Ferdinand Deda

Ferdinand Deda was born in Peqin in 1941 during the Italian occupation of Albania. His first lessons in music started when he was 6 and later studying in the Jordan Misja Artistic Lyceum in Tirana. After finishing his studies in 1959 he worked as a music teacher in Gjirokastër until 1960. Some time later he enrolled in the Prague Conservatory, but would stop shortly thereafter due to the Albanian–Soviet split, finishing school as a conductor in Albania instead. He would then specialize in Italy in composition and conducting from 1991 to 1992.^[1][2]

Starting from 1964, he would compose over 300 concertos both in Albania and abroad. Deda was also the founder of Festivali i Pranverës (Spring Festival).^[1][2]

His son, Elton Deda is also a musician and composer.^[3]