Liana Isakadze: Music can work wonders

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Acclaimed musician and conductor Liana Isakadze has organized numerous international music festivals, including, “Musicians are Joking in Moscow, Night Serenades in Georgia and Germany, Art Festival in Borjomi,” and other festivals in Vienna and Liechtenstein.

Georgia Today spoke with Isakadze, Art Director and the inspiration behind the first Batumi Night Serenades international festival.

“The festival has a long history, although it is called the first international festival, this it not the first time it has been held,” Isakadze said. “It used to be held in Pitsunda. It was one of the most popular classical music festivals in the world, not to mention the Soviet Union. Wonderful musicians used to come here, as well as many world famous conductors. My God, who has not performed here!”

A: Yes, in Germany. I took the orchestra [Georgian State Chamber Orchestra]. But I had a great sorrow in my heart that such a festival no longer existed in Georgia. And now I was asked to arrange a similar event in Batumi to revive the festival’s tradition and image.

A: It is worth mentioning that we held this festival several times in Borjomi. It is a sort of a triad – Pitsunda, Borjomi, Batumi. Who knows where the triangle is supposed to close. Maybe the festival will be held in Pitsunda again. I hope so.

A: You know it is important. They wanted me to hold the festival at the local theater. But I have already performed there and it was unbearable. So I demanded that the festival be held in the open air. And the Batumi City Hall suggested that the festival be held in the Gonio Fortress.

I went there and ah! It was amazing! I am so grateful to everyone who helped organize the festival. Director Giorgi Giorgadze was fantastic, so talented and really wanted the festival to be truly unique. I would also like to thank Natia Surguladze and Mayor Robert Chkhaidze.

A: It is the most important issue I think. Peace is a very pertinent topic. And speaking about children, we should help them in every way we can. I hope the public understands this and we will be able to gather money for these children. I believe that music can work wonders just like God. And music can work wonders in a political sense as well.

A: Yes. First of all, it is of course Mozart and the serenades. We have dedicated the festival to the 200th birthday of Felix Mendelssohn. Fantastic musicians are coming to perform at the festival.

A: Yes, everyone, but Nakariakov [trumpet player Sergei Nakariakov]. He is very young and a true genius acclaimed throughout the world. They call him “Paganini on Trumpet.” He is number one, I am very glad he is coming.

A: Nika Memanishvili is a talented man. He is full of new ideas and very creative. His orchestra is in very good shape. Speaking about the chamber orchestra, I have worked with them and held festivals in Borjomi. Then I left the orchestra, and now I was asked to become the honorary director. It is an honor for me. I am a responsible person and now that I have agreed I am thinking about the orchestra and new projects all the time.

A: You know if I tell you all right away it will not be good! [She laughs] But I can say that there are many interesting offers.

A: No, we have not planned a CD, but television stations will broadcast the concert. What is the use? Back then during the festivals in Pitsunda television channels were filming, and all the concerts were recorded on CDs. And now everything is gone- all the brilliant recordings of these festivals. Back then, in the Soviet Union, everything was free. And now it costs a lot of money. Unfortunately, now everything is held back by a lack of funds. But I hope if the first festival is a success the next ones will be held without any problems.

A: Oh, I will never forget how I arrived in September when everybody had already started studying. I did not have to pass any exams. I guess if I had to I would have failed, as my Russian was very poor. I had attended a Georgian school.

The only thing I had to do was play in front of Oistrakh and the conservatory professors. I was only 16 then. I played something and they liked it immensely. And then they asked me if I wanted to play something else, and I said: “If you liked it I will play.” I had a feeling that it was not an exam, but a friendly meeting. I did not realize at that point what was going on.

A: It was not only Moscow. Without my first Professor Leo Shiukashvili, my studies would have been impossible. He is responsible for a huge part of my success. I entered his class at seven, and at 8 I was already performing with famous musicians. When I was first sent to Moscow at 10, Oistrakh, as I learned much later, was crying after my performance. He said he wanted me to become his student. But the biggest credit belongs to Leo Shiukashvili. Moscow made me mature. Oistrakh passed his knowledge and professionalism along to me. It all meant a lot, but still my first tutor was the most important for me.

A: I hope people come and take pleasure in this festival, so they will come again next year. I hope Night Serenades will bring people back to basic spiritual values — morality, tolerance and love.

Maria Savostyanova

28.08.2009