We talked to Ana Petanovska (15), about her first experience at the Mitrovica Rock School’s 2018 Summer School.

How did you hear about the Summer School? Was this your first year?

Valentino Skenderovski, co-founder of Music School Enterprise, introduced me to the school. This was my first year, I knew nothing about it and Valentino told me about a music project that was being held this summer and it sounded like a lot of fun. I am very thankful to Valentino and Enterprise for getting me involved!

Why do you think a program like the Mitrovica Rock School’s summer school is important?

The summer school gives you the most band experience you can get, in one summer. You learn so much, you see so much, you experience what music is really about. It’s a gate that opens new opportunities for you. The program offers so much: how to form a band, learning to be more diligent and hardworking, and most importantly, enjoying music even more.

What’s the most important thing you learned this year at the summer school?

That you should always be yourself with what you can do. Even if you’re not the best, you can always be better and work on being your best.

How will you share the knowledge and skills you gained once you are back home?

I will share my experiences by starting to write my own songs, and make my own music – inspired and motivated by the knowledge and techniques I learned at the summer school.

Has the summer school had an effect on your future plans? If so, how?

Absolutely. It made me a better person and opened up my horizons in the sense of how music can be approached. I am also proud of having learned how to express my feelings through songwriting and composing.

The 2018 Band Camp is the 11th summer school of the Mitrovica Rock School and the first under the project Music Connects. The Summer School originally began with the aim to connect Serb and Albanian participants from Mitrovica. While mixed bands from Mitrovica now rehearse in their home town, the summer school continues to be the highlight of the year. This year’s summer school brought together 83 Serb, Albanian, Macedonian, Roma, Dutch and other young musicians, sound engineers, trainers and organizers.