Kujtim Laro is an Albanian well-known composer. He was born on the 8^th of May 1947 in the city of Vlora. He completed his higher studies in 1970 at the Higher Institute of Arts, later serving as a lecturer for many years at the Academy of Arts. He also worked as an artistic director at the Army Ensemble. 

Composer Kujtim Laro left behind about 35 soundtracks for Albanian films and dozens of festival songs.

In the memory of Albanians, he is mostly remembered as a film composer. His signature is on the soundtracks of well-known films, such as “The Eighth in Bronze”, “At the Beginning of Summer”. “Poppies on the Walls”, “The Way of Letters”, “Freedom or Death”, “The Second of November”. “The Militant”, “The Decision”, “The Stars of the Long Nights”, “The Bride and the Curfew”. “Little Partisan Velo “, “White Sheets” etc.. His last creation was the music of the film “Red Flowers, Black Flowers”.

 During his career, he collaborated with the best Albanian directors, such as Viktor Gjika, Dhimitër Anagnosti, Mevlan Shanaj, etc. And everyone feels honored by this collaboration and comforted by the fact that his music will remain alive in their films.

He started his creativity in this genre with the movie “The Eighth in Bronze” and ended it with the soundtrack of the movie “Red flowers, black flowers”. 

The work of Kujtim Laro

When he was a student, Kujtim Laro would write many works in the learning process that would be the first harbinger of his successes in the field of musical creativity. Such as: “Variations for cello and orchestra” (1967). “Concert no. I for violin and orchestra (1969), “Symphonic poem” (1971), which were written during the years of studies, would define the author’s creative profile.

In the period 1970-1975, he works in the editorial office of RTSH’s musical creativity together with Gj. Simoni, F. Dede, A. Lalo, etc. where he makes a valuable contribution to the encouragement of other creators.

This period belongs to a wide creativity in many genres. Among the most important are: “Fathers”, “Symphonic poem no. 2, the music of the films “Stars of the long nights” (1972), “At the beginning of the summer” (1975), many songs, great vocal works, etc.

From 1975, he was appointed artistic director of the Popular Army Ensemble, a task that he continued to perform with great success until 1993, when this artistic institution was closed. The 18-year work in the artistic direction of the Popular Army Artistic Ensemble would create new spaces for Laro.

He knew how to respond to the creative needs of this troupe in the best and most qualitative way. It was adapted and fully integrated into the profile of the ensemble.

Thus, during the period of the Popular Army Ensemble, he created more than 16 choreographic paintings, among which are evident: “Labëria”, “Thirteen Nightingales”, “Brother and Sister”. “Stars for freedom”, “Five heroes of Vigu” etc…

The creative period in the Popular Army Ensemble has been productive with dozens of songs, chorales, cantatas, compositions, vocal suites, etc. worth mentioning: “Ballad for Salam Musai”, “40 years of free eagle”, “Ballad for Ismail Qemali”, “Mountains do not move in the wind” etc..

Also, three “Symphonic Poems”, four “Rhapsody”, “Concerto no. 2 for violin and orchestra” belong to this period, an “Overture”, and many vocal and choreographic creations, as well as the music of many feature films.

This is the period when the composer Kujtim Laro unfolds inexhaustible creative energy. He is active with his creativity in national competitions, at song festivals in RTSH, in Albanian cinema, thus becoming one of the most active creators in Albanian musical life.

Kujtim Laro has directed the Popular Army Ensemble artistically until 1993. Here he again made an important contribution to the variety show and brass band of the Popular Army Ensemble. After the 1990s, Kujtim Laro’s creativity seeks new ways and expressions. He makes serious efforts to integrate into the contemporary musical development. He passed away in 2004. Kujtim Laro holds the titles “Merited Artist” and “Naim Frashëri” of the first class.

/k.s/