Music
TKOBAP names winners of the “Tish Daija” competition for symphony orchestra, works set for November festival
On the composer's 100th birth anniversary, four new works by Endri Sina, Fjolla Gashi, Jurgen Muharremi and Kris Sopiqoti will be performed on stage.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 23, 2026, 12:30 · Updated 18:46 · 1 min read
In brief
- “Rapsodia e Jugut,” “Eclipsis Lunaris,” “Rugovë” and “Voices” win in the symphony orchestra category.
- Ten winning works for string orchestra had been announced earlier.
- The compositions will feature in the first edition of the “Nights of Albanian Music” festival in November.
The National Theater of Opera, Ballet and Folk Ensemble (TKOBAP) on Friday announced the winning works of the “Tish Daija” National Music Composition Competition in the symphony orchestra category, as part of the composer's 100th birth anniversary.
Four symphonic works
The winners are “Rapsodia e Jugut” (Rhapsody of the South) by composer Endri Sina, “Eclipsis Lunaris” by Fjolla Gashi, “Rugovë” by Jurgen Muharremi and “Voices” by Kris Sopiqoti. TKOBAP congratulated the composers and said the works would be staged, enriching the orchestral repertoire and continuing the tradition of Albanian music.
The theater had earlier announced the winners in the string orchestra category, where ten works were honored: “Skerco” by Ajet Çekiçi, “Peizazh Baritor” by Arjan Brahimi, “Përgjimi” by Armand Broshka, “Variacione String” by Denis Baftjari, “Sunset to Sunrise” by Endri Sina, “Automaton” by Erli Lila, “Fantasy for String Orchestra” by Ina Kosturi, “Fractal of Stillness” by Jetmir Zaganjori, “Nocturn” by Justin Petoshati and “Labëria” by Justinian Kissi. Endri Sina is thus the only composer with winning works in both categories.
On to the “Nights of Albanian Music”
The competition is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and aims to encourage new composition and support composers of Albanian classical music. The winning works will be part of the first edition of the “Nights of Albanian Music” festival, which TKOBAP will hold in November.
Tish Daija, composer of the ballet “Halili and Hajria,” is one of the foundational names of 20th-century Albanian music.
