The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) has published a book on the study of early music history in Macao, entitled Watching the Band Go By – Religious Faith and Military Defence in the Musical Life of Colonial Macau, 1818-1935. Written by Oswaldo da Veiga Jardim Neto in English, the book provides a detailed investigation into a particular aspect of Macao’s past rich musical tapestry. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, including travellers’ accounts, government documents, music manuscripts, newspaper reviews as well as the body of research on Macao’s history, the author discusses the unique relationship between religious faith and military defence within the context of Portugal and its Asian colonies, and the consequent role of the Catholic Church and the military bands in shaping the musical life of Macao between the 19th and 20th centuries. Bridging the current gap of academic research on the early musical history of Macao, the book has established itself as a highly academic and valuable reference source.