Gjakova Youth Opens New Music School With USAID Support

From the rise of Pristina’s Sunny Hill Festival and artists like Dua Lipa and Rita Ora, Kosovo is gaining a reputation for musical talent. Despite this, formal instruction hasn’t always been easy to come by for children and teenagers in many parts of the country.  

Leon Cana considers himself lucky. Growing up in Gjakova, his family took great care to find opportunities to nurture his skills and passion for music. This education served him well, enabling him to gain international recognition as a pianist through competitions in Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, and Switzerland. 

Looking for a career path, Leon knew he wanted to find a way to share his skills with the rest of his community. He just didn’t know quite how to do it. 

This prompted Leon to enroll in the USAID-supported School of Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation in 2022. Tailored instruction and engagement with other passionate youth looking to get their projects off the ground helped him learn new skills in business, leadership, and strategic planning. It also gave him tools to create a business plan for a new music and art school in his hometown. 

In the winter of 2023, this plan became a reality with the launch of Allegra School of Arts, a venture that has allowed Leon to use his 14 years of musical expertise and 5 years in education to make a living that also benefits his community. The school offers a variety of different music and visual arts classes, including guitar, piano, flute, violoncello, violin, clarinet, saxophone, painting, solo singing and other creative arts, and has quickly become a meeting point for young artists in the city. It served over 100 students for the initial year of its operation.   

Leon says he is thrilled to be in a position where his talents and education are directly contributing to the success of a new generation in Gjakova. He is passionate about the day-to-day work cultivating new talent and sees opportunities for Allegra to grow and expand in the years to come. 

Stories like Leon’s are showing youth that they can build something of their own in Kosovo and start careers doing something they know and love. They also serve as a reminder of how much economic and social progress can be achieved by simply giving young Kosovans the skills they need to untap their own potential and make their dreams into something concrete.