A choir that carries Kosovo's voice to the world

SIPARANTUM CHOIR

Founded in 2016 with a clear vision to promote Kosovo’s cultural heritage and present it on the international stage, Siparantum Choir was established by a group of enthusiastic volunteers united by their passion for choral music and their commitment to artistic excellence. Since its foundation, Siparantum Choir has served as a bridge between tradition and contemporaneity, combining the authentic values of Albanian music with the most advanced developments in the international choral art scene, while offering audiences a high level of artistic experience.

The choir’s Artistic Director and Conductor, Memli Kelmendi, has represented Kosovo on the World Choir Council since 2018 and has played a significant role in the ensemble’s international recognition. In 2023, he became a member of the World Choral Conducting Network (WCCN), further expanding the choir’s artistic collaborations and professional network internationally. With a repertoire ranging from Renaissance music to contemporary works, Siparantum Choir has consistently demonstrated high interpretative standards and an unwavering commitment to artistic quality.

Throughout its artistic journey, the choir has collaborated with distinguished figures from the international choral and classical music scene, including Simon Carrington, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Ola Gjeilo, Robin Tyson, Omer Meir Wellber, Petr Popelka, Heinz Ferlesch, Josip Degl' Ivellio, William Bennett, and Mihály Zeke. These collaborations have enriched the ensemble’s artistic identity and contributed to broadening its creative perspective on a global scale.

Siparantum Choir has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious musical venues and institutions, including the Berliner Philharmonie in Germany, Queen Elisabeth Hall in Belgium, Wiener Konzerthaus in Austria, Hrvatski Glazbeni Zavod in Croatia, Ljubljana Cathedral in Slovenia, Gangneung Art Center in South Korea, and the Thailand Cultural Centre in Thailand, among others. These appearances have further consolidated the choir’s reputation as an ensemble with a distinctive artistic identity and a significant presence on the international choral music scene.
Alongside its adult ensemble, the Siparantum artistic family also includes Siparantum Kids, the children’s choir, which represents one of the institution’s most important educational and artistic initiatives. Established with the aim of nurturing young talent and developing the next generation of choral singers, Siparantum Kids currently comprises 35 children and has performed in numerous concerts across Kosovo, demonstrating a high artistic standard and continuous development.
As part of its creative activity, the choir has released four music videos, while in 2025 it released its first album, Echoes of Future, a project reflecting the ensemble’s artistic identity and contemporary vision. For the coming year, the choir is planning a Musical Show, a multidisciplinary stage production combining choral music, theatre, choreography, and other elements of the performing arts.

Today, Siparantum Choir comprises approximately 50 active members, while Siparantum Kids consists of 35 children, bringing the artistic community of the Siparantum family to approximately 85 members. This development reflects the institution’s long-term commitment to artistic education, the promotion of choral music, and the creation of a sustainable platform for nurturing emerging talent.

With more than 220 artistic activities and 21 international awards, Siparantum Choir has been ranked among the Top 20 choirs and vocal ensembles in the world according to the INTERKULTUR World Rankings. This achievement is the result of the dedication of its members, its artistic vision, and its continued commitment to representing the culture of Kosovo with distinction on the international stage. Through music, the choir promotes the universal values of peace, friendship, intercultural dialogue, and mutual understanding among peoples, demonstrating the power of art as a means of building bridges of cooperation and bringing cultures closer together.

To date, Siparantum Choir has represented the Republic of Kosovo in 20 countries, promoting the country’s culture, music, and artistic identity at some of the most prestigious international festivals, competitions, and concert stages. Throughout its artistic journey, the choir has performed in the United States of America, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Poland, Greece, South Korea, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Croatia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia, serving as a distinguished cultural ambassador of Kosovo and proudly presenting the country’s artistic and cultural values to international audiences.

With an unwavering commitment to the development of choral art and a clear vision for the future, Siparantum Choir continues to strengthen its position as one of Kosovo’s leading cultural ambassadors and to leave a lasting mark on the international musical landscape.

The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, presented Siparantum Choir with a Certificate of Recognition in acknowledgment of its distinguished representation of the Republic of Kosovo on the international stage and its contribution to promoting the country’s art and culture.

AWARDS

• Golden Plaque at the International Choir Festival "The Golden Lime of Tuhelj," Croatia (2021)
• Gold Medal at the International Choir Festival "The Golden Lime of Tuhelj," Croatia (2021)
• Winner in the "Musica Contemporanea" Category at the World Choir Games, Belgium (2021)
• Golden Diploma in "Musica Contemporanea" at the World Choir Games, Belgium (2021)
• First Prize in Category F at the European Festival for Young People, Neerpelt, Belgium (2022)
• First Prize in Category G - Pennant Category at the European Festival for Young People, Neerpelt, Belgium (2022)
• "Siparantum" selected by the professional jury for the "Laureates' Concert" at the European Festival for Young People, Neerpelt, Belgium (2022)
• Winner in Category A1 (Mixed Choir) - Mixed Voices - Difficulty Level I at "Lisbon Sings," Portugal (2022)
• Golden Diploma in A1 (Mixed Choir) - Mixed Voices - Difficulty Level I at "Lisbon Sings," Portugal (2022)
• Silver Diploma in the Sacred Music Category at "Lisbon Sings," Portugal (2022)
• Golden Medal (Champions Competition) - Musica Contemporanea at the World Choir Games, South Korea (2023)
• Golden Medal (Champions Competition) - Mixed Choir at the World Choir Games, South Korea (2023)
• Golden Medal at the European Choir Games & Grand Prix of Nations, Sweden (2023)
• First Prize in Category G at the European Festival for Young People, Neerpelt, Belgium (2024)
• Golden Medal (Adult Choirs), The World Choral Cup, Barcelona (2024)
• Special Award for the best contemporary program and stage performance, The World Choral Cup, Barcelona (2024)
• "Best Youth, Culture and Art” at the B40 Creative Industries Youth Awards, organized by B40 Balkan Cities Network and Bashkia Tiranë (2024)
• Gold Medal – Mixed Choir Category, International Choral Festival, Bangkok, Thailand (2025)
• Nominated for the Grand Prix, International Choral Festival, Bangkok, Thailand (2025)
• Special Award – Outstanding Storytelling, International Choral Festival, Bangkok, Thailand (2025)
• Gold Award – Vocal Ensemble Category, Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod (MCE), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2026)
• Gold Award – Mixed Choir Category, Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod (MCE), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2026)
• Special Award – Stage Creativity, Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod (MCE), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2026)
• 1st Place – Category C2: Mixed Choirs (97 points), International Choir Festival Herceg Novi, Montenegro (2026)
• Special Award – Outstanding Performance of a Contemporary Composition, International Choir Festival Herceg Novi, Montenegro (2026)
• Award for the Most Promising Conductor – Memli Kelmendi, International Choir Festival Herceg Novi, Montenegro (2026)