Iberi Choir
The Georgian ensemble Iberi was founded in 2012. Its name is derived from Iberia, the ancient Greek and Roman name for the eastern part of Georgia.
Today, Iberi is one of Georgia’s most creative and versatile ensembles equally a guardian and missionaries of Georgian polyphony and traditional instrumental music, a pioneer of contemporary ethnic music, and a musical bridge-builder between different cultures.
Georgian Polyphony, a highly complex musical tradition, widespread throughout the country, has been passed down orally for thousands of years and is part of the cultural identity. This also explains why polyphonic singing remains firmly anchored in the lives of Georgians to this day, moving and touching in its beauty. In 2008,Georgian polyphonic singing was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Iberi is dedicated to the diversity of Georgian musical traditions, from liturgical chants, historical ballads, work songs, and festive table songs to contemporary urban songs. Iberi combines the various stylistic nuances that have developed in each of the country’s regions. With passion and excellence, the ensemble translates these elements into its own style, respecting the cultural heritage kept alive for generations.
The singers and musicians of the ensemble create their own nuanced versions of these songs, which they improvise anew and differently at each performance, true to tradition.
Performance Highlights
Alte Oper Frankfurt
WOMAD, UK
WOMADElaide, Australia
WOMEX
Sori Festival, South Korea)
Sacred Music Festival, South Korea
Asia-Pacific Traditional Arts Festival, Taiwan
Global Fest, USA
Førde Festival, Norway
Imaterial festival, Portugal
Several US and European tours
Videos
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Press
They're dressed like executioners but sing like saints. A 6-member polyphonic choir with sometimes slight but just right accompaniment. Utterly traditional and faultlessly so. Hard to imagine anyone not being uplifted by this music which is so living in tradition and such a perfect fusion of sacred and secular.
Nic Hobbs, Charmenko music agency, 2015
From the Georgian choir you can expect the overwhelming polyphonic vocal beauty that will stay with you for a long time. Its concert at the Womex fair was an unforgettable experience for all visitors, and I knew right away that our castle park would be exactly the right place where Iberi's voices will start to sound perfectly.
Michal Schmidt, Artistic Director of the Folk Holidays festival, CZ, 2016
The last performer on the stage in St’Catherine Church was Georgian male choir – Iberi. Artists keep the tradition of polyphonic a’capella singing, performing work songs, historical ballads and sacred music/anthem, present in Georgia for centuries. Most of the songs were made piano, and the atmosphere of the church added more dignity and seriousness to the music. every change in dynamics caused that song become more expressive and stirring. During the concert, the singers were telling stories about the places from which the melodies came from. The audience rewarded the band with standing ovation. It was probably because of the unquestionable magic of the Georgian choir, but also because of unexpected performance of polish hit song “Szła dzieweczka do laseczka” in Georgian way.
Muzyczna uczta dla ducha. Za nami kolejny dzień festiwalu EtnoKraków/Rozstaje, PL, 2016