Almir Mešković, an accordionist from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Daniel Lazar, a violinist from Serbia, are the recipients of the “Vojin Mališa Draškoci Plaque and Statuette” for 2026, awarded by the World Music Association of Serbia (WMAS). The award will be presented to them on 25 September in Belgrade, at Club Karmakoma, where Mešković and Lazar will also perform as part of the closing programme of the 14th “Todo Mundo” Festival.

The selection of this year’s laureates confirms the award’s commitment to recognising artists who do not view traditional music as a closed and unchanging form, but as a space for contemporary creativity, exploration and the development of new musical expressions.

This approach is at the heart of Almir Mešković and Daniel Lazar’s work. The two musicians met while pursuing master’s degrees in classical music at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, and their collaboration grew out of a meeting of classical training, Balkan musical heritage, improvisation and original music.

A large part of their repertoire consists of original compositions inspired by the musical traditions of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania, enriched by influences from the musical and cultural environment of Scandinavia, where they have lived and worked for many years.

In the dialogue between accordion and violin, traditional motifs, rhythms and modes become a starting point for creating a distinctive contemporary musical language that transcends genre and geographical boundaries.

Their work has received significant international recognition. In 2025, they won the “UPBEAT Best New Talent” Award, recognising some of the most promising emerging artists on the European world music scene, as well as the “Jeunesses Musicales International” Award for Best Concert for Young Audiences.

They have also achieved notable results on international world music charts, reaching No. 1 on the Balkan World Music Chart, No. 5 on the World Music Charts Europe, and No. 7 on the Transglobal World Music Chart.

To date, they have released two albums – “Roots” (2018) and “Family Beyond Blood” (2023).

On 25 September, Mešković and Lazar will appear at the “Todo Mundo Festival” for the second time. Their first festival appearance took place on 2 October 2019 at the Student Cultural Centre (SKC) in Belgrade, as part of the festival’s eighth edition.

The “Vojin Mališa Draškoci” Award was established in memory of professor, composer and double bassist Vojin Mališa Draškoci (1945 - 2000). For more than a decade, the award has recognised outstanding authors and performers whose work contributes to the development and promotion of contemporary world music in Serbia and the region.

Recent laureates include Vladimir Lenhart – Lenhart Tapes, who received the award in 2024 as part of the 12th “Todo Mundo” Festival, and the Belgrade-based band Naked, recipients of the 2025 award.

The Belgrade concert by Almir Mešković and Daniel Lazar is supported by Music Norway, Kulturrådet, Fond for utøvende kunstnere, and the UPBEAT platform.

LINKS:

World Music Association of Serbia >>  ǀ  Almir Mešković & Daniel Lazar >>  ǀ  Todo Mundo Festival >>