Tish Daija, composer, People’s Artist, academic, external member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, passed away in Tirana. He was born in Shkodër, in 1926. His approach to music began in his childhood years: at the age of 6 he sang in the Franciscan choir of Martin Gjoka, then he was a member of Prenk Jakova’s wind orchestra. He attended higher studies and graduated in composition at the Conservatory “P. 1. Tchaikovsky” (Moscow, 1951-1956). He worked in the Ministry of Education and Culture and as artistic director of the State Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances (1962–1980). The compositional beginnings, some popular-style songs (“Çike o mori çike“, “Me lule t’bukra“, etc.) influenced by Shkodra civic music, belong to the 40s of the XX century. In the second half of the 50s of the 20th century, his creativity recognized genuine professional developments with instrumental and orchestral works, such as the first String Quartet (1955) and the orchestral Suite “Një ditë pikniku” (“A picnic day”) (1955). With the operetta “Lejlaja” (“Violet”) (1957) and the opera “Pranvera” (“Spring”) (1960) he ranks among the first creators of these scenic genres; with the ballet “Halili dhe Hajrija” (“Halili and Hajrija”)(1962) he became the creator of the first Albanian ballet. He composed almost all musical forms and genres, including film music. As one of the most original representatives of the Albanian song, Tish Daija showed true emancipatory tendencies for the time (“Erë pranverore“, “Natën vonë” etc.). (In the photo: Tish Daija)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 408.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tish_Daija
Graphic processing: AHCF
