Concert introduction: Georgian singing traditions

Tuesday March 12, 18:00-18:30
Doors to the introduction open at 17:45
Oslo Cathedral
For concert ticket holders only

Duration: 30 minutes
NB! The introduction will be held in Norwegian

Svend Waage, speaker

Singer and musicologist Svend Waage has lived in Georgia for almost 20 years. In connection with the vocal ensemble Ensemble Didgori’s concert, Waage holds a concert introduction about the Georgian three-part polyphonic singing tradition. The tradition has contributed to Georgians preserving their identity and culture in the geopolitical melting pot that is the Caucasus region, where different empires have fought for power and influence for over 2000 years. Both church songs and folk songs are transmitted orally from generation to generation, and they have a lot in common in tone and texture. This common heritage has made Georgian orthodox church singing different from other kinds of orthodox church singing. Not in the least, this is due to the singing tradition’s polyphonic character, making both church and folk songs uniquely distinctive. Waage speaks about the Georgian church song’s history and development, and the audience will learn about how the singing tradition’s polyphonic character reflects the diversity and mentality of Georgian culture and life at large. But where the folk song has existed in all levels of society, with improvisation as an important factor, the Georgian church song has existed under completely different conditions, with parts of the tradition in danger of being lost.

Svend Waage is Cand. Philol. in musicology from the University of Oslo, with a master’s thesis on the Georgian polyphonic folk song tradition. He has experience from music volunteering, as head of culture in the municipal sector, and from ensembles like Grex Vocalis, the Oslo Philharmonic Chamber Choir, and Gli Scapoli. In Tbilisi, Waage runs Cultural Travel Georgia and Gallery Nor-Ge, together with his wife Tamar Lomidze. But it is first and foremost his work with the Georgian singing tradition that has been central during his time in Georgia. Ensemble Giorgi (Beka Sebiskveradze, Svend Waage, and Petter Simonsen) has performed and studied singing traditions since 2005. Sven Waage has collaborated with a number of Georgian ensembles and tradition bearers. In 2018, he received the Order of Excellence by Georgia’s president for his work with Georgian culture.