Zedashe Ensemble Concert October 15, 2010

Hailing from the Republic of Georgia, the Zedashe Ensemble presents a concert of traditional Georgian music, both secular and religious featuring the (ancient) haunting three-part harmony unique to the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia. Returning for their third US tour, Zedashe Ensemble will perform in eight states across the country to commemorate the upcoming 20th anniversary of Georgian independence with an evening of song and dance. While touring both internationally and domestically, Zedashe has maintained an intimate and familial presentation of Georgian polyphony that separates them from other Georgian ensembles. Accompanied by traditional Georgian instruments and two virtuosic dancers, the ten-person ensemble promises to transport you from the crags of the Caucasus Mountains in Svaneti to the shores of the Black Sea in Adjara to the vineyards of Kakheti. Their songs reflect a range of rituals, from grape harvesting to the teaching of martial arts, to hymns from the Georgian Orthodox service. In addition to the collection and preservation of songs, Zedashe is also dedicated to documenting the context in which the songs were traditionally sung and maintaining the threads which bound song and dance to every-day life.

Zedashe's tour is organized by Village Harmony, a world music umbrella organization, and it is sponsored by a generous grant from the Trust for Mutual Understanding which promotes cultural exchange between the US and Eastern European artists. Visit the Village Harmony website for updated information on the tour www.villageharmony.org. Ticket price: $15.00, $18.00

Official Website: http://www.zedashe.org