Founded in 2002 in Prishtina by composer Rafet Rudi and fellow artists, with the early support of Philip Glass and Vanessa Redgrave, ReMusica Festival has grown into the cultural heartbeat of Kosovo and one of the most distinguished platforms for contemporary and classical music in Southeast Europe. Organized by the Qendra Kosovare për Muzikën e Re (QKMR), the festival has, for over two decades, enriched the artistic calendar of the capital and the country, offering audiences a unique journey through classical repertoires, avant-garde creations, and innovative fusions with technology and other art forms.

ReMusica is more than a music festival – it is a meeting place of cultures, ideas, and social engagement. Each edition unfolds under a central theme that reflects not only musical innovation but also broader social questions. In recent years, the festival has addressed pressing issues such as gender equality, mental health, environmental sustainability, and human rights, integrating them into its programs of concerts, workshops, and public discussions.

The festival’s stages have welcomed some of the most esteemed artists of the international scene, from opera stars like Elbenita Kajtazi, pianist Julien Libeer, to guitar virtuoso Petrit Çeku, ensembles such as Calefax Reed Quintet, the Kosovo Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, and numerous celebrated European and word-wide performers. Alongside them, Kosovar artists and composers are given prominent space, ensuring a powerful dialogue between the global and the local. This commitment to new creation is reflected in the over 500 works by Albanian composers that have been premiered at ReMusica, many of them commissioned specifically for the festival.

ReMusica also invests deeply in education and the next generation of musicians. Through its masterclasses, workshops, and the dedicated platforms ReNew for emerging talents and ReMusica Junior for children, including those with special needs, the festival nurtures creativity, builds skills, and inspires future artists and audiences alike. Networking programs connect Kosovo’s cultural actors with international festival directors, making Prishtina a hub of artistic exchange and positioning Kosovo firmly on the European cultural map.

Today, ReMusica draws an average of 200 artists each year, engages 4,000 live spectators and thousands more online, and enjoys recognition as a “Remarkable Arts Festival” by the European Festivals Association. It is also an active member of European initiatives such as Festivals for Compassion and the European Festivals Forest, where cultural institutions collectively act for social and environmental good.

In the words of many of its visitors and participants, ReMusica is not only Kosovo’s most prominent festival but also a symbol of the country’s openness, creativity, and cultural diplomacy. With every edition, it proves that music can connect, heal, and inspire, carrying the voice of Prishtina and Kosovo to the world.

Throughout the years, many artists have been part of the festival, such as : Marc Bouchkov, Petrit Çeku (Croatia Kosovo), Zagrebacki Solisti – Soloist of Zagreb, Pierre Fouchenneret (France), Aki Takahashi (Japan), Elbenita Kajtazi (Kosovo/Germany), Calefax Reed Quintet, Mondriaan Quartet (Netherlands), Ko Matsushita and Japanese Choir (Japan), European Union Youth Orchestra EUYO,  Trio Elogio (Croatia), Julien Libeer (Belgium), Calefax Reed Quintet (The Netherlands), Ian Pace (Great Britain), , Jonian Ilias Kadesha (Albania Germany), Andreas Lewin Richter (Spain),  Michael Finnisy (Great Britain) Ophelié Gaillard (France),  etc.

ReMusica Festival is organised by Kosovar Center for New Music (KCNM) member of European Festivals Association – EFA and  holds the EFFE Label (Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe) as a “Remarkable Arts Festival” by the European Festivals Association, since 2019.