The Founder
Jusuf BESHIRI
He started taking piano lessons at the age of six until 1989 where he graduated with honors at the High Institute of Arts (UART as of today). After moving to Milan in 1991 he studied for eight years’ organ and organ composition at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatoire, graduating with honors in 1998. Subsequently he attended several masterclasses on the organ repertoire with Luigi Tagliavini and Jose Uriol at the “Organ Music Academy” of Pistoia. In the meantime, he was part of several music activities in Italy and abroad including Switzerland, France, Belgium, Slovenia, Albania etc. Simultaneously he enrolled at the International Music Academy -Milan, at the antique music department where he started studying harpsichord under the guidance of Laura Alvini, further following the latter and other instruments like clacvicordo and fortepiano at Milano Conservatoire until 2001. His excellence was awarded with an intensive artistic activity, highly acclaimed from the critics of the time. Mr. Beshiri has won the Harpsichord International Competition G: Cambi in Pesaro, Italy.
From 2000-2011 he was part of the “United Europe Chamber Orchestra” as harpsichordist, organist, and fortepianist, where he developed a considerable concert activity in the baroque and “sacred” music genre. He recorded for renowned labels like RCA, ITALIAN WAY MUSIC, VIDEO RHONA CLASIC. Besides being part of UECO Mr. Beshiri has had a very intensive collaboration with many chamber music ensembles like “Pomeriggi Musicali”, orchestra “Guido Cantelli”, Brianza Classica, “Festival Adriatico Mediterraneo” while in Albania he has been invited as a special guest at “Mozaik”, “Kamerata e Tiranës”, “International Festival “Nei Suoni dei Luoghi” “Takimet muzikore të dy botëve” and the Concert Season of the University of Arts. Mr. Beshiri has been the first organist and harpsichordist to play at the inauguration ceremony of the “Shën Pali” Cathedral in Tirana, with the special presence of the Vatican Secretary, Cardinal Sodano. He is an annual guest of the Organ International Festival “Città di Arezzo”. His artistic activity has been tightly related with his didactic engagement, initially at the “International Music Academy” in Milan (2003-2010) whilst in Albania he opened for the first time the baroque music and harpsichord class. In 2013 he established the “International Baroque Music Festival-Vox Baroque” in Albania, aiming the dissemination of this unknown style within the country. Concurrently the festival tries to promote the unexplored cultural heritage of Albania, by adapting those spaces belonging to the national heritage including the archeological areas, antique amphitheaters or old churches.
http://abcnews.al/etiketa/jusuf-beshiri/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of50gnoJbDg
Curator of Festival
Oltsen GRIPSHI
Ph. D. Oltsen GRIPSHI, was born in Durrës on August 10th, 1984. He is an artist, essayist, curator, historian and art critic. After high school graduation in the Artistic Lyceum “Jan Kukuzeli” of Durrës he continued his studies at the painting of Fine Arts Academy G. B. Cignaroli of Verona where he is excellently graduated in 2006. In 2009, he mastered the Master Degree Post Lauream in the “Aesthetic and Art Critique for Pedagogy in Iconography Reading”, at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at State University of Padua, Italy. In 2012, the II Degree in Specialisation School (Laurea Doctus) in the “Contemporary Art History and Show Disciplines”, at the Academy of Fine Arts G. B. Cignaroli of Verona where he is excellently graduated, Italy. In 2017 Ph. D. (Philosophiae Doctor) he is very well graduated in the “History of Albanian Art”, at the Institute of Cultural Anthropology Studies on Art at the Academy of Albanian Studies (AAS) Tirana, Albania. From 2009-2010 Oltsen GRIPSHI has worked at State Library of Verona in the archive and restoration of the antique books as well as categorization of literary fund of “Giuseppe Tucato”. He is a Lecturer on subjects: The History of Antique-Medieval Art and History of the Albanian Economy in the Business Faculty, near the University “Aleksandër Moisiu”, Durrës. Hi is a Specialist for Education, Art and Culture – Administration of Prefect of Duurës District. His artistic philosophical approach is that surreal-conceptual language, applying it with various medias such: painting on canvas, video art and installation. In 2010, Oltsen GRIPSHI career begins with the introduction of his name in the Italian Encyclopaedia of Art, for later enriching it with the participation in exhibitions, biennales, competitions and various international events, international prizes and acknowledgments. Two of his most important personal exhibitions are those of us: 2016 Personal exhibition of painting, veido-art and installation “ANTHROPO-PHENOMENOLOGY”, National Gallery of Arts of Albania, Tirana, (Al). 2017Artist Talk “POST MORTEM”, Center For Openness And Dialogue COD – Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Albania, Tirana, (Al).
TRIBUTE
2016 Award for Career “Canaletto 2016” in the International Biennale of Contemporary Art in the Riviera del Brenta, Padua, (It). 2015 Master emeritus of art and honorary member for 2015 in the National Italian Cultural Society “Italy in Arts”, Lecce, (It). 2014 Acknowledgement of the above International Human Rights “Nelson Mandela” in the field of art, Lecce, (It). 2013 Artist of deserved honor Cavour Sogliano City in 2013, awarded by the Municipality of Sogliano Cavour, Sogliano Cavour, (It). 2013 Master emeritus of art and an honorary member in 2013 at the National Italian Cultural Society “Italy in Arts”, Lecce, (It). 2010 – 2015 Artist of the Encyclopedia of Italian Art, Milan, (It).
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
2014 International Special Award “RAFFAELLO SANZIO 2014”, Brindisi, (It). 2013 International Award “MICHELANGELO D’ORO”, Florenc, (It). 2012 International Award “LE LOUVRE”, Paris, (Fr). 2012 International Award “NETTUNO 2012”, Bari, (It). 2012 International Award in the VI edition “THE HUMANS RIGHT, SPARTACUS 2012”, Lece, (It). 2010 Merit International Award “IN PUNTA DI MATITA LUOGHI, IMMAGINI, ATMOSFERE, ATTIVITÀ DELLA VENEZIA DI OGGI”, Museo Correr, Venice, (It).
https://shqiptarja.com/lajm/vox-baroque-shpirti-i-nje-shekulli-ne-shqiperi
https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oltsen_Gripshi
https://kultura.gov.al/oltsen-gripshi-antropo-fenomenologji/
http://galeriakombetare.gov.al/ekspozita/te_shkuara.shtml
http://harabel.com.al/oltsen-gripshi/
https://creativemornings.com/talks/eltson-gripshi-about-survival
http://www.imagomundiart.com/artworks/oltsen-gripshi-kurban-mcmxcvii
http://bordo.al/2018/06/19/oltse-grpshi-nga-cmimi-ne-new-york-ne-mantova/
http://revistapsikologji.com/oltsen-gripshi-koha-gojethena-e-ekzistences-se-artit-tim/