Georgia: The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, together with Vice Prime Minister Minister of Culture and Sports Thea Tsulukiani, opened the new Central Music School building named after Zakaria Paliashvili of Tbilisi, “Decade of Talents.”
The event was also attended by the Executive Director of Charity Foundation “Kartu,” the Director of “Decade of Talent” Nodar Zhvania, the Chairman of the cultural committee of the Georgian Parliament, Eliso Bolkvadze, the Rector of Tbilisi State Conservatory, Giorgi Vachnadze, and other invited guests.
A joint concert of successful pupils and graduates of the “Decade of Talents” was held, with the participation of Chairman of the Parliament’s Culture Committee Eliso Bolkvadze, Rector of the Tbilisi State Conservatory, Professor Giorgi Vachnadze, Members of the National Quartet named after Sulkhan Tsintsadze, Vice-Rector of the State Conservatory Nino Kasradze, Conservatory Professor Tamar Lichel, Conservatory Professor of Tory, People’s Artist of Georgia Temur Gugushvili, composer and pianist David Evgenidze, professor of the conservatory, Chairman of the Union of Composers of Georgia Giorgi Shaverzashvili, producer and TV host Noe Sulaberidze and others. Solo and chamber-instrumental works of Georgian and Western European composers were performed.
This year, the music school of unique traditions and historical past celebrates its 90th anniversary, and it is symbolic that the students will meet in a renovated building in the new school year.
The building on Chavchavadze Street (No.19) has been functioning for decades since 2010, but over the years, education has faced difficult problems:
- The building needed to meet the requirements of the Central Music School.
- The infrastructure of the school was destroyed, which seriously disrupted the learning process.
- There was not even a small concert hall in the school.
The situation has put teachers and children who choose music as a career in difficult positions.
In 2016, the Foundation “Kartu” financed project-rehabilitation works (954 500 GEL), and in 2022, this process was renewed on the initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia, which allocated 6 243,000 GEL as co-financing. Building reinforcement was carried out; additional floor metal structures were installed for the concert hall; a heating system was installed; and interior renovations were completed.
In 1934, a “Talented Children’s Group” was formed near the Tbilisi Conservatory. School history also took the lead from this time. School teachers were and are state conservatory professors. In the “Decade of Talents,” many generations of composers, musicians-performers, and music connoisseurs were raised, who created the history of Georgian musical art of the 20th century.
Among them were: Sulkhan Tsintsadze, Sulkhan Nasidze, Jansugh Kakhidze, Bidzina Kvernadze, Dimitri Bashkirov, Lev Lasenko, David Toradze, Alexander Nizharadze, Medea Amiranashvili, Liana Isakadze, Lamara Chkonia, Zurab Anjaparidze, Tengiz Mushkudiani, Revaz Tavadze, Joseph Kechakmadze, Nodar Gabunia, Gizi Amirejibi, Eliso Virsaladze, Lexo Toradze, Ether Anjaparadze, Debbie Iashvili, members of Georgian String Quartet, edisher Rusishvili, Giorgi Shaverzashvili, Tamar Gabarashvili, Nutsa Chirakadze, David Evgenidze, Alexander Korsantia, Eliso Bolkvadze, Lisa Batiashvili, George Vachnadze, Edisher Savitski, Valerian Shiukashvili, Nino Gvetadze, Khatia Buniatishvili, Ninos Machaidze, Dudana Mazmanishvili, George Mikadze, Giorgi Gigashvili, Sandro Gegechkori, David Aladashvili, David Khrikuli, Natalia Kutateladze, Nino Kasradze, Tata Lichel and many more The other one.
The unique methodology of teaching music developed by the teachers of the previous generations of the “Decade of Talent” is still preserved and developed. With this distinguished methodology and achieved results, education has become one of the unique sewers of Georgian culture and art education. In 1947, the school was named after Zakaria Paliashvili on the 75th anniversary of his birth.
Professor Nodar Zhvania has been the Director of “Decade of Talents” since 2013.
Notably, over the past five years, more than 120 students of the “Decade of Talent” have won prestigious international competitions and festivals. Over the years, the best-prepared entrants in the decade continue their studies at the State Conservatory, which promotes the continuity of the musical education chain in Georgia.
In March 2020, the National Agency for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Georgia granted the tradition of musical education to children the status of an Intangible Cultural Heritage Monument in the “Decade of Talent.”
