Conductor Mirian Khukhunaishvili, violinist Kamila Wasik-Janiak to celebrate Polish music at Tbilisi’s Orbeliani Square

Georgian conductor Mirian Khukhunaishvili will return to his homeland following shows in Europe to celebrate Polish music in a concert involving award-winning violinist Kamila Wasik-Janiak and the Podkarpacka Philharmonic Orchestra in Tbilisi on Saturday.

In an open-air location of the Orbeliani Square, just a few minutes’ walk from the central Freedom Square, Khukhunaishvili will be joined by his fellow artist and musicians of the orchestra to entertain listeners with works by classical and contemporary classical composers.

Khukhunaishvili invited his social media followers to “bring your blankets [to the square where] you will find bean bag chairs” for a comfortable setting for the concert.

Can't wait to work with an amazing violinist Kamila Wasik-Janiak who's the prize winner of Wieniawski and Szymanowski Competitions,” Khukhunaishvili added.

Award-winning violinist Kamila Wasik-Janiak will join Khukhunaishvili and the Polish orchestra in Tbilisi. Photo: culture.pl.

The programme for the show will feature the Overture Tale and Mazurka by Stanislaw Moniuszko, Three Dances by Henryk Gorecki, Orawa and Polonaise by Wojciech Kilar and the Violin Concerto in D minor by Henryk Wieniawski.

Khukhunaishvili will conduct at the square following what he called three days “of hard work and performances” in San Marino.

The Georgian holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Academy of Music in Krakow, which he earned following his graduation from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire in Georgia.

Among the orchestras he has led are the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre Orchestra and Choir, the Georgian National Philharmonic and the Beethoven Academy Orchestra in Poland.

Khukhunaishvili also co-founded the Tbilisi Youth Orchestra in 2019 and works as principal conductor and artistic director of the group.

Wasik-Janiak, a graduate of Warsaw’s Frederic Chopin University of Music, is a recipient of the principal award of the Karol Szymanowski International Competition in Lodz and the 30th Stanislaw Hajzer National Bach Competition in Zielona Gora.

The Podkarpacka Philharmonic Orchestra, which traces its origins to a 1955 performance of the Regional Symphonic Orchestra in Rzeszow, now features more than 80 performers and celebrates "one of the biggest philharmonic audiences" in Poland.

The Concert of Polish Music is presented by the Tbilisi City Hall and supported by Polish Institute in Tbilisi. The event marks the centenary of Polish-Georgian diplomatic relations.