Concert #3: Spartimu & Zedashe

*Please note, when you purchase a ticket, you will receive an email with the concert link closer to the date of the concert

Spartimu
The Spartimu ensemble is devoted to traditional polyphonic singing as passed on in the oral traditions of Corsica. Their style and repertoire are based on deep research into the practice of the singing tradition known as “cantu in paghjella,” which is recognized by UNESCO as an important and endangered tradition (“intangible cultural heritage in urgent need of safeguarding”). The ensemble’s projects also encompass the repertoires of several other countries, stretching from Mediterranean Europe to the peaks of the Caucasus. The encounters they create among musical traditions, repertoires, and practices that at first appear very disparate have become a trademark of the group. The Spartimu ensemble has performed at concerts and festivals in Sardinia, Lithuania, Georgia, Australia, and the United States.

Zedashe Ensemble
Zedashe Ensemble (ანსამბლი ზედაშე) is a polyphonic vocal choir and dance group based in the eastern medieval fortress city of Sighnaghi, Caucasus Georgia. It is one of the few mixed (male and female) choirs in Georgia that is led by women. Directed by Ketevan Mindorashvili, the ensemble was founded in the mid-1990’s to sing polyphonic chants, unique to Georgia, that were largely lost during the Communist era. The complex three-part melodies date back to pre-Christian times and comprise music sung for the Orthodox liturgical services. Zedashe’s repertoire also includes folk songs, instrumental melodies and accompanying dances, which were collected from old publications and learned from village song-masters from around the many diverse regions of the country.