Pianist, conductor, and educator Vladimir Feltsman is one of the most versatile and consistently interesting musicians of our time. Born in Moscow in 1952, Mr. Feltsman debuted with the Moscow Philharmonic at the age of 11. In 1969, he entered the Moscow Conservatory to study piano under the guidance of Professor Jacob Flier. He also studied conducting at both the Moscow and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Conservatories.

In 1971, Mr. Feltsman won the Grand Prix at the Marguerite Long International Piano Competition in Paris; extensive tours throughout the former Soviet Union, Europe, and Japan followed.

Vakhtang Matchavariani has collaborated with over 80 orchestras and over 25 opera houses around the world. He has been associated with great orchestras, such as Philharmonia Orchestra London, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, Orchestre National de France, Belgian National Orchestra, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Georgian Symphony Orchestra was officially established in 1925 and its first artistic director and principal conductor was Ivane Paliashvili. In 1933 the Orchestra was awarded with the State status and its principal conductor became Evgeny Mikeladze – legendary conductor, who was a victim of 1937 repressions.