Village Harmony Summer Camp
2007
Republic of Georgia Session
July 13-August 3
Led by Ketevan Mindorashvili, Shergil Pirtskhelani, Malkhaz Erkvanidze, Patty Cuyler, and Emily Miller.
This will be Village Harmony’s eighth singing workshop in the Republic of Georgia. Georgia has one of the world’s most ancient polyphonic singing traditions, with a dark, sonorous vocal quality, untempered intervals and striking harmonic convergences unlike anything in European music. This camp is intended for experienced older high school and college students and adults who are ready to tackle the challenges of learning Georgian folk songs by ear.
This camp will be a blast for singers who are excited about a rigorous study-tour of some of Georgia’s most distinctive and unique land- and song-scapes. We will study folk and sacred songs from the different Georgian regions, with most music taught by ear. We will begin with a rehearsal week in Ushguli, Svaneti—the highest continuously-inhabited village in Europe—studying Svanetian chants and folk songs under the tutelage of Svanetian singer Shergil Pirtskhelani. From there, our camp will involve further residencies. We will spend some time in the lush seaside valleys of Ajara for a session of western Georgian music (in collaboration with Malkhaz Erkvanidze of the Anchiskhati Choir), followed by a visit to the stark mountains of Tusheti, where participants will study eastern highland and Kakhetian music under the instruction of Ensemble Zedashe director Ketevan Mindorashvili. Throughout the tour, veteran Village Harmony leaders Patty Cuyler and Emily Miller will lead a rousing set of American a capella and band tunes. This camp will likely be study- and singing-focussed, with a few highly-polished performances at the end of the session.
This camp is not for the faint of heart. It promises to provide a window into Georgia for those willing to endure what will sometimes be rough and primitive conditions. This session is not for those needing a daily hot shower. A decade and a half of post-Soviet economic depression has taken its toll on the country, and western-style amenities—such as hot water and electricity—can be sporadic, when they are available at all. While smooth roads, indoor plumbing and working lights may be in short supply, Georgia’s famed hospitality is constant and unforgettable.