Amante Attard School of Music

In the middle of the 19th century in Malta, many band clubs were founded. They started to teach music with the aim of forming wind bands in the community, for the community. They started to engage musical instructors to teach music to children and provide musical activities to accompany Religious services and take part in social activities to entertain people. They formed committees as well to lead all the organisation. The band clubs are the first organisations in Malta which started up to organise the Maltese together in committees, by far before the Self Government of the 1921. Through the years, the Maltese band clubs kept going constantly in teaching and performing music. For a period of time they were the only source of providing music for people, who most of them had not enough money to go to the Theatre to listen music. Nowadays, the general educational system has changed and qualifications, certifications and accreditations have become central. We are also witnessing a constant rise in popularity of the vocational approach of teaching and learning. Such approach involves students learning through practice, which is more enjoyable and targeting the current industrial needs. This system fits perfectly the environment, provided by the schools of music within the local band clubs. Therefore, with a little reorganisation and restructuring of the systems currently in use within band clubs, this can easily become the way forward which will allow students to be also formally certified. The School of Music within the 12th May Band, is named after the first musical director of the band, Amante Attard. He was a devoted teacher, very well known and a highly respected gentleman in Haz-Zebbug for his dedication in his work towards education and music. He was also a composer who wrote the immortal hymn “it-12 ta’ Mejju 1962” known as “Reġa Wasal il-Jum” amongst other compositions. Derived from this idea, this prospectus gives an outline of the system that will be provided to the students at the “Amante Attard School of Music” within the 12th May Band and Social Club. The objective of this system is to provide a holistic musical educational framework which will help students aim for quality. The formal course is seven years long which will include the provision of a sound basis of musical rudiments with application, qualified tutors to teach both the practical and theoretical aspects, and an apprenticeship period which will aim at producing dependable musicians. Moreover, the structure will enable students to get certified through a recognized British music college – the London College of Music. Most importantly, the structure also allows for students to continue their musical studies at higher level with the possibility of targeting a musical career. This is all embedded within the conventional idea of a traditional band club: fees are kept at a minimum for accessibility to all, free loan of instruments is still provided and above all the family-feeling will still reign over all those involved. We therefore invite you to join the Amante Attard School of Music for an exceptional musical experience.