Tafa, most popular singer of the "Talava"genre, with bank notes given to him by his enthusiastic audience. Photo: Svanibor Pettan

Tina and Zota, the best known "defatore" players of Kosovo. In the beginning of a wedding ceremony, the bride spends two days among women. During this time, female defatore players (plural of "def" - Albanian for drum) entertain the women with their drumming and singing. These musicians are usually Ashkali-women. They play at traditional Albanian weddings.

Vlasina 2000
Program Koncerta

  1. Arcangelo Coreli: Sonata da chiesa op.1 n. 10, Stavovo: I grave
    II Allegro moderato
    III Allergro
    IV Adagio
    V Allegro vivace
  2. T. Albinoni: Adagio in Sol min (1671-1750)
  3. Antoni Dworzak: op. 101 mr 7
    Humoreska - obrada za trio I. Jasarevic
    poco lento e Grazioso
  4. F. Schubert: - Moment musical op. 49 No.3
    Allegro moderato
  5. Jasarevic - Pristinski veternik
  6. Milovan Filipovic - Seoska sonata II stav
    Largo Liberamente
    Andante Maestoso
    Moderato Cantibile
    Andante Maestoso
  7. P. Sarasate - Romanza Cantibile
    br. 22 No. 1
  8. F. List: Transcemdentalna etida No. 2
  9. J. Dinlu: Horo Stacato
    obr. za trio I. Jacarevic
Programme of the concert given by the "Romsky-Trio" on 30 July in Belgrade, including a piece by Jasarevic about his lost home country. Source: Archive Rom e.V
Records of Roma-bands and -singers of the 1970s. Source: Archive M. Heinschink, Vienna

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Roma Musicians
Like all other Roma groups, the Kosovo Roma have a rich musical tradition. In Kosovo, like everywhere in Eastern Europe, Roma musicians have been playing at celebrations of the "Gadsche" (non-Roma), Serbians as well as Albanians, for generations. In the 1980s, when the conflict between Albanians and Serbs escalated, Roma musicians integrated Greek, Indian and South American (Lambada) rhythms into their music and so created a new international style of music, enjoyed by both Albanians and Serbs. The music of the Kosovo Roma has kindled the interest of music historians and ethnologists.
Svanibor Pettan (Ljubljana) wrote his dissertation about the Roma musicians of Kosovo at Ann Arbor (USA). The music ethnologist Mozes Heinschink (Vienna) has collected an extensive archive of Roma music in Kosovo. The most famous musician in Kosovo was Serif Cano, who died in 1991. Sami Koko (saxophone), Redjet Karac (accordion), Agret Koka (guitar), Nedjip Prokutlja (violin), Suljo Salihi (clarinet), Galjus Bayram (oboe) and the sitar player Galjus Shania-who was particularly popular with the Turks and Albanians-were all well-known members of the TV and Radio Orchestra Pristina. Like other Roma, Roma musicians taught in academic settings. Prof. Ismet Jasarevic taught violin, played in the orchestra in Pristina where he was the head of the most famous music school in Kosovo. The Rom Erguin Zumberi was professor of music theory in Pristina. And the choreographer Saljan Arapi, who was well known in Yugoslavia, studied in Belgrade.

"Romsky Trio": Prof. Ismet Jasarevic (violin) with his daughter Lutvija Jasarevic (violin) and his son Amir Jasarevic (piano). The trio plays classical European music. Photo: Archive Ackovic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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