17:30
Mafra
24/10, 5:30 PM
Polyphony of Georgia
Auditorium, National Museum of Music
Ozurgeti Folk Ensemble
Mariam Dumbadze, first voice
Tristan Sikharulidze, second voice
Giorgi Gordeladze, second voice and director
Damiane Gordeladze, third voice
Isaia Gordeladze, third voice
Founded in 2022 under the auspices of the Ozurgeti Cultural Centre in Georgia, the Ozurgeti Folk Ensemble was created by Tristan Sikharulidze, one of Georgia’s most distinguished lotbari (traditional choir masters) and an acclaimed performer of the polyphonic singing tradition of the Guria region. The ensemble brings together Sikharulidze’s former teachers, members of the renowned Gordeladze singing family, and leading performers of Georgian traditional music. While rooted in the rich polyphonic traditions of Guria, its repertoire also encompasses the musical heritage of other regions in western Georgia.
The ensemble has gained international recognition through performances at prestigious festivals and cultural events. Its achievements include participation in the Tbilisi International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony, winning the Grand Prize at the Baltic Waves International Folklore Festival in Tallinn, Estonia, and receiving laureate awards at both the 21st Zagreb International Folklore Festival in Croatia and the Pokrov Bells International Folklore Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania.
In April 2026, the ensemble toured France, collaborating with the Georgian-French group Marani and presenting a solo concert in Paris.
Dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the polyphonic singing tradition of Guria, the Ozurgeti Folk Ensemble contributes to safeguarding one of Georgia’s most distinctive forms of intangible cultural heritage. Through concerts, educational initiatives, and international cultural exchanges, the group seeks to inspire new generations of performers while introducing Georgian polyphony to audiences around the world.
