Ialoni and Musikeli ensembles, UK tour - ALL DATES, plus Ts'utisopeli - a weekend of workshops, performance and feasting

Two renowned vocal ensembles from the Republic of Georgia are touring the UK during May 2023, teaching and performing polyphonic songs, and appearing as guests of honour at a weekend residential event.

Taking in towns and cities in Scotland, England and into north Wales, and with a women's ensemble from the east of Georgia, and a men's ensemble from the west, this truly will be an unmissable opportunity to sample the full range of this richly diverse musical tradition.

The centrepiece of the tour will be a residential weekend event, called ts'utisopeli, at which singers from across the UK will gather to learn and sing together, and to share a supra, or Georgian feast. Workshops throughout the tour will be planned to help us prepare for the supra evening, when we eat, drink and sing together at the supra table.

TOUR DATES AND TICKET LINKS

Wednesday 10
Lancaster Ialoni + Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here) SOLD OUT

Thursday 11
St Andrews Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)
Edinburgh Ialoni, workshop (Book tickets here) SOLD OUT

Friday 12
Glasgow Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)
Edinburgh Ialoni, concert (Book tickets here)

Saturday 13
Hebden Bridge Ialoni + Musikeli, concert (Book tickets here)

Sunday 14
Manchester Ialoni + Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)

Monday 15
Empingham Ialoni, workshop (Book tickets here)
Melton Mowbray Ialoni, workshop (Book tickets here)

Tuesday 16
Wrexham Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)
Cambridge Ialoni, workshop (Book tickets here)

Wednesday 17
Bristol Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)
Cambridge Ialoni, concert (Book tickets here)

Thursday 18
Stroud Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)
King's Place, London Ialoni, concert (Book tickets here)

Friday 19 - Sunday 21
Chipping Warden ts'utisopeli weekend (Book tickets on this page)

Monday 22
London Musikeli, workshop + concert (Book tickets here)

Tuesday 23
Brighton Musikeli, concert (Book tickets here)
Brighton Musikeli, workshop (Book tickets here)

GEORGIAN POLYPHONY

The Republic of Georgia, in the Caucasus mountains, boasts a rich and ancient UNESCO listed tradition of complex polyphony. Like Georgia itself, the music sits at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, yet has its own, truly unique character. It blends challenging, dissonant and microtonal chords with sweet and lyrical close harmonies. Ancient pagan, shamanic ritual songs with soaring liturgical chants. Powerful work songs, rousing wedding songs, and modern, composed songs all continue this music into the present day. Encompassing thirteen regional styles, the music from the east and west of Georgia are quite distinct, with that of the Gurian region on the Black Sea coast being particularly complex, and often including a fourth, yodeling voice, known as krimanchuli.

IALONI

A women's ensemble from the east of Georgia, Ialoni is one of the most respected Georgian women’s vocal ensembles. 

Ialoni has been led since its formation in 2009 by musicologist Nino Naneishvili. They have now recorded five albums, and taught and performed internationally, including on several previous visits to the UK.

Winners of Best Female Folk Ensemble at the National Folklore Festival of Georgia 2015–16, in the following year Ialoni were awarded the Grand Prix in Georgian Traditional Chant, and the first place and Gold Medal in Georgian Folk Song at the Tbilisi Choral Music Competition.

With their deep knowledge of the music and its cultural context, and a charming and engaging delivery, Ialoni’s singing and teaching is sure to delight.

To hear the leader of the ensemble, Nino Naneishvili, talk about healing songs and round dances, listen to her interview on the Voices of the Ancestors podcast.

MUSIKELI

A men's ensemble from Samegrelo region in the west of Georgia, led by Dimitri Kakulia. 

Based at Senaki Municipality Student, Youth and Culture Centre, Musikeli are highly experienced at leading workshops with singers of all ages and abilities. The ensemble will teach and perform a wide repertoire, ranging from sacred chants to work songs, modern 'city' songs, and comic folk songs, but all with a particular emphasis on western Georgian styles.

Recently returned from touring Lithuania, this will be Musikeli's first visit to the UK.

TS'UTISOPELI WEEKEND 
Friday 19–Sunday 21 May
Ts'utisopeli (წუტისოფელი) is a word that has many related meanings in Georgian – sometimes translated as 'small world', 'small village', or even 'brief life'. The centrepiece of the tour, this will be a full weekend of workshops, feasting and performance, bringing together our visiting Georgian ensembles, as well as singers from across the UK.

The full, detailed program will be confirmed to all ticket holders shortly before the event, in line with the outline program below:

FRIDAY EVENING 
The weekend will begin on the Friday evening with introductory workshops from the leaders of several UK Georgian choirs. We'll get to know each other, warm up our voices, and share repertoire to sing together over the weekend.

SATURDAY
On Saturday we will have a full day of workshops from Ialoni and Musikeli, learning new songs, and refreshing and building on the songs taught during the rest of the tour. The workshops are open to all, and there is no need to read music, know the language, or have previous experience. Songs will be taught by ear. So if you are unfamiliar with this tradition, you are guaranteed a warm welcome and an enjoyable introduction to this beautiful music.

SATURDAY EVENING SUPRA
On the Saturday evening we will gather together for a supra, or ritual Georgian feast.

Georgia has a highly distinctive and sophisticated cuisine. Led by a toastmaster, or tamada, the supra tradition combines the sharing of this delicious food with heartfelt toasts and songs, creating an unforgettable, moving and highly authentic experience of Georgian culture. But beautiful though Georgian food, wine and song are, the supra is more than the sum of its parts. The structure of the supra creates a space where it is possible to connect with each other not as performers and audience, but as hosts and honoured guests.

On this occasion our hosts will be Kalta, a newly formed Oxford women's Georgian choir. Our tamada will be founder and musical director of Kalta choir, Holly Taylor-Zuntz.

You are welcome to bring your own wine, or whatever else you would like to drink at the supra. You can also pre-order Georgian wine for collection at the event.

SUNDAY MORNING 
On Sunday morning we will have further workshops, focusing on Georgian singing technique, and the context and deeper significance of these songs. In these masterclass sessions, singers from UK Georgian choirs will have the chance to invite constructive feedback from our visiting Georgian singers, and to explore whatever questions they have related to their singing, or to Georgian culture and traditions.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON PERFORMANCE 3–5pm
To end the weekend, on Sunday afternoon Ialoni and Musikeli will give a concert in the beautiful Church of Saint Peter and St Paul

TICKETS
Weekend £130
Saturday, with supra £85
Saturday day pass £60
Sunday pass, including concert £50
Supra only (subject to availability) £30
Concert only £15/10

Note: A £10 discount is available for those booking ts'utisopeli weekend or day passes, if also booking tickets through Pitchblend to most workshops with either choir on another date during the tour. Discount code will be provided in the booking confirmation email. Unfortunately we cannot apply this discount to bookings made directly with venues, such as King's Place.

The weekend pass includes lunch and evening meals. Camping is available on site for weekend pass holders at no extra charge, however, this is limited to a maximum of seventy five people, and spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Other accommodation options are available nearby, including two campsites, and several Air b n b.

The Saturday evening supra will be limited to around 120 guests, with spaces offered first to those attending for the full weekend. However, subject to availability, tickets may be offered for the supra only shortly before the event. If you are interested in this option, and would like to be informed if tickets are put on sale, please email us to go on the waiting list.

LIFT SHARING AND ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
We realise camping is not for everyone, and transport is also an issue for some. If you would like to attend, but are finding it difficult to make arrangements that allow you to do so, please feel free to get in touch to let us know your circumstances. Please also consider posting offers or requests for lifts or accommodation sharing on the Facebook event page. If a luxury glamping option might work for you, we are also happy to consider arranging this. Based on four people sharing, this would likely cost around £100 per person for the weekend. Please contact us at the earliest opportunity if this is of interest.

YOUTH AND CHILD TICKETS
This weekend will be a family friendly event. Discounts are offered for weekend and day passes for under 18s. To apply the discount, open a new order, and apply the appropriate promo code: Youth (14-18 years, 25% discount), or Child (8-14 years, 50% discount). Note that promo codes are case sensitive, and only one promo code can be applied to each order. If you wish to apply both codes, or to purchase adult and youth or child tickets, it is necessary to place these as separate orders.

Children up to 8 years of age may attend free. Children up to 14 years of age may attend the concert free.

Children must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult.

ACCESSIBILITY
It is important to us that all events be accessible to all who wish to participate. If you have any specific accessibility needs, please let us know when booking, and we will contact you to discuss your requirements.

COVID POLICY
Please do not attend this event if you are suffering from any potentially infectious respiratory illness, including Covid. If you are unable to attend for this reason, a full refund will be given.

If you have reason to believe that you may have been exposed to Covid in the week before the event, please take a lateral flow test. In the event of a positive test result, a full refund will be given.

Note: We believe that the ticket prices shown are good value for the experience that you will have, and the cost of providing the weekend and supra. However, we also recognise that many people are experiencing financial strain. If you are keen to attend but cost is an issue for you, please contact us directly, and we can try to work something out.