Culture:
Cultural Coordinator Tamar Gagnidze
Tel: 595-90-96-86.
Sports:
Sports coordinator Salome Arevadze
Tel: 557-57-13-21.
At Georgian Technical University, student self-creation started to take shape as soon as it was founded and reached a stable state in 1930. Polytechnic Institute, now Georgian Technical University, was pivotal in the development of Georgian culture and art. Our creative collectives are well-known in post-Soviet countries as well as many other countries. Many well-known Georgian theatre, cinema, and pop music artists began their careers on the Polytechnic Institute's stage.
On November 5, 1945, the Polytechnic Institute's (now Georgian Technical University) theatre troupe had their opening night. Dorian Kitia, an architecture student at the Faculty of Architecture, who went on to become a renowned artist and the director of the Art Fund of Georgia, founded the theatre group. In different years people's artist of Georgia Nodar Chkheidze, great director Mikheil Tumanishvili, Irakli Kokrashvili, actor Avtandil Kakhniashvili, Avtandil Gelovani, Marlen Kitia, Kote Makharadze, Gogi Kavtaradze, Avtandil Evnadze, TV director Tariel Kurtskhalia, honoured artists of Georgia Boris Tsifuria, Abesalom Loria and Murman Jinoria were among the people that served here.
More than 100 works by Georgian and foreign authors were produced on the theatre's stage between 1945 and 2022.
Since 1975, Nugzar Butskhrikidze, a graduate of our institution and a student of the renowned Georgian director Dimitri Aleksidze, has led the theatre.
The theatre gained recognition throughout these years as the recipient of numerous international festival awards and the "Grand Prix". Many plays have been shown with tremendous success since the 1980s, both in the republics of the former Soviet Union and in many other countries throughout the world. including the Baltic States, Ukraine, and Russia, as well as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, Germany, France, Japan, the United States of America, Finland, Turkey, Italy, Malta, and many Asian countries.
On this stage, world-famous Georgian actors such as Giorgi Gegechkori, Givi Berikashvili, Elene Kipshidze, Murman Jinoria, Khatuna Ioseliani, and others performed with the students.
The theatre had a close connection with notable writers and prominent personalities such as Rezo Gabriadze, Guram Dochanashvili, Otia Ioseliani, Gigla Khukhashvili, Lasha Tabukashvili, Rezo Kldiashvili, Dato Turashvili, and others.
In different years, composers Jansul Kakhidze, Gia Kancheli, Iakob Bobokhidze, Vaniko Machavariani, Iviko Sakvarelidze, Jemal Sepiashvili, Gia Macharashvili, and Zaza Marjanishvili collaborated with the theatre. Maestro Vakhtang (Vato) Kakhidze, who worked with the theatre from 1988 to 2000, deserves special note. He composed music for the play "The Taming of the Shrew" in 1997, which won the Grand Prix at the Japan World Amateur Festival. He took part in performances as well as folklore concerts, which were performed following the shows and had a 30-minute programme.
The theatre cooperated with choreographers Jano Bagrationi, Rezo Chokhonelidze, and Giorgi Osepashvili. Mrs. Tsiso Kobakhidze is still actively cooperating.
Former actors from this theatre can be found in various countries across the world. They founded and opened Georgian cultural centres and theatres where children of Georgian immigrants can learn about Georgian culture and art, as well as the Georgian language.
The theatrical setting established the groundwork for the vocal trios "Taiguli" (Nukri Kapanadze, Piso Bedoshvili, and MaIa Chachibaia) and "Natoebi" (Nato Metonidze, Nato Bochorishvili, and Megi Kakhniashvili). The actors of this theatre, including TV producer Mamuka Glonti, Levan Lelashvili, Aleksandre Tetrashvili, Beso Berulashvili (comedian and actor of "Iumorina"), Tsutsa Kapanadze (actor at the Georgian Theatre in New York currently), Irakli Frangishvili, Irina Shakulashvili, Merab Sanodze ("Sano-Studio" founder and head"), Jaba Mgaloblishvili, and Levan Chikvaidze are the well-known satirical comedy group "Pa-Seansi."
The theatre was in Malta in June 2022, when it took part in the international festival "EUROART MALTA 2022" and, as usual, successfully showed Lasha Tabukashvili's "Spring is behind the bars" to the public.
The theatre maintains tight cultural-creative ties with the "Sandkorn Theatre" of Karlsruhe, Germany, and the Racine Theatre Guild of Wisconsin, USA.
Famous directors, like German Siegfried Krainer and American Norman McPhee, have performed productions in the theatre in different years.
The theatre successfully continues to stage performances commemorating GTU's 100th anniversary in Georgian regions.
The Polytechnic Institute Pop Orchestra, founded in 1942-43 by conductor Nikoloz Tevzadze, is regarded as one of the forefathers of Georgian pop art. A jazz orchestra was founded in 1948 on the basis of the orchestra, led by Ioseb Tughushi, a student of the Faculty of Geology who later became an honoured artist; a vocal quartet led by Honoured Artist of Georgia Guram Bzvaneli; a vocal ensemble "Shvidkatsa" led by conductor Jansug Kakhidze, an honoured figure of art; and the "Orera" ensemble was founded here. Famous musicians and composers such Sandro Mirianashvili, Iakob Kargareteli, Eddy Rozner, Alexander Babov, Konstantine Penzner, and Gia Kancheli were assembled by the orchestra. Prominent jazz musicians Giuli Chokheli, Jilda Datuashvili, Jano Bagrationi, Nanuli Abesadze, and Niko Jadugishvili; the legendary Nani Bregvadze, Gia Chirakadze, Jemal Sukhishvili, Irma Sokhadze, Eter Kakulia, Sisters Chapidze duo; pianist Medea Gongliashvili; musician Givi Gachechiladze; honoured artist of Georgia and well-known humorist Kartlos Kasradze began their artistic careers with the university orchestra.
Since 1975, the jazz orchestra has been led by Gogi Kalandadze, a member of the "Dielo" ensemble. Irakli Kalmakhelidze, a musician, has led the orchestra since 1980. Our jazz orchestra served as a springboard for the careers of the following singers: Zurab Kobeshavidze, Temur Tatarashvili, Eka Kvaliashvili, Manana Chitauri, Tekla Kalmakhelidze, Temo Sajaia, Keti Orjonikidze, Nini Tsiklauri (currently in the USA), Temur Nikolaishvili, a member of the "Via-75" ensemble; composer Zurab Makhniashvili, pianist Zaza Marjanishvili, Aleko Gegeshidze (soloist of Liverpool Jazz Club, saxophonist), Mikheil Kachkachishvili (currently owner of recording studio "Esplanade" in Los Angeles, sound director of three Oscar-winning films), Kako Vashalomidze, pianists Irakli Kvanchiani (to this day he cooperates with the jazz orchestra), Temur Maisashvili (Ensemble "Magic Roads"), Amiran Tskitishvili (Ph.D. of GTU, musician of the Vato Kakhidze Orchestra, still works with the orchestra), Merab Gudavadze (saxophone).
Iuza Kublashvili founded the chapel in 1965 and led it for 24 years (1965-1989). The choirmaster was Soso Falavandishvili. He was a pioneer of this type of choral art in the former USSR at the time. Tsitsi Palavandishvili, a gifted musician and conductor, has led the capella since 1981 and continues to do so today. It was in the GTU's Boys' Chapel that this artists began their creative journey: "Big Theatre" soloists Zurab Sotkilava, Paata Burchuladze, State Opera soloists Temur Gugushvili, Gia (Jarji) Asatiani, Berlin Opera soloist Mikheil Bakhtadze, tenor competition laureate Mikheil Silagadze, "Tsisferi Trio" - Davit Abesadze, Tamaz Seferteladze, Malkhaz Tavartkiladze.
"Trio Tbilisi" - Zaza Mamaladze, Revaz Guniava, Nugzar Apkhaidze.
"Trio Simi" - Zaza Bokveradze, Rezo Gelashvili, Zurab Tskitishvili;
Ensemble "Mgzavrebi" - Gigi Dedalamazishvili, Lasha Dokhnadze, Dato Gogelia, Bezhan Amiranashvili, Guga Kublashvili. The founder and Kapellmeister of the ensemble "Shavnabada" - Davit Gogelia, Bakuradze brothers, members of "Kartuli Khmebi", "Alilo" ensemble singer - Zurab Datikashvili, "Bonus" ensemble - Paata Meladze. It is hard to find a folk ensemble in Georgia (such as "Erisioni" or "Rustavi" ensembles, or folk groups and ensembles from other Georgian areas) where the former boys' chapel members did not sing. Tsitsino Palavandishvili was given the Order of Honour by the President of Georgia in 1998 for his personal commitment to student-youth education and productive creative work. Under her direction, the chapel won several international contests and festivals, including the "Grand-Prix" International Folklore Festival in Vilnius in 1984, the "Grand-Prix" competition for boys' teams "Rigas Gailis" in Latvia in 1989, and the audience sympathy prize in 1990 at the same competition. International folklore competition (Tbilisi, 1991); "Grand-Prix" International Folklore Festival (Poland, Poznan, 1997); "Grand-Prix" International Folklore Festival (Greece, K. Rhodes 2005); "Universiada 2022" first place winners (Tbilisi, 2022); "Grand-Prix" International Student Festival (Lithuania, Vilnius 1990);
The boy's folk chapel is accompanied by a vocal quartet and ensemble. Cappella and the accompanying vocal group performed with success in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, Finland, the Baltic States, Ukraine, and Russia in addition to in Georgia.
The boy's public chapel at GTU was renamed in honour of Iuza Kublashvili in 2018.
The first Georgian folk dance choreographic group was established in 1934 at the industrial institute thanks to the idea of Aliosha Avaliani. Jano Bagrationi, a distinguished opera and ballet theatre dancer, led the group. Then the Polytechnic Institute's choreographic ensemble was led by Georgia's Public Artist, Giorgi Darakhvelidze. The ensemble earned a number of major achievements under his direction. The participation of student-dancers in a very important tour in England at the famous "Royal Albert Hall" in January 1960 is especially notable. "Go see the Georgian ensemble, those who love dancing and those who don't will love it!" stated the English press at the time. "You can't describe this sight in words, such a sight is not remembered by the English viewer!" , "The Battle of Tybalt and Romeo in" the play "Romeo and Juliet "by the performance of the Bolshoi Theatre is very weak compared to the Georgian mkhedruli!" , "Beautiful dreamlike women and courageous knights, Georgians are the first dancers in the world!"
During the tour, the King of Sweden visited London for a single day to celebrate his birthday. 2,000 Swedes in London hosted a jubilee banque at which the monarch did not show up.... He went to attend a concert of Georgian dancers and was pleasantly surprised. The trip continued successfully in Belgium and Luxembourg following the England tour.
Darakhvelidze has been replaced as Honoured Artist of the Republic and laureate of world festivals by Otar Popiashvili since 1964. Roman Chokhonelidze (Public Artist of Georgia, Honoured Art Worker of the Republic of North Ossetia) was one of the ensemble's leading soloists at the time. Revaz Chokhonelidze, a Konfolan (France) International Festival laureate, recognised cultural worker, and graduate of our institute, was invited to conduct the ensemble in 1967. The ensemble was previously headed by Revaz Gurgenidze, a soloist of the "Rustavi" ensemble, and has been led since 1993 by Tamaz Kobakhidze, a graduate of GTU and a former soloist of the "Rustavi" group, and his wife, Nino Laziashvili, a soloist of the "Rustavi" ensemble. The ensemble achieved first place and became a laureate in the festival of folk choreographic ensembles in Bursa, Turkey, in 2009 and 2011. They received first prize and laureate in the festival in Varna, Bulgaria, in 2018. The ensemble's concerts in Greece, particularly in Athens and on the island of Kerkyra, were a huge success. The ensemble was named laureate and first place winner of the international folk dance festivals in Thessaloniki and Kerkyra, Greece, in 2022.
Graduates of GTU's choreographic ensemble have found success in the state ensembles "Sukhishvili", "Erisioni", and "Rustavi".
P.S. Graduates of our university are: