Voices from Sakartvelo

At the Kaunas State Philharmonic

Voices from Sakartvelo Vocal Ensemble IBERI

The Pažaislis Music Festival invites you to an evening of vocal music featuring the polyphonic music tradition of Sakartvelo. The concert will feature the ensemble IBERI, a collective of professional performers dedicated to one of the oldest and most unique vocal music cultures. Polyphonic singing is a complex and expressive musical tradition, passed down from generation to generation and remaining an important part of Sakartvelo's culture to this day. It is included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The repertoire of the ensemble IBERI covers songs from various regions of Sakartvelo – from ritual chants and historical ballads to work, festive, and urban songs. The performers convey this music live, maintaining its authentic sound and improvisational nature. The ensemble IBERI has performed at prestigious festivals and venues around the world, including WOMAD, WOMEX, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, and other international events. However, what remains most important in their music is not geography, but the ability to create a connection – between different cultures, and between the performer and the listener.