Trumpet and Guitar music in Albania and Kosovo 2024

Following on from Alan Holley’s music visits to Albania in 2016, with the legendary Sydney Symphony Orchestra trumpeter Paul Goodchild and again in 2019, Alan, and the director of the International Albanian Brass Festival, Ilir Kodhima, approached trumpeter Joel Brennan and guitarist Ken Murray to visit both Albania and Kosovo to perform and to work with students at the Arts Universities in Tirana and Pristina. As well as being superb performers both Joel and Ken are teaching professors at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music.

The program was designed to showcase new works from Australia, Albania and Kosovo. Four Albanian composers, Enis Mullaj, Eriona Rushiti, Kris Sopiqoti and Jetmir Zagonjari, two composers from Kosovo, and Australian composers Johanna Selleck, Ken Murray and Alan Holley wrote new works for this cross continent project.

At the first concert a full house greeted the performers in the Hall of the University of Arts, Tirana where Joel and Ken in association with the pianist Ana Kaçinari enthralled the audience with music that was virtuosic or hypnotizing and always captivating. The support of the University and the attendance of so many professors was inspiring.

After an incredibly scenic drive through the hills of Albania and Kosovo the concert organized by the Dam Festival at the Barabar Centre in central Pristina added two local composers, Avni Krasniqi and Kreshnik Aliçkaj. Joel performed Trio by Avni with Ilir Kodhima (horn) and Aleksandar Ninic (tuba) and Joel and Ken played Kreshnik’s Viotar.

Again the full house audience’s enthusiasm shows how dynamic the new music scene is in southern Europe. Joel and Ken and Alan said it was lovely to represent Australia in this wonderful part of the world and to share so many different musical experiences.

Composers and performers after the Tirana concert for the IABF May 29. Great promotion due to Ilir Kodhima and big thanks to the Universiteti i Arteve, Tirane.