Besiana Mehmedi-Mezzo Soprano, Shkodran Tolaj- Tenor and Andreja Naunov in Concert
The concert program
* La chia ch’io pianga Rinaldo – G. F. Handl, Besiana Mehmedi – mezzosoprano
* Caro mio ben G. Giordani, Shkodran Tolaj – tenor
* Un ballo in maschera G. Verdi, Besiana Mehmedi – mezzosoprano
* E lucevan le stelle from “Tosca” G. Puccini, Shkodran Tolaj – tenor
* The Queen of Spades P. I. Cajkovski, Besiana Mehmedi – mezzosoprano
* Hej ju male from opera“ Skenderbeu” C. Zadeja, Besiana Mehmedi – mezzosoprano
* Dein ist meine ganzes Herz from operetta “Das Land des Lachelns” F. Lehar, Sh. Tolaj – tenor
* Komm Zigan from opereta “Grafin Mariza” E. Kalman, Shkodran Tolaj – tenor
* Cruda sorte from opera ”Italiana in Algeri” G. Rossini, B. Mehmedi – mezzosoprano
* La dona e mobile from “Rigoleto” G. Verdi, Shkodran Tolaj – tenor
* Habanera from “Carmen” G. Bizet, Besiana Mehmedi – mezzosoprano
* Granada Spanish song – A. Lara, Shkodran Tolaj – tenor
* O sole mio Napolitan song – Di Capua, duet Besiana Mehmedi& Shkodran Tolaj
* Mus’t the winter come so soon from “Vanesa”- S. Barber, B. Mehmedi – mezosoprano
* Kenge moj M. Piperku, Shkodran Tolaj – tenor
* Margjelo Prenk Jakova, duet Besiana Mehmedi&hkodran Tolaj
* Time to Say Goodbye F. Sartori, duet Besiana Mehmedi & Shkodran Tolaj
………………………………………piano: Andrej Naunov…………………………………………………………………………
Besiana Mehmedi-mezzo-soprano
Besiana Mehmedi was born in 1982 in Pristina, Kosovo but her family origin relates to the Macedonian city of Kicevo. She completed the primary and secondary musical school “Prenk Jakova” in Pristina for piano and solo-singing where she was widely regarded as one of the best students in the school. She held several concerts in Kosovo’s cities of Pristina, Peja, and Gjakova. She completed her high school one year in advance due to her excellent academic performance.
Ms. Mehmedi graduated from the Academy of Arts of Albania, in Tirana, with an excellent GPA and highest academic honors. During the studies and after graduation, she was part of numerous classical music performances which were produced by the National Albanian Theater of Opera and Ballet. Ms. Mehmedi finished her graduate studies in musicology, under the auspicious of professor Zana Shuteriqi, with an excellent academic record (a GPA of 4.0) and her thesis was on “The role of National Television of Macedonia on the development of Albanian music during 1967-2012”. She is about to receive her second master’s in solo-singing from the Kosovar Academy of Arts in Pristina. From 2006-2013, Ms. Mehmedi served as an assistant professor of music history and vocal technique at the State University of Tetovo. Since 2013, she has been working as a professor of music history, solo-signing and vocal technique at the State University of Tetovo.
Besiana Mehmedi has made her name as one of the most well -known Albanian musical singers. She is also known as a music professor, a publicist, radio reporter, and media presenter. She has received numerous musical awards and has been involved in re-producing and re-interpreting some of the Albanian folk hits.
Classic musical performances
“Peace and happiness in the spring of new century” – solo concert, 1999
Albanian Theater of Opera – concert, June, 2004
Soloist in the Concert of Mother Teresa’s canonization with the “Jan Kukuzeli” Orchestra and conductor Zhani Ciko, National Theater of Pristina, 2004
Solo-concert with “Latino Band”, Struga, Macedonia, 2007
Solo-concert “One language for all”, with guests including Suzana Frasheri, Edit, Mihal, Redon Makashi, accompanied by the Macedonian National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Conductor Sasho Tatarqevksi, 2009
Solo-concert with guests including Shkodran Tolaj and Suzana Frasheri, accompanied by the Macedonian National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Conductor Sasho Tatarqevksi, 2010
Besiana Mehmedi has also participated in the musical and arts activities organized by the State University of Tetovo. She performed as a soloist in the musical concert “Kantata e alfabetit” with conductor Arifikmet Xhemaili which was performed in Tetova, Struga, and Gostivar during 2008. She has also participated in the concert organized between the State University of Tetovo and Radio Television of Albania in 2008, and the concert in honor of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s declaration of independence. Ms. Mehmedi has also performed in the concert organized by the Kosovo Embassy in Turkey in February, 2013.
During her career, Besiana Mehmedi has collaborated with numerous conductors including Milto Vako, Suzana Turku, Eno Koco and Jetmir Burbullushi.
Her roles in operas include:
- Opera “Figaro Weeding” – Moxart, the role of Cherubino, conductor Altin Shehu, director Nikolin Gurakuqi, Albanian Academy of Arts, Tirana, 2004
- “Il cambiale del matrimonio” – Rosini, the role of Clarina, conductor Leonardo Quadrino, director Nikolin Gurakuqi, Albanian Academy of Arts, Tirana, 2004
- Opera “Room” – Ermir Dergjini, the role of Ines, conductor Zhani Ciko, director Nikolin Gurakuqi, National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Tirana, 2004
- Musical “Per tre grosh” – Kurt Weil, the role of Xheni, conductor Artan Lumshi, director Armando Bora, National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Tirana, 2005
- Musical “The Kidnapping of Junis William”- Paula Kimber, the role of Ganenstehav, Festival “Ohrid summer”, director Natasha Popllavska, director Sasho Tatarqevski.
Besiana Mehmedi has won many music awards. She received the second place in the “Flag Festival,” which was organized in honor of the Albanian 100th years of declaration of independence and received the “Nexhimje Pagarusha” award in the “Kenga Ime” Festival.
Ms. Mehmedi also contributes as a writer for numerous social arts journals where she has written on the “Role of media in enhancing music” and “Menzra e kriprimit permes muzikimit”.
She is currently working with the National Radio of Australia as a free-lance reporter. Before that, she had her own show “Gjurme ne pentragram” which was broadcasted in the National Radio television of Macedonia. Besiana Mehmedi has written many articles for numerous newspapers and in some of them, she also held the role of editor in chief.
Shkodran Tolaj’s biography
Shkodran Tolaj is an Albanian classical music singer who has performed in the German musical and arts scene for more than a decade. His latest vocal specialization was with the world-famous Mexican music professor Francisco Araiza. During his collaboration with Mr. Araiza, Mr. Tolaj performed the roles of Puccini. He also played the roles of Rodolfo and Pinkerton at the “La Boehme” and “Madam Butterfly” operas respectively. He has also collaborated with the “Orso” Philharmonic Orchestra when he played the role of Barinkay in the operetta “Zigeunbaron” of J. Strauss. With the same orchestra, he also conducted the vocal recording of Symphony Nr. 1 of A. Scriabin. Mr. Tolaj, apart from playing major classical opera characters, has also performed in modern musical pieces. He was part of the cast of the “Frafin Mariza” opera of E. Kalmman with his role of Tasilos. His two other musical performances were in the “West Side Story” of L. Bernestein (Tonny) and “Dance of the Vampires” of Jim Steinman (Graf von Krolock). In one of its musical reviews, the German newspaper “Baditsche Zeitung” praised Mr. Tolaj for his unique and high pitched voice which it claimed is “mesmerizing to the public.” Tenor Tolaj has also performed in the French and Swiss musical scenes where he has been distinguished as a multi-dimensional tenor who is able to adapt to different roles and characters from a wide ranging musical periods. Mr. Tolaj has recently returned to the Balkans and is contributing to the musical scenes of Kosova, Albania, and Macedonia. He has performed several solo concerts recently, including “The Spring Sounds” with the Macedonian National Theater of Opera and Ballet in October 2014 where he performed some of the world’s most challenging aria. Consequently, the concert was greatly received and appraised by the media and public. Mr. Tolaj has also released a classical music album titled “Impressions”. At the same time, he has performed along with the renowned Macedonian musical assembles, including his performance along with the famous troika of VAM, composed of professor Marija Gjoshevka – piano, Vladimir Kostov- violin, and Aleksader Kotevski – violoncello. Mr. Tolaj also was part of the concert held in Bitola/Manastir in November, 2015 where he performed along with the Albanian National Theater of Opera and Ballet. Some of Mr. Tolaj’s concerts have been broadcasted live on the national public stations and have received wide media coverage.
Andreja Naunov was born in Kochani. He finished elementary musical school in his hometown, while secondary in Shtip. He received his degree in music from the University of St. Cyril and St. Methodius in Skopje, at Music Academy in the class of professor Simon Trpchevski, in whose class today, he is attending postgraduate studies. Has won several state awards in chamber music and piano. Andreja has accomplished many recitals in Macedonia. As a soloist he has performed with the Macedonia Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Macedonian Opera and Ballet., and at the same time he took part of the Simon Trpchevski’s national tour .Has taken part of many humanitarian manifestations, concerts and shows. Andreja has realized concerts as a solo singer , as well as a member of many vocal ensembles. With the ensemble ” Vocals” he has performed at the Ohrid Summer Festival, Skopje Summer Festival, DMM, and has been involved in movie soundtracks recordings. As a member of the vocal ensemble “ Heraclea “ has performed at the “ Dubrovnik Summer Festival “, “ Ohrid Summer Festival “, “ Skopje Summer Festival” , “ Wine Festival “ in Novi Sad and many others. Andreja has remarkable possibilities to emphasize his performing skills on piano, working as an accompianist, with many eminent soloists and ensembles ( AKUD “ Mirche Acev “, “ France Presern “, EZRM “ Mois Hanson “, “ Tango Acoustic “ ) showing them at many shows in Republic Of Macedonia, such as Ohrid Summer Festival, Days of the Macedonian Music, Skopje Summer Festival, Bit Fest, and shows in Switzerland, Austria, Serbia, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia as well. Some of the soloists he has worked with are the prominent artists of the Macedonian Opera and Ballet and instrumentalists. Has worked with many prominent conductors : Urosh Lajovich, Janush Psibilski, Paul Vaigold, Norman Vidzaja, and has started to work as a conductor of his own with the choir of the Church “ Presveta Bogorodica “ from Skopje. In 2012 and 2014 will perform an amazing concerts with this choir in Vienna, as well as in 2015 in Venice, Roma, and Bari. In May 2013 he has been member of jury for piano, in the international festival of Slavic music in Moskow. In April 2016 he has a debu with complete ansamble of Macedonian Opera And Balet like a conductor.Today, Andreja Naunov is working as an accompianist with the Macedonian Opera and Ballet and as an exterior assistant at the Music Academy in Skopje, and as a conductor of the church choir “Presveta Bogorodica”.
