ALBA VIP PHOTO: 07.2008

Friday, July 18, 2008

Saranda Kalaveshi SARA Photo 3

Saranda Kalaveshi SARA - Singer from Gjilan

photo credit: Maestro Production

Saranda Kalaveshi SARA Photo 2

Saranda Kalaveshi SARA - Singer from Gjilan

photo credit: unknown

Saranda Kalaveshi SARA Photo 1

Saranda Kalaveshi SARA - Singer
17 years old from Gjilan. Studying music in the Academy of Arts, Prishtina. Just promoted her first videoclip "Me fal"

photo credit: Maestro Production

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Elina Duni Photo 2

Elina Duni - Jazz Singer
Born in Albania, currently living in Switzerland.

photo credit: Anja Tanner

Elina Duni - Jazz Singer
Born in 1981. Daughter to Besa Myftiu (writer) and Spiro Duni (theatre director).

Elina Duni makes her first steps on stage as a singer at the age of 5 and begins studying the violin. During 1986-1991, she participates in several « Children’s Festivals » and sings for the National Albanian Radio and Television. In 1992 after the fall of the regime, she arrives in Switzerland and settles in Geneva together with her mother. She starts her Swiss adventure: she studies the classical piano at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève and continues her studies at the « Collège de Saussure » highschool where she discovers Jazz. In 2000 after obtaining the Diplôme de Maturité Artistique, Elina enrolls at the School of Life. Between 2000-2004, she plays in the movie « Yllka » (Albania-Switzerland 2002) and co-composes the music. She gives several jazz concerts in Albania together with the pianist Gentian Rushi (Cd « Live in Tirana » Independent Production) and acts in the theater pieces « Three farces from Chekhov » and « Little Foxes », directed by Spiro Duni, Tirana. Together with José Luis Asaresi she creates the band « Extrangers in the Noise », (Cd « Harpatic », Empiriko) - electronic sounds blend with the absurdity of life – then she departs for New York to be confronted with the big citie’s solitude. After returning to Switzerland she performs in the theater play « La preuve du Contraire », directed by Freddy Porras, Geneva. In 2005 she wins the « Special Jury Prize » in Tirana for the Cd « Lakuriq », with the band « Retrovizorja » from Prishtina, Kosovo. Since 2004 she studies singing and composition at the Hochschule der Künste Bern, jazz departement. During this time she develops the Elina Duni Quartet with Colin Vallon, piano, Bänz Oester double bass and Norbert Pfammatter, drums – a come back to her musical sources, a combination with folk songs of the Balkans and Jazz. In 2007 she is the prize winner of the « Friedl Wald » purse. During the same year she performs at « Langnau Jazz Nights » and at « Festival Onze Plus » where she is presented as « the most beautiful musical surprise of the 21st century in Switzerland. »

Quartet "Elina Duni"