Xhenis (Janis) Prendushi is an Albanian native who migrated from Albania
to the United States at the age of 6 as a refugee to escape the communist
government ruling at the time. Janis’s Dad named her after the rock n roll
star Janis Joplin because of his high hopes that someday he would take
his daughter out of a communist country to the United States to get her
enrolled in music classes.
The dreams became reality when Janis’s family escaped and found
freedom in the U.S. where Janis began piano lessons at the age of 6. Janis
kept her music lessons consistent and was the youngest working musician
in her high school performing weekend gigs such as weddings, funerals,
and sunday services. She then went further to pursue a Bachelors degree
in music from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Since a young
age Janis has won numerous American Guild of Music awards and came in
1st place in Regionals and 2nd place in State finals. Janis was brave
enough to explore the organ as a secondary instrument and ended up
making a career out of music directing of congregational services in
addition to playing gigs, corporate events, and accompanying musical
theater rehearsals.
Janis then decided to take her education to the next level and moved to
California to pursue a Masters Degree in Music from Azusa Pacific
University. Overall Janis is a versatile musician who loves to play all genres
with a mastered classical technique. Her love for performing escalated to
teaching which she finds rewarding to get to teach people from all ages
and walks of life ranging from her youngest student being 4 years old and
her oldest student being 75 years old. She is inspired by her students
because when she sees the light bulb go on and their hunger for learning
she is brought back to the time she was a little girl with big dreams. Today
Janis teaches at Mozart Music Academy, Rhodes School of Music, and
Music on Main.
