We invite you on a unique journey through time and cultures in the company of Ensemble Basiani, masters of traditional Georgian music. The title of the concert – Travelling to the Source – refers to distant times when music was an integral part of the community’s life, a carrier of its history, beliefs and emotions. We will wander through the beauty and diversity of Georgia’s musical heritage.
Georgia’s complex history makes its culture exceptionally multidimensional. It is for this reason that the Georgian musical tradition is saturated with influences – so numerous and so diverse. During the concert, we will have an opportunity to experience this wealth. We will migrate through various regions of the Georgian landscape. With songs such as Kakhuri Mravalzhamieri and Chakrulo we will move to Kakheti, located in eastern Georgia, where the joy of life and community was expressed in feast and dance songs. The Chakrulo requires special vocal skills from the singers. The importance of traditional Georgian polyphony for the world cultural heritage is proven by the fact that in 1977 its recording was sent into space by NASA, and in 2001 it was included on the UNESCO list of intangible world heritage as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
In Guruli Perkhuli and Khasanbegura we will hear the sounds of traditional yodelling and epic ballads from the Guria region. Namgluri and Odoia will take us to cornfields in Kakheti and Magrelia-Upper Svaneti, where folk songs accompany hard work.
Ensemble Basiani is an ensemble bringing together talented artists whose passion for music has been passed down from generation to generation. The singers will take us to the world of ancient traditions, presenting folk rituals and the unique sound of Georgian polyphony. The extraordinary musical achievements of Ensemble Basiani invariably attract media attention around the world – from the European press to the Wall Street Journal – and their unique style of polyphonic singing has been described as “sound straight from heaven”, which highlights the importance and uniqueness of their performance.