Tsinandali Festival creates the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra

The inaugural Tsinandali Festival will bring together over 80 young musicians from across the Caucasus region to establish the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra from 17 August 2019.

Taking place in the heart of Georgia’s wine country from 8 – 22 September 2019, the new classical music festival will offer the best young musicians from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Ukraine the opportunity to work with world-class conductors and soloists, including music director Gianandrea Noseda.

Tsinandali Festival co-founders George Ramishvili, Martin Engstroem and Avi Shoshani joined festival general director David Sakvarelidze in forming the PCYO with the vision of empowering the next generation of musicians, encouraging interaction and communication through the universal language of music and delivering a message of peace and unity between Georgia and its neighbouring countries.

‘Just doing a festival with some nice music isn’t enough. Since this region has been so violated and so full of conflict for so many years there had to be a message, a reason, in what we were doing,’ explains artistic director Engstroem. ‘If you look at Georgia and its neighbouring countries and their collective histories, you realise that the only way to approach each other is through culture. I want our PCYO members to leave with a better understanding of, and for, each other. They should realise the power of sharing the love of music and being able to grow through music.’

Music director Gianandrea Noseda added: ‘I am inspired by the creation of the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra. This has really convinced me that the Tsinandali Festival will be something special, as through music we can try to develop a new society based on friendship and respect despite any differences in politics or religion, because music has a unique language. When you sit with your partner at the music desk, you serve the music together.’

 

Credit: Rhinegold