TIRANA, May 29- Hava Bekteshi who works as an economist at Neustadt near Hamburg, Germany, has migrated from Macedonia to Germany with her parents when she was 14 years old. Albanian autochthonous music and our most famous instrument the à§ifteli, has always been an integral part of the free time at the home where Bekteshi grew up. In this way this instrument became for her a means of expressing her feelings, longing and sorrow since her early childhood.
Over time, her à§ifteli crossed the walls of her home and her family, and she started playing the instrument and introducing it in the schools she attended, in various orchestras, amongst other artists, and wherever else the Albanian economist could find the opportunity to make this part of the Albanian tradition known.
“I have participated in various festivals, in collaboration with musicians of different genres, where I’ve always included the à§ifteli. Then I have developed projects with German students, projects in theatres, like the German Theatre ‘Deutsches Schauspielhaus,’ but also outside Germany in cities such as Venice, Lyon, etc.,” said Bekteshi.
But Bekteshi considers her appearance at the concert performed with the famous Hamburg Philharmonic (Elbphilarmonie) as the coronation of her efforts in this regard. This was carried on May 25, under the project “Stadtlied” (City Song) that took place in Hamburg. At Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, she played with her à§ifteli the renowned “Tingellon teli i à‡iftelise” (The à§ifteli string dings). This is the first time that our most famous instrument is seen and heard at a concert of such sizes.
“It was something so incredible and I am very grateful that I was able to stay in this giant stage together with so many other professional artists,” said Bekteshi.
She has been chosen as one of the protagonists of this grand concert, for which major German media have reported and written on. They also conducted a portrait on the young Albanian. This concert was preceded by a long and intense preparation through various rehearsals and workshops. There were over 100 participants of different genders, ages, professions and origins. The purpose of this project was to introduce Hamburg as a cosmopolitan and diversified city, where a large number of communities of different descents live and interact.
