An analysis of Avni Mula in terms of his contributions to Kosovo folk music

Authors

  • Holta Kilica Sina Faculty of Music, University of Arts, Tirana, Albania Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15512668

Keywords:

Avni Mula, Ethnomusicology, Kosovo music

Abstract

This study aims to thoroughly examine Avni Mula’s contributions to Kosovan folk music. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative approach. The study analyzes Mula’s life, artistry, and contributions to music from a historical perspective, drawing on biographical data and artistic works. Information regarding Mula’s musical career—including his roles as a singer and composer—and his influence on the Kosovan folk music repertoire is explored in detail. The research is based on content analysis supported by literature review and historical documents. This methodological approach focuses on understanding Mula’s musical aesthetics, his fusion of folk music with professional artistry, and the cultural significance of his works. Furthermore, data obtained from interviews and music critiques regarding his influence are used to assess his contributions more comprehensively. The findings aim to reveal Mula’s lasting impact on folk music and his musical legacy. This method seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of both his singing and compositional careers. Mula’s works modernize folk music by drawing inspiration from daily life and blending it with art. By establishing a strong connection between folk traditions and musical art, Mula made significant contributions to the preservation and enrichment of cultural heritage through music.

Author Biography

  • Holta Kilica Sina, Faculty of Music, University of Arts, Tirana, Albania

     

    Assoc. Prof. Dr. Holta Sina (Kilica) is a musicologist and educator at the University of Arts in Tirana (UART). She studied Musicology at the Faculty of Music of the Academy of Arts (now University of Arts, Tirana) in the class of Prof. Albert Paparisto (1990–1994). She completed her degree under the academic supervision of Prof. Sokol Shupo (1994) with the highest results. She then worked as a scientific researcher in the Department of Ethnomusicology and Ethnochoreography at the Institute of Folk Culture (IFC) under the Academy of Sciences of Albania (1994–2000). In 1998, she specialized as head of the Ethnomusicological Archive of IFC at the PhonogrammArchiv in Vienna, Austria, under the direction of Prof. Ditrich Schüller. She completed postgraduate studies and a Master's degree in Musicology (at the Academy of Arts) under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Fatmir Hysi (2006) with top results. In 2011, she earned the title of “Docent” at the Faculty of Music, UART. She defended her Doctorate at the Albanian Institute of Studies (IAKSA/QSA, Tirana) under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Shaban Sinani (2013), again with the highest evaluation. Her scientific activity spans from 1996 to the present and includes participation in several research projects, such as: involvement in the development project of the National Folklore Festival 1995 in Berat, serving as a scientific committee member for the selection of folk music groups as an ethnomusicologist; and taking part in scientific expeditions organized by IFC (Academy of Sciences of Albania) in Himara (1995) and Durrës (1999), particularly among the Kosovar population displaced by Serbian genocide. She has participated in dozens of national and international symposiums, conferences, and scientific panels from 1996 to 2022 in Albania and abroad. She is the author of numerous scholarly, critical, and journalistic articles published in academic journals and media in countries including Albania, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, and the United Kingdom. She is also the author or co-author of:

    • Music 5 (textbook for 9-year schools, 2007, Ministry of Education and Science), co-authored with Elira Aliaj;
    • Opera: Concept and Structure, Express Print, Tirana (2016);
    • The Ekphonetic Codices of Albania (scientific study), Academy of Sciences of Albania (2019);
    • and co-author with Prof. Dr. Zana Shureriqi Prela of the book 60 Years of the Faculty of Music at the University of Arts (1962–2022), bilingual (Albanian-English), Naimi Publishing House (2024).

    Academic contributions: She has developed course programs for musical form analysis (lecture cycles, recommended literature) and musicology; served as academic advisor and scientific opponent for undergraduate and master's theses in musicology and music education. She has been a member of admission and thesis defense committees in the field.

    Since 2002, she has been a full-time lecturer in Musical Work Analysis and Musicology (bachelor and master programs) at UART. In 2023, she was awarded the title of Associate Professor at the Faculty of History and Philology, University of Tirana. She is a permanent member of the Doctoral Commission and its subcommittees, and a member of the Organizing Committee and Editorial Board of the International Conference on Arts and Education (ICAE, 2025).

    Currently, she is the Head of the Musicology Department (chair of the subject group) in the Faculty of Music at UART.

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Published

2025-03-30

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Section

Articles