Francois Leleux, Lisa Batiashvili among artists paying homage to composer Sulkhan Nasidze

Star performers including Francois Leleux, Lisa Batiashvili and Maximilian Hornung headlined a Tbilisi concert celebrating an anniversary of celebrated late Georgian composer Sulkhan Nasidze in Tbilisi this week.

The show involved six local and foreign classical artists and the Georgian Sinfonietta orchestra at the Jansug Kakhidze Centre for Music and Culture on Tuesday.

The line-up for the concert was headlined by French oboist Francois Leleux, praised as "a star act" by The Times and noted for his "bigger-than life personality" by Chicago Classical Review.

Violinist Lisa Batiashvili and cellist Maximilian Hornung perform during the concert. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Also known for his performances as conductor, Leleux has been visiting artist for orchestras including the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and Orchestre de chambre de Paris.

Another acclaimed artist on stage was German-based Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili, currently artist in residence for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Named 2015 Musical America Instrumentalist of the Year, she was praised for "meticulous musicality and emotional power" by the online platform.

Batiashvili is a recipient two ECHO Klassik awards, MIDEM Classical Award and Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival's Leonard Bernstein Award.

French oboist and conductor Francois Leleux performs with musicians of the Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

The Tbilisi show marked the first time the Georgian violinist performed as part of a quartet, with the appearance dedicated by Batiashvili to the memory of late Georgian composer Konstantine Vardeli, who passed away earlier this year.

The award-winning violinist was joined for the concert by her father Tamaz Batiashvili — also performing on violin — and her spouse Leleux, whom the audience saw in oboe and conducting roles.

The artist roster also included German cellist Maximilian Hornung, a winner of the 2011 ECHO Klassik Prize and the 2015 European Prize for the European Cultural Foundation.

Hornung was also awarded the 2007 ARD Music Competition alongside members of his trio and was selected to perform as first solo cellist of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Leleux also conducted at the show with Batiashvili, Hornung and the other artists of the line-up also on stage. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

With the line-up complete with altoist Nodar Zhvania and cellist Otar Chubinishvili, the concert saw performances of chamber works by Nasidze, including the String Quartet No.3 Epitaph, his Chamber Symphony and concerto works for oboe, violin, cello and orchestra.

Born in Soviet Georgia in 1927, Nasidze became known for his symphony music as well as scores for ballet productions and cinema.

He also worked as head of chair of composition at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and as chairperson of the Georgian Composers' Union.

The composer was distinguished for his work with the 1958 Order of Honour of Georgia, 1978 Shota Rustaveli State Prize and the title of the People's Artist of Georgia. He passed away in 1996.