Mużika Mużika

The first Malta Song Festival was organized by the Maltese section of the Young Christian Workers movement in 1960. Out of 72 submissions, 20 were chosen for the two semi-finals. Eventually 10 made it for the final of Saturday 5 November 1960. All shows were held at the Radio City Opera House in Hamrun and were transmitted on the island's cable radio system, now extinct, and then better known as Rediffusion. Eight of the ten songs were sung in Italian, one in English and one in Maltese. Each song had to be presented with two different musical arrangements. It was also a requisite to have two different singers for each song. On 14 November 1960 RAI TV transmitted a video coverage of the festival in its evenings news bulletin. As far back as 1960 the organizers of the festival were already planning to send the winner to the "Eurovision Song Contest". But the time was not yet ripe for such a dream to materialise. Malta's television company was not yet a member of the European Broadcasting Union, which was a requirement to participate in the contest. In December 1961 the same Young Christian Workers movement organized also the first "Festival Ta' Kanzunetti Maltin" (Festival of Maltese Songs)". The songs in this festival were all sung in the Maltese language. Although it was organized again in 1962, but after the 1962 edition, a decision was taken that the "Festival Ta' Kanzunetti Maltin" (Festival of Maltese Songs)" would no longer be held. In 1963 a decision was taken by the Malta Song Festival Board, that it was no longer feasible to organize two separate festivals. Instead it was decided that every song should be presented on stage in two languages, one of which should in Maltese. In 1964, the Malta Song Festival was transmitted for the first time on the Malta Television Service on 16, 17 and 21 November. The final results were however announced in a presentation ceremony held and transmitted also on Malta Television on Wednesday 25 November 1964 In 1967, Rediffusion Malta, managed to issue the first long playing album of Maltese compositions, entitled "Malta Song Festival 1967". Joe Grima and Victor Aquilina, then Head of Programmes and Assistant Head of Programmes respectively of Rediffusion Malta, were the producers of this first 33 RPM of Maltese songs. In 1967 and 1968 Rediffusion Malta fully financed the festival. During the same period the late lyricist and composer from Rabat, Malta, John B. Cassar, who was a pharmacist and a teacher by profession, had set up an enterprise called "Tourist Revues International Malta". They were the organizers of "The Malta International Song Festival" which had nothing to do with the "Malta Song Festival". They also used to organize "Festival Della Canzone Italiana A' Malta". The 1966 edition of this festival was held at the Alhambra Theatre in Sliema and was even recorded and transmitted by RAI TV. In the second edition of the "Malta International Song Festival" held at the Hilton Hotel in St' Julians on the 25 July 1969, David Bowie was one of the participants. On 17 November 1973 "Jove Enterprises" together with Vanni Pule`, Maryanne Xuereb, John Portelli, Joe P. Portelli and others organized the first edition of the "Folk Song Contest" at the Chameleon Suite of the Corinthia Hotel in Attard. The then Malta Government Tourist Board gave its assistance to the organizers of this festival which was also held in 1975 and 1976. In 1973, the Youth Travel Circle, a youth organization led by Rev. Fr. Maurice Mifsud., organized the first edition of another festival L-Għanja tal-Poplu (People's Ode Song Contest). The songs of this very popular song festival are all sung in the Maltese Language. Against all odds, L-Għanja tal-Poplu (People's Ode Song Contest) has not only managed to survive, but it has even donned a National perspective. Since the nineties, this festival has been regularly transmitted on local television stations. In 1986, the "Konkors Kanzunetta Festa San Pawl" was the first song festival ever to be held in a church in Malta. The songs all had a religious theme. The festival was held at the Church of St. Paul in Valletta. Worthwhile pointing out is the fact that the original organizers of the first editions of the Malta Song Festival, namely the Maltese section of the Young Christian Workers are still very much active in the Malta music scene. In fact, on the 9 and 10 October 2015 they organized the 14th. edition of "Strummin', an annual non-competitive music show incorporating a choir a some 63 guitarists, a band and a group of singers. ==1980s and 1990s==