The Wessex Military Band was originally formed as the Wessex Youth Band in September 1980.  Initially the band had three sections, a brass band, a corps of drums and a majorette troope.  After four yours the majorette troope was disbanded for the band to concentrate entirely on its musical development.  In 1986 the band undertook its first overseas engagement when it visited Holtzwiekede in Germany and played at the Dalinhofen Schutzenfest.  The band improved rapidly and its reputation spread all over Wessex and further.

Since 1993 the Wessex Military Band has increased in size and now has over 90 musicians.It normally visits Germany about four times a year to play at various festivals and international music shows in Hanover and Berlin.  In 1999 the band played at a military band tattoo in Avenches in Switzerland.

The Schola Gregoriana di Cremona is a female choir that dedicates itself to the study of Gregorian Chants. The choir group was originally set up by Antonella Soana Fracassi.

Since being set up, the choir has participated in more than 150 public performances in church services and in concerts in Italy and overseas.  It has also taken part in various festivals such as the Festival Europa Musica Lombardia, Canto delle Pietre, Festival Culturale dei Mari and Festival Internazionale di Cremona.

The choir has also successfully participated in various national competitions. In 1992, the choir placed first in the Concorso Nazionale Polifonico Pieve di Guastalla, as well as the XLII Concorso Polifonico Internazionale Guido D’Arezzo in 1994. In 1996 La Schola Gregoriana di Cremona launched their first CD - Gaudeamus Agathæ in which the choir performs pieces from the manuscript of Giovanni da Bellano (1452) related to the martyrdom of St Agatha.

The Norwegian Majorettes Group has been put together from four different twirling teams, mainly from the south of Norway, specifically to participate in the 1^st Malta Historic Cities Festival.  The group consists of 20 girls and one boy, aged between 12 and 25 years.

These young twirlers are among the best in Norway, and have all won the National Championships over the last three years, in individuals, duets and team competitions.  A large selection from this group will also represent Norway by participating in the Baton Twirling European Championship in 2005

The art of Baton Twirling first came to Norway in the 1950’s and eventually this discipline became an integral part of the Norwegian Band Association. Today Baton Twirling consists of both marching displays and routines with dance moves and spectacular twirling technique.

This group of flag-wavers was founded in September 1976 by a group of young men who wished to re-introduce the medieval ‘waving of the flag’. After having studied the medieval art form from authentic documents, they wanted to exhibit this culture both at their home town and abroad. 

Together, the group shows the waving of the flags, building up to a crescendo of whirling and swirling, tossing and exchanging of flags.

Whether in parades along the streets, in village squares or on stage, the Sbandieratori delle Contrade di Cori give a spectacle of colours and skill which astonishes the public. The group has also participated in various international festivals.

The Polisens Musikkår i Skåne band was founded nearly 100 years ago - in 1906 - to conduct musical activities in Malmo. At first, the band was made up of only eight people but during the sixties, the band changed to a military style and membership rapidly increased to 30.

The band has participated in various areas in Sweden and also in many overseas engagements in Prague, Berlin, Frankfurt, Rostock and Amsterdam. The band performs both indoors and outdoors with many different and exciting repertoires - Marching Music, Evergreens, Musicals, Festival Music and special Church programmes.

The band was first set up in 1985, as a military band from H.M. Naval Rooke base.  Presently, the band consists of 35 musicians aged between 11 and 89 years.  These talented individuals are a mixture of Armed Forces and civilian musicians. 

The music repertoire includes Military marching music, Dixie Big Band, German Oompah music and popular music from well-known musicals.

‘La Tarantella’ – Circolo Lucano was established in Reggio Emilia in 1995 and it is composed of around 30 members including dancers, singers and musicians.

Among the traditional dances there are the ‘dance of the mountaineers’, ‘dance of the dead’, the frenetic ‘tarantella’, the choreographic ‘quadrille’, the ‘dance of the trivet’ and the ‘harvest dance’ The more evocative dance is surely the ‘tarantolata’ where a young woman is bit by a poisonous spider and in order to eliminate the poison the healer must make her dance following the increasing rhythm of a tambourine.  At the end of this frenetic movement the young woman is fine again and ready to dance the lively ‘pizzica’. Various traditional songs and melodies are also included in their repertoire.