Malta Song Festival
Although Malta is a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea with a small population, it is nonetheless rich in its history and its culture. When in the 1950s, in nearby Italy the San Remo Festival, and later in Switzerland, the Eurovision Song Contest came into existence, Malta soon followed suit by organizing its own National Song Festival. Origins and other festivals in Malta. 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. 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. Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1970 the Malta Broadcasting Authority decided that, as from 1971, Malta would participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. So the Malta Broadcasting Authority and the Malta Song Festival Board joined forces. On Saturday 28 November 1970, 12 compositions competed in the semi-final to a packed audience in the Grandmaster's Ballroom of the Malta Hilton. Six finalists were chosen with the finals held on 29  January 1971, at the Main Studio of Malta Television Services, now TVM. In fact in 1971 Joe Grech, by now a four-time winner of this festival, managed to be the first Maltese singer to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. Although in 1972 and 1975 Malta participated again in the Eurovision Song Contest, for some very obscure reason in 1973 and 1974 Malta did not participate. In 1976 the government decided against Malta's participation in the Eurovision. It was only in 1991 that the regular participation of "Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest" was resumed. 1980s and  1990s. In 1981 the organization of the "Malta Song Festival", now known as "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija", was taken over by the Ministry of Education and Culture. In the eighties all songs were being sung in the Maltese language and later, a version of the Maltese song was also sung in a foreign language by a foreign artist. In 1982 the festival was held at Mediterranean Conference Centre between 25 and 28 March 1982. The festival was divided in three categories. Several international singers were invited to take part by singing the festival songs in the language of the  foreign participants. Riccardo Fogli and The Tweets, so very well known for their Birdie Song, were the special guests of the 1982 edition. In 1991, 1992 and 1993 the " Festival Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija" became the venue from which the English version of the winning song would represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1994 two versions of the festival were held simultaneously, one section for songs in Maltese, and another section for songs sung in English, with the winning song of the latter section representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. As from 1995 two distinct festivals were organised , one for songs in Maltese and another for songs to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest Up to 2002, the "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija", continued to be organized by the Maltese Government, in tandem with another festival whose winner would represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest. But, after 2002, the "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija" came to a halt. On the other hand, the " Malta Song For Europe Festival" continued to be organised year after year. In 2008 the event was renamed Malta EuroSong, but this name was only used for the 2009 and 2010 editions. The  event is now known as the Malta Eurovision Song Contest. The Return. On 24 July 2013 a meeting was held at the Manoel Theatre in Malta where Josette Grech Hamilton, Chairperson of the newly formed Organizing Committee, announced the return, after an absence of 11 years, of the "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija". Mro Sigmund Mifsud was chosen as a conductor of a ten-piece band signifying the return of live performances to this festival. The Maltese Government decided to re-introduce its support and assistance to the festival Norman Hamilton and Robert Cefai, the current President and Secretary General  of the World Association of Festivals and Artists, better known as WAFA, were also present. The organising committee consisted also of Ignatius Farrugia, vice-chairperson; Deo Grech, Media Relations; Ray Falzon, Pierre Cachia and Simone Bugeja. Anton Attard served as the PBS consultant to the board. On 18 September 2013, the 14 finalists out of 62 submissions were announced on TVM. The festival was held on Saturday 9 November 2013 and transmitted live on TVM. Apart from the 14 local singers who made it to the final, there were also 13 international guest singers who competed amongst themselves, with the  group Bella Vista of (Germany) winning this section with their song " Fremd Aber Doch Vertrthe" a German version of the 1999 winning song of this festival "Sa L-Ahhar Nifs". The joy of its return was however short-lived, because in 2014 the "Festival Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija" has been sent back to limbo. No official communication has been issued about future editions. On 26 February 2016 at a press conference held in Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, Mr. Albert Marshall, Chairman of the Malta Arts Council, announced that "L-Ghanja Tal-Poplu-Festival Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija" will be held in  July 2016. The festival, under its new format, will now be organised by the committee of L-Għanja tal-Poplu (People's Ode Song Contest), Malta Arts Council, Spazju Kreattiv, and Public Broadcasting Services. It has also the backing of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture and the management of Pjazza Tejatru Rjal where the festival was held on 7 and 9 July 2016. Results of the 2016 and consecutive editions can be seen on L-Għanja tal-Poplu. Back With Grandeur. This festival, now re-branded as Mużika Mużika, and no longer with any connection to L-Għanja tal -Poplu, was held on 18,19,20 March 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was held on TVM. Festivals Malta, together Malta's Public Broadcasting Services were responsible for its organization. The singers in this year's edition, were accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. There were 150 submissions, with 20 making it to the semi-final of 18 March and twelve to the final of 20 March 2021. The edition of Friday 19 March was a non-competitive one where the 20 semi-finalists each sang a Maltese classic song in tandem with a number of Maltese veteran singers. Winners. The  following is a non-comprehensive list of the winners of some of the previous editions of the "Malta Song Festival" and of the "Festival Nazzjonali/Internazzjonali Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija". From the list below, it can be seen that only Enzo Gusman and Renato Micallef came First in this festival five times. Enzo Gusman in 1966, 1974, 1976, 1995,and 2000. Renato Micallef also in 1974, and in 1975, 1985, 1986 and 1989. "In 1994 two Festivals were held on the same day. There were four runners-up for each section, and only a First Placing was awarded for each section." 1990s . "Festival Tal-Kanzunetta Maltija (Festival Of Maltese Songs)": "Festival Kanzunetta Għall-Ewropa (Song For Europe)": Live Orchestra directed by Mro. George Debono. Comperes: John Bundy & Lucienne Selvagi. Live Orchestra directed by Mro. Joseph Sammut. Comperes: John Demanuele & Maria Bugeja. Live Orchestra directed by Mro. George Debono. Comperes: Charles Saliba & Anna Bonanno. This semi-final was held at the Alhambra Cinema in Sliema on Saturday 1 February 1975. The 21-piece orchestra was under the direction of the late Mro Twanny Chircop and Mro Paul Arnaud. Norman Hamilton and Mary Grech were the comperes. 1970s. "(Renato Micallef represented Malta in the  Eurovision Song Contest with this song. It was Malta's third participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and the first time that the song was sung in the English Language.)" (Enzo sang the Maltese version whilst Renato sang the English version.) "(L-Imħabba represented Malta in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest. It was not sung by the winners but by Joe Cutajar & Helen Micallef)" "(Joe Grech represented Malta for the first time in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest with this song.)" "(Enzo Gusman with his song "Dlonk Dlonk" obtained the highest number of votes from televoting.)" "("Rebbieħa", sung in Maltese , & "Come Se Mai" both came in the second place)" 1960s. "(Even in 1962 two separate festivals were organized. One for foreign language songs and another one for songs sung in Maltese)" "(In 1961 two separate festivals were organized. One for songs sung in a foreign language and another one for songs sung in Maltese)"