About

Patriarchy Choir of Tbilisi Holy Trinity (Sameba) Cathedral, Georgia

Constructions of Tbilisi Holy Trinity (Sameba) Cathedral were finished in 2004. This cathedral temple was built after the epoch of 70 years of communist-atheist dictatorship and 200 years of Russian occupation in Georgia, as the sign of turnaround of the Georgian nation to Christianity. This cathedral temple is the symbol of spiritual elevation and freedom of Georgia. Along with Svetitskhoveli built in the IV century, Tbilisi Sioni and most ancient temples of Bichvinta, also with Kutaisi Sioni (Bagrat’s Temple) of X-XI centuries, Sameba Temple is the main cathedral of Georgia and the cathedra of the leaders of the Georgian Orthodox Church, that of Catholicos-Patriarchs.
The Patriarchy Choir for Sameba Temple, still being under construction for those times, was created in 1998, with prayers and blessings and in the initiative of Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All-Georgia.
Leaders of the Choir:
Svimon (Jiki) Jangulashvili, Doctor of Art Studies, Magister of Choral Conduction
Giorgi Donadze, Magister of Choral Conduction
Zviad Bolkvadze, composer and Magister of Choral Conduction, doctor’s degree fellow at the Department of Composition of Tbilisi Vano Sarajishvili State Conservatoire.
Patriarchy Choir of Tbilisi Holy Trinity (Sameba) Cathedral, is, in fact, the principal musical team of the Georgian Church. This honorary state also involves greatest responsibilities for all the members of the team. top quality medications. cost of generic zoloft . approved pharmacy, generic zoloft no prescription.
The Catholicos-Patriarch has entrusted important duties on the team that are being fulfilled during years already:
For the constructing grandiose Cathedral there was prepared and instructed a large men’s choir (with up to 60 members);
The choir has studied the Georgian unique polyphonic chant, going back to Middle Ages.
This musical tradition is recognized by researchers as one of the most ancient professional polyphonic traditions (if not earlier, then, at least, existing since V-VI centuries AD). This ancient a cappella art is characterized by unique polyphonic musical language and thinking; archaic and self-sustaining modal harmony; rare musical expression force; elevated spiritual and artistic nature imprinted with kindness, goodness, calmness and light. In XIX-XX centuries this tradition suffered strong prosecution and suppression from Russian occupation, their secular and ecclesiastic powers. Despite this fact, exactly in this period the Georgian patriots have managed to write down more than 8000 hymns in the European score system that used to be narrated by heart since Middle Ages from generation to generation. For today, only a little part of this heritage is performed in the practice of Georgian liturgy and in concert halls.
Several years ago, the Patriarch has entrusted exactly to the Choir of Sameba Cathedral the mission to restore and to popularize this unique musical tradition into the patriarchal liturgy after the long period of forgetting. The principal part of the repertoire of the Choir is made by polyphonic chants abiding by this tradition of Middle Ages. Nowadays the repertoire of the Choir includes several hundred such unique ancient Georgian hymns. Amongst them there are many such hymns that are performed by this Choir only.
Altogether with ancient chants, the Choir sings also a lot of samples of Georgian musical folklore, famous already in the whole world, including unique polyphonic songs of various genres and musical structures.
The ancient Georgian vocal polyphony was recognized by UNESCO in 2001 as the unique and intangible monument of non-material culture of the humanity. The repertoire of the Choir of Sameba Cathedral Temple includes many remarkable and outstanding versions of folk songs.
New Georgian ecclesiastic music, too, comprises an important part of the repertoire of the Sameba Cathedral Choir. Chants of XX and XXI century composers, stand out, on one hand, with the hereditary relationship with traditional musical language, and, at the same time, on the other hand, with innovative manner of modern chorus-writing and performance. The Sameba Cathedral Patriarchy Choir is, in fact, the only performer in Georgia in view of many modern chants. Amongst the new ecclesiastic composers, Ilia II, the Patriarch of the Georgian Church is remarkable. The first performer of his many hymns has been the very Choir of Holy Trinity (Sameba). As performed by the Patriarchy Choir, along with ancient Georgian chants, new Georgian hymns also have gained wide popularity and love amongst the wide circles of listeners.
Together with all the above-said, the repertoire of the Choir includes choral works of modern Georgian composers, too. This stratum of the Georgian music stands out by the synthesis of national and European musical traditions, and by original uses of many composing methods in the national musical language. The most important part of the modern Georgian choral repertoire belongs to Ioseb Kechakmadze, the notable Georgian composer, the classic master of Georgian choral music. Exactly with his name there can be connected the rise of Georgian choral music in the XX century and upbringing of many Georgian choral composers and cunductors, formation of choral teams. Leaders and members of Sameba Choir are no exception from this regularity, they also used to make their studies in Tbilisi State Conservatoire under the supervision of Ioseb Kechakmadze.
Leaders of the Choir and its members are pupils and alumni of remarkable and outstanding figures of Georgian musical culture.
These are:
Teachers of folk style singing and ancient ecclesiastic chant: Mr. Anzor Erkomaishvili, the famous Georgian musician and a great folklorist (Doctor, People’s Artist of Georgia, laureate of many national and international prizes, professor) and the famous choir conductor and ecclesiastic figure, a distinguished expert of Georgian chant, Mrs. Lia Salakaia. The role of these two persons in the matter of restoration, development, spread and popularization of Georgian traditional song and chant in the XX century is immense and universally recognized.
What about the choral sound and manner of performance, the pedagogue and consultant of the Choir (with prayers and blessings of the Patriarch) is Maestro Shalva Mosidze (People’s Artist of Georgia, laureate of national and international prizes, Professor) _ leader of the Department of Choral Conduction at Tbilisi State Conservatoire and choral conductor of the Women’s Chorus “Gori.” To the names of this person and his chorus there is connected creation of a new Georgian school characterized of unique performing style and choral singing-performance. Among the distinctive features of this school there can be listed: original fusion of Georgian national and European academic singing manners; keenly expressive performance _ rich in dynamic and emotional contrasts which are, at the same time, merged with the natural, persuasive logics of development of the form.
Performing aesthetics of the Patriarchy Choir also pertains to this very artistic direction. For the performing art of the Choir it is characteristic: accentuated attention to subtle intonation, sensitive and sophisticated music play, affinity to the virtuoso mastering of choral sound and onomatopoeia.
The Choir takes part in all divine services and travels performed by the Patriarch of Georgia both in Georgia and abroad (in countries such as Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Lithuania, Russia, Italy, France, England, the Ukraine). The Choir has participated also in many national and international musical festivals both in Georgia and in other countries (such as Netherlands, Isreal, Cyprus, Lithuania, the Ukraine). The Patriarch Choir of the Holy Trinity Cathedral has had successful concert performances on the following international stages: Salle Pleyel, Paris; St. Johns Smith square, London; Moscow International House of music; Philharmonic concert halls of Kiev and Vilnius; and others. In ecclesiastic services or scenic performances the Choir constantly enjoys recognition of listeners and specialists, their affection and love.
The Choir of Patriarchy Cathedral takes part in many Georgian national celebrations, too, where it appears abreast with leading Georgian musicians and teams. There must be mentioned mutual work of the Choir with Tbilisi State Orchestra and Georgian National Orchestra, with the composers and conductors such as Vakhtang Kakhidze, Zviad Bolkvadze and Nikoloz Rachveli and with conductors such as Zaza Azmaiparashvili and David Mukeria.
On the basis of the Choir there coexists also folklore ensemble “Basiani” with the supervision of Giorgi Donadze. This ensemble has won great recognition in Georgia as well as in Europe and in the USA.
Choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral has recorded and published several compact discs. In these CDs there are included Georgian traditional chants and songs as well as modern choral works.

Trinity Cathedral Choir gave a solo concert dedicated to Maya Plisetskaya within the festival “Zaubersee” by the invitation of Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, on May 17, 2015 in Engelberg, Switzerland. The trinity choir performed before the audience choral works of Gia Kancheli, Josef Bardanashvili, Josef Kechakmadze, Zviad Bolkvadze, Ilia II Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, liturgical chants and folk songs. It should also be noted that Giorgi Zagareli, one of the outstanding musicians and violists in Georgia, performed “Miniatures” of Gia Kancheli