Japan honors former Georgian conductor and violinist with Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays
By Mariam Chanishvili
Wednesday, November 6
The Japanese government announced the recipients of the Japanese Imperial Order on November 3, Fall 2019. Mr. George Babuadze, concertmaster and conductor of the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra from Georgia, has been named as the recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun with three alternating silver rays.
Babuadze has been awarded the Imperial Order for his contribution to the deepening of relations between Japan and Georgia through the art of music and the development of friendly relations.
The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese order, established in 1875. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun.
Japan-based Georgian conductor and violinist George Babuadze was born in Tbilisi, Babuadze studied at Tbilisi State Conservatoire, graduating in 1985.
He worked as a concertmaster and teacher at the Conservatoire and led the orchestra of the Batumi State Opera Theatre.
In 1996, he was invited to Japan as a concertmaster of the Osaka Symphony Orchestra. He founded Tbilisi String Quartet in 1998.
He has worked with Orchestra Guido Cantelli in Milan and after moving to Japan - as concertmaster of the Osaka Symphony Orchestra and the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra since 2001 while also teaching violin at the Tokyo University of the Arts.
At the 2004 International Music Festival in Borjomi, Georgia, he led the Georgia National Chamber Orchestra and led the concert to make a successful German performance tour.
Georgian-Japanese relations were established on August 3, 1992. Since November 2006, Georgia has maintained an embassy in Tokyo.
It is worth mentioning that the Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony has been taking place in Japan, and royalty from all over the world made the trip for the important occasion. President Zurabishvili attended the Japanese Emperor Naruhito's enthronement with local and foreign officials in Tokyo.
