil Cassar instils the desire in many young and old to entertain themselves and others. They perform in churches, outdoor cultural activities, old people's homes, local councils and other private functions.
On 7 December a Christmas concert will also be held in Balzan.
The Accordion Festival was sponsored by the Ministry for Culture and by VisitMalta