Tbilisi’s International Festival of Music is open
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, October 27
An International Festival of Music and Arts, Tbilisi Rhythm, was held in Rustaveli Theatre on October 24.
The European jazz project - Mare Nostrum featured a trio of famous jazz musicians: Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu, art director of Berchidda Jazz Festival (Sardinia, Italy), Swedish piano player Jan Lundgren, art director of Montmartre Jazz Club in Copenhagen and Ystad Jazz Festival (Sweden) and French accordionist of Italian origin, Richard Galliano, visiting Tbilisi for the fifth time.
In 2016, The Guardian described the trio as “three virtuosi who create entirely European music using jazz techniques.”
“One comes up with an idea and all three contribute to the final result,” noted The Guardian.
The exciting feature performance of the concert was offered by Georgian ethno group Iriao, which accompanied by the legendary trio, performed composer David Malazonia’s original musical piece.
The main objective of the festival is to educate both the audience and young musicians. Besides diverse concerts, the festival will also feature workshops, where the world-known musicians will share their knowledge and experience, techniques and artistic vision to new talents in the future.
Ani Laghidze, the festival founder and art director, noted that holding the festival has been the realization of her oldest and boldest dreams.
“Every festival has its vision. For us, it is of utmost importance to offer a wide and versatile festival to the modern cultured audience. Tbilisi Rhythm, with its distinctive style, will feature our city among the global cultural capitals and strengthen the image of our country as a regional center of arts culture,” said Laghidze.
She thanked all the sponsors, organizers and the Ambassador of Italy to Georgia H.E. Antonio Enrico Bartoli, who showed a great interest in this event.
“My ambitious dream would not have come to fruition without my team and our sponsors. There are many exciting moments ahead. We will bring the world’s most acclaimed artists and remarkable cultural projects to Georgia to inspire a new generation of young musicians in the global artistic experience,” she said.
The festival Tbilisi Rhythm is organized by Tagis Arts – World Cultural Integration and is supported by Tbilisi City Hall, Ponte Vecchio, Marriott Hotel, The Messenger, Restaurant Tashre, Embassy of Italy in Tbilisi, 106,9 FM Fortuna, and Alma.
While thanking all the sponsors, Ani Laghidze paid a tribute to The Messenger’s late founder and Editor-in-Chief, Professor Zaza Gachechiladze.
Richard Galliano also commented on the event, mentioning that he has been several times to Georgia before.
“I really respect Ani Laghidze, who is the author of many successful projects. She knows well how to create an exciting concert atmosphere and how to merge the energy of different arts,” he said.
Paolo Fresu thanked everyone during the concert noting that he is from Sardinia, which is “far away from Georgia, but not in music.”
The festival has already become famous on Italian websites. Agenzia internazionale stampa estero wrote about the festival on October 20.
“The Tbilisi Rhythm Festival, a new international music and art festival, begins in the Georgian capital on October 24 with an exceptional event organized with the support of the Italian Embassy in Georgia: on the stage of the Drama Theater Shota Rustaveli of Tbilisi, three excellent musicians with various musical instruments, will gather in search of the ideal sound,” stated aise.it.
