Kosovo shines in Montenegro: “Siparantum” choir beats Serbian choir

The “Siparantum” choir from Kosovo has triumphed at the 11th edition of the International Choir Festival in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, winning three awards, as Telegrafi reports.

“Siparantum” was declared winner of the mixed-choirs category with 97 points.

Alongside this award, the Kosovo choir also won the Special Prize for Contemporary Performance, as well as the “Radovan Popović” Most Promising Conductor Award.

Several choirs from the region and beyond took part in the competition, while “Siparantum” left behind the “Matthiloa Consort” from Montenegro, the Russian academic choir “Nota Bene” from Serbia and the mixed choir “Zima” from Montenegro.

In the same category as the Kosovar choir also competed the Belgrade choir “Sveti Joakim i Ana,” which during the festival faced criticism for performing a song with Serbian nationalist content about Kosovo.

According to the organizers, participants had been asked in advance to avoid in their repertoire performances with nationalist content that could provoke or make other participants feel bad.

The festival’s director, Nagja Karaxhiq, said participants had been made this request, but clarified that she had not approved the artistic program.

The three awards won by “Siparantum” make this participation a significant success for the Kosovar choir on the international choral music stage.