Merita Halili and Raif Hyseni: Stars of Albanian Music

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Merita Halili is one of Albania's most popular singers. She and her husband, accordionist and band leader Raif Hyseni, will talk about and perform music practices from all over Albania and Kosova and demonstrate their extraordinary musical artistry. Please join us for this rare opportunity!

Balkan Ensemble Speaker Series presents
Merita Halili and Raif Hyseni: Stars of Albanian Music
To RSVP and request Zoom link, email josephalpar@bennington.edu

Merita Halili is one of Albania’s top performers. Born in the capital city of Tiranë, Merita grew up singing the lyric songs of her native region of Central Albania. Her nationwide debut came in 1983, at the age of 17, when she sang at the National Folk Festival in the town of Gjirokastër. Soon afterwards she began to perform on Albanian Radio and Television and as a soloist with the State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances. She subsequently became one of the most popular singers in the country. Merita was among the first singers in Albania to release her own recording, which still sells briskly wherever Albanians live. Perhaps her greatest recognition came in 1995, when she was awarded first prize at a gala festival held in Tiranë in which 90 singers from throughout the Albanian diaspora participated. Today Merita lives in New Jersey and still maintains a packed touring schedule, performing for Albanian diaspora communities throughout the US and diverse audiences of Balkan music fans.

The repertoire for which Merita is best known is that of the towns of Central Albania (Shqipëria e Mesme), particularly Tiranë, Elbasan, Kavajë and Durrës. As she was growing up, Merita modeled her singing not only on family music making but also on recordings of older singers. In collaboration with musicians and arrangers at Albanian Radio and Television, she then developed her own approach to these songs, which includes more elaborate instrumental arrangements and full use of her prodigious range and vocal technique. More recently, Merita has recorded several newly composed songs, as well as a few popular Turkish and Rom songs. Some of her best-known performances were featured in the soundtrack for the acclaimed Italian film Lamerica.

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Raif Hyseni hails from The Republic of Kosova, which has a large Albanian majority. He grew up in the town of Mitrovicë, where he studied accordion at music school and performed in amateur ensembles.

Before moving to Tiranë in 1992, Raif was a well-known radio and television performer in Kosova’s capital city Prishtinë, where he performed with legendary violinist Isak Mucolli. Through his recordings and media appearances, Raif has become known as a major innovator on the accordion, for which he has composed dozens of instrumental melodies and songs. Raif holds a Master’s degree in music from Montclair State University. He has written music for accordion, as well as songs, theater, and documentary movies. In 2014 at Montclair State Raif founded and continues to head the Balkan-Albanian Ensemble, the first of its kind at a institute of higher education.

Raif and his wife, singer Merita Halili, emigrated to the United States in 1995, and now make their home in Caldwell, New Jersey. They perform frequently around the country on numerous stages, festivals and at community weddings.

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