Giya Kancheli’s music will be performed in Kyiv

On May 14 a concert dedicated to the Georgian composer’s 80th anniversary will be held at the National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine. The soiree will be held within the framework of the celebration of the Day of Europe, and it will be attended by maestro Giya Kancheli himself and numerous executives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Ukraine.

Music critic V. Wolf emphasized, “The originality of Kancheli’s music lies in a combination of a boundary openness of the style with its strict selectiveness, the national ground with universal meaningfulness of the artistic ideas, the stormy life of emotions with the elevation of their expression, simplicity with depth, and accessibility with capturing novelty. The very development of the music by the Georgian composer is always seamless, bound by live songlike intonation. This is an artistic-integral depiction of modern world in its complicated disharmony.”

Leading Ukrainian musicians and world-renowned ensembles will be performing at the festive evening: Kyiv Chamber Orchestra conducted by maestro Roman Kofman, the Municipal Chamber Choir “Kyiv” conducted by choirmaster Mykola Hobdych, and Kyiv Quarter of Saxophonists of the National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine (artistic director: Yurii Vasylevych), an ensemble which is also celebrating an important date this year, 30 years since it was founded. The concert will be held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, the embassies of Belgium, Georgia, and Latvia in Ukraine. The program includes Kancheli’s works, such as Lulling the Sun for mixed choir; Amao Omi for choir and a quartet of saxophonists; Night Prayers for chamber orchestra and saxophone-soprano, and A Little Daneliade for chamber orchestra.