David Toradze

Toradze begun actively composing in 1940s. His first symphony premiered in 1946 and his first opera in 1947. Toradze’s acclaimed ballet Gorda received its premiere in 1949 and was immediately  recognized as an important landmark in the Georgian musical and choreographic art. The ballet was successfully staged in Moscow, Hungary, Poland, at the International Ballet Art Festival in Paris and in various countries around the world. The ballet For Peace  created on the theme of the Second World War achieved the same success. Subsequently, the audiences warmly welcomed composer’s new opera Bride of the North presented at the Decade of Georgian Art and Literature and dedicated to the history of A. Griboedov and N. Chavchavadze.

In 1977, David Toradze created music for the film-ballet Mtsyri. In the same year, it was staged and directed by the famous ballet master Mikhail Lavrovsky and went on to win the  Grand Prix  at the prestigious International Ballet Film Festival in New York. Among the abundance of creative work of David Toradze are further two symphonies, an overture Rokva, a cycle of choral poems Georgian Sketches, a piano concerto to mention but a few.
Toradze’s musical scores for songs and film music have been the staples of Georgian culture since their creatio.  Among the most noteworthy are: The first day – the last day, Paliastomi, A meeting with the past and Is a man a human?!.

Whilst Toradze was a prolific composer he was also a gifted teacher who taught at The Tbilisi Conservatoire from1953 until 1973. David Toradze was awarded various awards, among them the Laureate of the State Prize.

Married to Liana Asatiani, a renowned film actress and Honored Artist of Georgia until his death; children – Alexander (Lexo) Toradze,one of the world’s most illustrious pianists and their devoted daughter/Sister,  a musician in her own right, Nino Toradze.

His first teachers – Lili Gabunia and Mikheil Shughliashvili have contributed much for his music education. In 2005 he has graduated from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire Composition Department under direction of Georgian composer Bidzina Kvernadze. In 1999-2003 studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. During his studies, Nikoloz Rachveli has passed master classes with such composers, as Pierre Boulez, Luciano Berio, Michael Jarrell, etc.

In the various years he has collaborated with the Opera and Ballet State Theatre Symphony Orchestra, Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra, Rijeka Opera Symphony Orchestra and Choir (Croatia), Ingolstadt Georgian Chamber Orchestra, Parnu Symphony Orchestra (Estonia), State Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Moscow Symphony Orchestra MCO (Russia), Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra (Ukraine), Kremerata Baltica, Georgian State String Quartet, Tbilisi Opera Choir, Batumi State Music Center Choir, Kutaisi State Opera Theatre Choir, Niko Sulkhanishvili Georgian State Choir, Children’s Choir Schedrik (Ukraine), etc.; composers and musician-performers: Alexander Toradze, Liana Isakadze, Paata Burchuladze, Marine Iashvili, Nodar Gabunia, Bidzina Kvernadze, Jansug Kakhidze, Nodar Mamisashvili, Natela Svanidze, Josef Bardanashvili, Vazha Azarashvili, Tigran Mansurian, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Michel Legrand, Kim Kashkashian, Nino Ananiashvili, Lisa Batiashvili, Khatia Buniatishvili, Yuri Bashmet, David Geringas, Gidon Kremer, Alexander Korsantia, Michele Crider, Dudana Mazmanishvili, Katia Ricciarelli, Giuseppe Giacomini, Lado Ataneli, Makvala Kasrashvili, Badri Maisuradze, Anita Rachvelishvili, Nino Machaidze, Tamar Iveri, Giorgi Gagnidze, Katia Skanavi, Alexander Markovich, Valerian Shiukashvili, Maxim Risanov, Giorgi Zagareli, Andres Mustonen, Giorgi Kharadze, Ariel Zuckermann, Sergei Nakariakov, Rusher Saxophone Quartet, Federico Mondelci, Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi, Avi Avitali, Chris Botti, Sting, Bjork, Lisa Fisher, Take 6, Beka Gochiashvili, Nani Bregvadze, Nato Metonidze, Nino Katamadze and many others.

His Piano Concerto “Introversion” was premiered first at the Carnegie Hall and later at the Berlin Konzerthaus (soloist – Dudana Mazmanishvili); In Tbilisi and Petersburg Rachveli’s Symphonic Piece “The Answer” was performed; his Symphonic opus in the minimal style “The way home and back” was published as a CD in Vienna, which is still sold all around the Europe. After Georgian Premiere, the “Reverence” for Symphony Orchestra was performed at the Kiev National Philharmonic, in 2015. His vocal-instrumental piece “The Rest is Silence”, dedicated to the world known Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili was premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in December 2016. The world premiere of his “The Silver Sun” took place at the Hamburg ElbPhilharmonie in 2018. As a composer of David Doiashvili’s theatre stagings, Nikoloz Rachveli has received various Prizes for the best music, among them Croatian National Prize and National Prize of Georgia. He is the author of music for films by Giorgi Shengelaia, Kakha Melitauri and Rezo Gigineishvili.

Nikoloz Rachveli is the founder of the Contemporary Music Festival KONTRAPUNKT, an original concept of which is a meeting of a Georgian and foreign composer’s pieces of various genres. He closely cooperates with the Georgian composers. An exclusive place in the creative life of Nikoloz Rachveli  belongs to Giya Kancheli and his works. During the last years, the young conductor is the first performer of Kancheli’s pieces with the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra in Georgia.

Nikoloz Rachveli is an initiator of a historic reform in Georgia, the result of which is a right which is given to the musicians of the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra to choose their Creative Directors. Before these positions were appointed by the Minister of Culture of Georgia. For nowadays, Nikoloz Rachveli is the first elected Music Director and Principal Conductor in Georgia.

During his direction, Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra has performed at the various worldwide venues, among them: Athens and Frankfurt Concert Halls, Paris Les Invalides, Pierre Cardin Center, UNESCO Concert Hall and Salle Pleyel, Petersburg Dmitri Schostakovich Philharmonie, Berlin Konserthaus, Brussels Centre for Fine Arts BOZAR, Strasbourg Convention Centre, Tallinn NORDEA Concert Hall, Hamburg ElbPhilharmonie, Frankfurt ALTE OPER, etc.

In 2020 Deutsche Grammophon realized Lisa Batiashvili’s New Album CITY LIGHTS with Nikoloz Rachveli’s original orchestral versions. The Album was recorded in Berlin by Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester and in Tbilisi by Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra. Special guests: Katie Melua, Till Bronner, Milosh and Maximilian Hornung. In 2022 the additional single with Nikoloz Rachveli’s Symphonic Khorumi was realized.

At different times the Orchestra was directed by the conductors Aleksandre Gvelesiani, Grigol Kiladze, Aleksandr Gauk, Shalva Azmaiparashvili, Odissey Dimitriadi, Jemal Gokieli, Zakaria Khurodze, Jansugh Kakhidze, David Del Pino Klinge, Vakhtang Matchavariani; also, music directors: composers Andria Balanchivadze and Alexi Matchavariani.

In 2005 Georgian State Symphony Orchestra, together with other State status collectives, was united in newly established Georgia National Music Center and 25 years old composer Nikoloz Rachveli was invited from Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts as an Music Director. From 2007 he has combined the position of principal conductor of the Orchestra.

The Orchestra has implemented lots of successful performances. Among them are concert tours abroad in various worldwide famous venues, such as the Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall, Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall, Amsterdam ConzertGebau, Athens and Frankfurt Concert Halls, Paris Les Invalids, Pierre Cardin Center, UNESCO Hall & Salle Pleyel, St. Petersburg Schostakovich Philharmonic Hall, Tallinn NORDEA Concert Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, Brussels Palais de Beaux Arts BOZAR, Strasbourg Convention Centre, Hamburg ElbPhilharmonie, Frankfurt Alte Oper, etc.

During 94 years of its existence, the Orchestra’s repertoire includes all the most important pieces of the Georgian symphony music and numerous masterpieces of the world’s symphony and opera music. The Orchestra is the first performer practically of all important National symphony music pieces, as well as performs Georgian premieres by numerous foreign composers.

In 2013, due to the reform at the National Music Center of Georgia, the young talented musicians of the new generation, successfully performed in the various Orchestras of Georgia and abroad, joined the State Symphony Orchestra. Thereafter the renewed Orchestra is called Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra. During the same year, the outstanding Georgian Musicians: Giya Kancheli, Alexander Toradze, Josef Bardanashvili, Paata Burchuladze and Shalva Mosidze were elected as an Artistic Council. Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra is the first Orchestra in Georgia, who has received the right to choose its creative director (before this position was appointed by the Georgian Minister of Culture). In December 2013, Maestro Nikoloz Rachveli was chose as an Music Director and Principal Conductor of Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra and thereafter Orchestra performed lots of successful concerts with the invited Georgian and foreign musician-performers in Georgia and abroad.