The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

14
Rusudan Tsurtsumia
Joseph Jordania
technology of musical transcriptions of Kakhetian long songs.
And finally, a single paper was presented with the theme Traditional and Art Music. Leila Maruashvili
(Georgia) discussed the refraction of Georgian traditional polyphony in professional music.
<strong>The</strong> success of the symposium proved the success of introducing a special theme to the thematic of the
symposium and attracting the interest of scholars to the relatively neglected (or extremely important) topics of
the study of traditional polyphony. It was decided that the next symposium will have a special theme dedicated
to comparative methods in studying traditional polyphony.
We would like to finish our introduction by acknowledging the importance of the rich concert program that
runs in parallel with the scholarly symposium. Live sounds of traditional polyphony from different polyphonic
traditions resounded within the walls of the Tbilisi State Conservatory throughout the whole symposium. <strong>The</strong>
concert program was so intense that symposium participants sometimes faced an impossible task in choosing
between an interesting scholarly session and the performance of an interesting polyphonic tradition by the
bearers of the tradition. <strong>Symposium</strong> opening concert, completely dedicated to children’s folklore and children
ensembles, was particularly impressive. <strong>The</strong> opening concert allowed symposium participants to see clearly
the future perspectives of Georgian traditional polyphony.
At the afternoon concerts listeners were able to hear not only live examples of Georgian and Caucasian
traditional polyphony, but choral traditions from Balkans, Baltic countries and Great Britain as well. <strong>The</strong> desire
of the symposium organizers to present new cultures, new faces and new ensembles from different polyphonic
traditions of the world is gradually becoming a reality. One of the central features of the concert program of
the symposium was the performance of Austrian village singers, the trio Lindabrunner Dreigesang. <strong>The</strong>ir
brilliant yodeling and authentic stage presence brought great pleasure and let the listeners feel the fragrance
of the Alp mountains.
<strong>The</strong> success of the <strong>Fifth</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>Symposium</strong> on Traditional Polyphony is a testimony to the growing
international prestige of the <strong>International</strong> Research Centre for Traditional Polyphony, and an indication that the
range and popularity of the Tbilisi polyphonic symposia will most likely grow in the coming years.
Rusudan Tsurtsumia
Joseph Jordania