Josko Caleta

Joško Ćaleta (2 October 1964) is a Croatian ethnomusicologist, music pedagogue, conductor, composer, record producer and klapa singer.

He is a member of the Croatian Composers' Society He received the Master of Arts title in 1994 with the thesis Social and musical structure of the klapa singing style, Dalmatia and Vancouver at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, under the mentorship of prof. Alan Thrasher.

Career He started singing in 1979 in Klapa Trogir. Ćaleta described his beginnings with klapa in article from 1997: After he received further music education at the Music academy in Split, he became conductor of the klapa (1985–1989). Ćaleta also directed klapas "Radovan" and "Kairos", as well as "Zvonimir" (1989–1997), composed of Croatian Canadians in Vancouver. Under his guidance, "Zvonimir" was winner of the best ethnic choir award in Canada in 1994 and 1996.

Following his return to Croatia, he conducted klapas "Omiš", "Nostalgija", "Jelsa", "Sagena" and "Dišpet". He is record producer of around twenty music albums dedicated to klapa and other types of traditional singing in Croatia, six of which earned Croatian discographic award Porin (recorded by klapas "Nostalgija" and "Dišpet"). He is a member of professional, advisory and evaluation commissions, fairs and festivals throughout Croatia (International Folklore Fair, Pasionska baština), among others, klapa events: Dalmatian klapa Festival in Omiš, Večeri dalmatinske pisme in Kaštel Kambelovac, KiKfest in Buzet, Školjka in Pakoštane and higher lecturer in studies of ethnology and cultural anthropology at the University of Zadar.

Since 2001, Ćaleta is collaborating with National Folk Dance Ensemble of Croatia LADO as composer, vocal pedagogue and conductor. In 2008, he founded the Kantaduri ensemble, specialized in performing traditional vocal music of southern Croatia, the Adriatic and Dinaric cultural areas. Of particular note is the collaboration with Katarina Livljanić and the Dialogos ensemble from Paris, which resulted in the musical works Dalmatica (a work inspired by medieval church music in southern Croatia) and Okamejeni glasi (Heretical angels — a musical work inspired by the stećci and the religious heritage of medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Awards and honours Josip Andreis prize (2000), by Croatian Composers' Society Orlando prize (2003), at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival Ivan Lukačić prize (2004), at the Varaždin Baroque Evenings Porin (2004, 2012 and 2014)

Selected works Books

Articles