Developing Audiences for Classical Music workshop was successfully held in Tirana

Two-day workshop Developing Audiences for Classical Music, organized by the International Festival Vox Baroque took place on 28th and 29th of March in Tirana, Albania.

The first part of the workshop has brought together representatives from Albanian local cultural sector Prof. Dr. Vasil S. Tole (composer, ethnomusicologist and Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of Albania), Dr. Herida Duro (Director of Policies and Cultural Development Strategies, Ministry of Culture) and Mrs. Abigeila Voshtina (Advisor of the Minister of Youth), which discussed historical approach and different strategies regarding policies for a sustainable development and growth of classical music audiences.

The second session of the workshop focused on discussion about different approaches and methodologies used by the some of the most reputable festivals in the region KotorArt Don Branko´s Music Days (Kotor), Dubrovnik Summer Festival (Croatia), Ljubljana Festival (Slovenia), Belgrade Festivals Center (Serbia), Vox Baroque (Albania) and Chopin Piano Fest (Kosovo), when it comes to developing the audiences for classical music.

-We all have problems with the politics of our countries. Institutions don’t all follow the same direction and don’t recognize it as a way to educate the audience. Before Vox Baroque, no one in Albania knew what baroque music was, except the musicians. (..) People have a love for art, music, and education, but it needs to also have the strong hand of the government to come up with strategies to handle the field - Denis Bizga from International Festival Vox Baroque pointed out during his presentation.

This was a third of the overall six workshops which are being organized as part of EU project #synergy: Sharpening the capacities of the classical music industry in the Western Balkans. Through these workshops and regional mobility actions, as well as through networking, the participants are given the opportunity to share their experience and know-how with their colleagues, cultural professionals in order to enhance their competitiveness and open up opportunities for co-production. Next workshop entitled Professional Education & Classical Music is to be organized by Chopin Piano Festival in May in Prishtina, Kosovo.

The project #synergy: Sharpening the capacities of the classical music industry in the Western Balkans is co-funded by the EU Creative Europe programme and brings together six important festivals from the region: the KotorArt Don Branko’s Music Days (Montenegro), Dubrovnik Summer Festival (Croatia), Belgrade Summer Festival (Serbia), Ljubljana Festival (Slovenia), Vox Baroque Festival (Albania), and the Chopin Piano Fest Prishtina (Kosovo). The project aims to provide new skills and connect cultural professionals, primarily those who work in the music festival and classical music sector, to encourage composers to write new pieces inspired by the local heritage of partner countries, as well as to facilitate networking and collaboration between young musicians, composers, and classical music organizations in the Western Balkans.

For more info about the project, visit synergyproject.info.