Biography

Formed under the auspices of the folksong and dance group the Rustavi Company, the all-male Rustavi Choir (pronounced: roostahvi) has been sharing their love of Soviet Georgia's polyphonic vocal music for more than three decades. The choir's director, Anzor Erkomaishvili, a seventh generation performer, formed the group shortly after graduating from the Tbilisi Conservatory. Much of the choir's repertoire is performed a capella, although, a few tunes incorporate indigenous stringed instruments, such as the chongun and the phanduri. In 1993, the Rustavi Choir received an Albert Schweitzer Prize from the Federal Republic of Germany for its "high artistic standards and its efforts to promote friendship." ~ Craig Harris