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In this section are gathered together resources we have found helpful in our exploration of Georgian polyphonic songs, and the women who sing them. If you would like your resources or ensemble to be featured here please contact us.

Where to See Georgian Folk Dance, Polyphony & Live Music in Tbilisi?

Musical Guest Houses, Tours and Teachers

Books – song books, recipe books.

Films

Podcasts related to Georgia

Folk Related Organisations

Female & Mixed Ensembles in Georgia

Places to Sing Georgian Songs in Tbilisi (or online).

Choirs: UK

Choirs: France ; Finland ; Netherlands ; Belgium

Where to See Georgian Folk Dance, Polyphony & Live Music in Tbilisi?

Wander Lush website

As Emily Lush says on the Wander Lush website “The capital is not necessarily the best place to see such performances”. Check out Wander Lush for ideas on where to find live music and dance.

Tbilisi podcast

Megsy and Tom, on the Tbilisi podcast, have an introductory episode on the history of Georgian Polyphonic singing. They mention places in and near Tbilisi where folk singing and dancing can be found.

Folklore State Centre

The Folklore State Centre has an E-magazine called “Georgian Folklore” with a news section. The facebook events page of the Folklore Centre is also worth keeping an eye on. Events are often posted only a couple of days in advance. Anzor Erkomaishvili’s Folklore State Centre, 65 Davit Aghmashenebeli Ave, Tbilisi.

Bulletin of the International Research Center for Traditional Polyphony

New volumes of the Bulletin are uploaded in January and June at the Centre’s Web Site www.polyphony.ge. Mostly full of really interesting information about past events.

Musical Guest Houses, Tours and Teachers …

Disclaimer: We do not endorse the offerings in this list. We do want to share the wide variety of possibilities for musical visitors to Georgia. Things change – please contact the organisers directly to find out the current situation.

Workshop of Folklorist, Choir-Master and singer Tornike Skhiereli – “Georgian Traditional Culture in Racha” 11th-17th September; 12th-18th October 2023

Contact via facebook https://www.facebook.com/tornike.skhiereli

Note from Holly and Susan 8.8.23 – Please be aware that Tornike and the people of Racha have been affected by a tragic mudslide in Shovi, Racha after the banks of the river Buba burst.

Tornike Skhiereli, ensemble Dziriani posted on facebook a mourning song from Glola, Racha.

https://www.facebook.com/Dziriani/videos/997299384843700

We send our condolences to those who have died and been affected.

We remember visiting nearby Glola in 2018 and learning songs and dances from ensemble Buba. It is heartbreaking to know that the community is suffering right now.

What can we do apart from send our love?

We’ve been told an account has been set up to support the victims:

GE89TB7318736080100017

NNLE TIBISELEBI

Or possibly the Georgia Red Cross

News article in English: https://oc-media.org/the-death-toll-rose-to-11-on-friday…/

Musical tour in Georgia: Imereti, Svaneti, Guria Aug 10 – Aug 24 2023

Instructor: folk music expert Malkhaz Erkvanidze

Price: $1680

A musical and cultural tour with workshops and masterclasses every day for 4-5 hours. Learning method is by ear.

Contact: gpolyphony@gmail.com

Musical Events Held in 2022 & 23

Here’s a list of musical events that happened in 2022 & 23. Contact the organisers direct to find out if they are running again in 2023/4.

Discover Geogian national music and culture! with Nino Naneishvili & Ensemble Ialoni 2nd – 12th August 2023

Nino Naneishvili (with an Adjaran Khachapuri)

Locations: Tbilisi – Samegrelo – Svaneti

Workshop Leader: Nino Naneishvili – Ialoni

The ten day tour visited different regions of Georgia, different landscapes, culture, food and traditional songs.

For details contact: Ninonaneishvili@gmail.com

May 1-2 2023, the “First Festival of Georgian Women Traditional Music

Held in the Folklore center, Tbilisi with the theme “Nanina” – Akvni Nana. This was a rare chance to experience womens singing groups from all over Georgia in one place.

The festival was the initiative of Ethnomusicologists Creative ჯგუფი „ნანინა“ / Group “Nanina” with the support of Tbilisi Municipality City Hall and Anzor Erkomaishvili State Folklore Center.

It was dedicated to ethnomusicologist Nino Kalandadze – podcast episode ‘Nino Kalandadze Makharadze Remembered’.

Lakhushdi – The Singing Village, Svaneti family Chamgeliani – (Held 15th to 25th July 2022)

For details contact: lakhushdithesingingvillage@gmail.com

Musical tour in Georgia: Samtskhe-Javakheti, Adjara, Guria Jul 13 – Jul 27 2023

Instructor: folk music expert Malkhaz Erkvanidze

Price: $1680

A musical and cultural tour with workshops and masterclasses every day for 4-5 hours. Learning method is by ear.

Contact: gpolyphony@gmail.com

Village Harmony Georgia Camp 2023, 23rd July – 6th August 2023

Venue: Sighnaghi, Republic of Georgia
Leaders: Ketevan Mindorashvili – Zedashe Ensemble, Patty Cuyler.
Price: $2050 adult / $1850 youth

The 15-day long camp is based in Sighnaghi, Kakheti, a historic walled hill-town with a breathtaking view of the Alazani Valley and the Caucasus Mountains about 1-1/2 hours’ drive east of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.

Georgia Song Masters Study Tour July 2023 led by Carl Linich

An intensive song study tour for experienced singers. Gurian song master Tristan Sikharulidze and song master / teacher: David (Dato) Shugliashvili are confirmed. (This is definitely not a tour for beginners.) Cost for the 2 week tour will be $1700 USD. Contact Carl Linich for details.

Contact: kavkasia@gmail.com

Levan Bitarov ‘Call for singing tour in Georgia’ August 2-15th 2022

“Dear friends, Many of you expressed your willingness to visit Georgia and travel with me in 2022 while that terrible pandemy destroyed our plans and I had big hope to see you this summer. But now WAR between fantastic UKRAINE and OCCUPANT RUSSIA made this plans not clear. I felt unconfident and shy to call for singing tour while people are dying and such terrible things happens. But I see my Ukrainian friends tring to sing and to heal their pains by singing. Many of my foreign friends made me sure to dare to do that: to sing, to teach, to have some good vibes against that negative emotions brought by pandemy and war. So, lets do that…. Contact:levan.bitarovi1@gmail.com+995577244496 (whatsapp, viber, telegram)”

Tour leader Levan Bitarov in teh mountains.

10-19th August 2022 Lakhushdi et Merisi with Zoé Perret and the family Chamgeliani (Svaneti), and in Merisi with the family Turmanidze (Adjara).

Culture Tours

Village Life Travel, Co-founded by Sandro Natadze Philosopher, Member of Traditional Georgian polyphony choir – Adilei and Tina Nadareishvili, Peace Ambassador, Member of Georgian Association of Guides.

John Graham Choir Tours, offer top quality logistics and concert promotion for choirs wishing to tour in Georgia by private request.

Guest house Moqvare, Merisi, Ajara – Turmanidze family

Keti’s House, Shilda, Kakheti. Keti and Bachana (singer with the Shilda Ensemble) are happy to host everyone who needs rest from the city, with music and good company.

Folk House, Zugdidi – Besiki Tshitanava

Nanila Guest House Lenjeri Svaneti, family Pilpani

Georgian Folk Singing Tours and Workshops (Facebook Group) Levan Bitarovi (singer with Adilei)

Creatour Georgia 7 day cultural tour of Western Georgia. Offer group tour (30 people) includes accommodation, guide, activities, meals, programs, ground transport.

Gratitude

Susan and Holly give thanks, appreciation and gratitude to the team at IRCTP for their dedication to the study of Traditional Georgian Polyphony. (And for hosting the podcast launch in October 2020 and Series 2 launch in 2022.)

International Research Centre for Traditional Polyphony Tbilisi, Georgia. Current information from the IRCTP can be found on their Facebook page and YouTube. International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony.

Resources: Books

99 Georgian Songs A collection of traditional folk, church and urban songs from Georgia. Introduced by Edisher Garakanidze. Song notes and translations by Joseph Jordania. Edited by Joan Mills at the Centre for Performance Research assisted by colleagues, friends and family members of Edisher Garakanidze. Listen to Joan Mills in Episode 7.

The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia by Dara Goldstein. Mentioned in Episode 7 with Joan Mills.

Songbook Georgia / Liederbuch Georgien: Georgia’s World Cultural Heritage / Georgiens Weltkulturerbe by Tamar Buadze (Author), Imke McMurtrie (Author). This Songbook of Georgia, which focuses on the female repetoire of traditional songs, is the product of two singers and music ethnologists who have been working together for many years: Tamar Buadze (Georgia) and Imke McMurtrie (Germany).

Svan Folk Songs Collection of Sheet Music with 2 audio CD’s for Self-Study.

The recordings were made in the 1980s in the Voice Recording Studio “Melodia”, and this unique phonoarchive was donated by Anzor Erkomaishvili to the Georgian Chant Foundation.

The publication was non-profit and it is available in electronic form, from the Georgian Chanting Foundation.

Acharan Folk Songs Collection of Sheet Music with audio CD for Self-Study.

Songs are performed by the Moqvare and Elesa ensembles from the Keda municipality.

The publication was non-profit and it is available in electronic form, from the Georgian Chanting Foundation.

Musics Lost and Found

Song Collectors and the Life and Death of Folk Tradition

by Michael Church

This ground-breaking book is the first-ever study of the role played in musical history by song collectors. This is the first-ever book about song collectors, music’s unsung heroes.

Michael Church suggests we may be seeing folk music’s ‘end of history’. Old forms are dying as the conditions for their survival – or replacement – disappear; the death of villages means the death of village musical culture.

Resources: Films

Wie Luft zum Atmen The documentary discovers the musicality of Georgia and presents its significance for this country. For it is in the lost and rediscovered songs and dances that Georgians preserve their very own identity and strength. Mentioned by Jen Morris (Like Air to Breath) in Episode 12a. Singing Landscapes – From Georgia to the Balkans.

Resources: Podcasts

Tbilisi Podcast – A podcast about life and travel in Tbilisi & Georgia. The Tbilisi podcast is a weekly show that dives in and answers all the questions you might have about visiting Tbilisi as a tourist. 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲: 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬:

Resources: Websites for Folk Related Organisations, Festivals and Places

Art Gene Festival annual festival in Tbilisi and the regions. Art Gene Group NGO “Union of Art Gene”, whose main aim is to promote Georgia’s traditional folk culture.

Folklore Centre on ფოლკლორის ცენტრი

Folklore Centre on Audiomack

Folk Center Hall ფოლკლორის ცენტრის დარბაზი Performance & event venue, Tbilisi.

GeorgianChant.org a face book group devoted to Georgian Chant, a Resource for the Study of Georgian Liturgical Music.

Georgian Chant a website resource for the study and performance of Georgian Orthodox liturgical chant.

Georgian Harmony Association – UK acts as a publicity and umbrella organisation for Georgian singing events.

SeismoSoundScape-Lab

Computational Ethnomusicology

Multi-Media Recordings Of Traditional Georgian Vocal Music With Focus On Svaneti

There is much to explore from this website following the work of Scherbaum, F. & N. Mzhavanadze, N.

Ts’utisopeli A project dedicated to the conservation and dissemination of songs from villages in Eastern Georgia. You are invited to explore over 70 musician profiles and 400 songs on this site.

State Museum of Georgian Folk Music and Musical Instruments