The famous Georgian TV channel Borjomi hosted the Octava Vocal Ensemble, a national award-winning cappella octet from Toronto, Canada, for a unique New Year program on December 31, 2023.
The program was led by two members of the ensemble, Gogi Khutsishvili and Malkhaz Kurtanidze, who are both of Georgian origin and have been singing together since childhood. They shared their stories and experiences of living and performing in Canada and their love for Georgian culture and music.
The Octava Vocal Ensemble, which has performed at various prestigious venues and events in Canada and abroad, showcased their vocal skills and versatility by singing various songs, ranging from classical to pop, in different languages. They also sang traditional Georgian songs, such as “Chakrulo” and “Shen Khar Venakhi”, to the audience’s delight.
The program’s highlight was the final song, a medley of Christmas and New Year songs from different countries, including Georgia, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain. The ensemble wished the viewers a happy and prosperous new year with their harmonious voices and cheerful smiles.
The program was a huge success, receiving positive feedback from the viewers and the critics. The Borjomi TV channel thanked the Octava Vocal Ensemble for participating and hoped to collaborate with them again.
Octava Ensemble
Octava Ensemble is a vocal octet considered by music critics to be one of the most interesting vocal groups of the young generation. They quickly established their leading position among other Polish chamber groups. OCTAVA ensemble has been a winner of various festivals and contests. As well as the many awards won by the group, there is also the most prestigious award in Polish choral art, Grand Prix 39′, “Legnica Cantat” edition.
However, the specialisation of the OCTAVA ensemble is the XVI and XVII-century music. The group follows historical trends by recording albums of works from the turn of the Renaissance and the Baroque (Pekiel Missa Pulcherrima – FRYDERYK 2010 nomination, Hassler Missa Octava – reviewed very positively in British “Gramophone” magazine – the most esteemed classical music magazine in the world).
Additionally, they have set up the extraordinary AD RADICES MUSICAE project – for the first time in Poland, the OCTAVIA ensemble has brought back a regular interpretation of polyphonic compositions performed in their natural context, i.e. during liturgy before the council.
