ZËRAT INTERAKTIVË DHE QËLLIMI I TYRE I PËRBASHKËT: NATYRA SHOQËRORE E TË KËNDUARIT ISO-POLIFONIK NË FESTIVALIN KOMBËTAR TË FOLKLORIT NË GJIROKASTËR
INTERACTIVE VOICES AND A COMMON GOAL: THE SOCIALITY OF ISO-POLYPHONIC SINGING AT THE NATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL IN GJIROKASTRA, ALBANIA

Summary/Abstract: The Albanian National Folklore Festival in Gjirokastra, Albania, is a center for Iso-polyphony, a Balkan vocal genre which includes a drone chorus and moving solo voices. This paper reveals the social aspects of Iso-polyphonic singing at the National Folklore Festival. The goal is to suggest that singers of Iso-polyphony at the festival experience singing sociality, a strengthened social bond within their community. Participation at the festival contributes to this sociality as singers gather with others who share common interests. These interests can include a desire to sing and perform folk music and to help sustain this beloved tradition in modern society. An investigation of the characteristics of Iso-polyphony also demonstrates that the singing style is inherently social. The genre was originally sung in social events such as weddings and feast days, the vocal lines interact with each other, and the names of the parts even exhibit a social structure. Participants of Iso-polyphony at the National Folklore Festival thus achieve singing sociality, strengthening their sense of community and purpose.

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