The Soso Lagidze International Arts Festival, Tbilisi Rhythm, is launching an outstanding program for music and arts lovers this season.
World-renowned pianist and composer Shahin Novrasli will perform with a French trio, presenting his celebrated albums Emanation and From Baku to New York City on Monday, May 11, at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire Grand Hall. He will follow this with a second performance on Tuesday, May 12, at one of Georgia’s leading jazz venues, Tatuza Jazz Club.
For the first time in its history, the festival will also include theater in its program. After the Rehearsal, based on Ingrid Bergman’s play, will be staged at the Sandro Mrevlishvili Municipal Theater. The production stars Akaki Khidasheli and Marina Kakhiani and is directed by Mikheil Mrevlishvili.
The program continues on Thursday, May 28, with a performance by Vincent Peirani: Living Being IV: Time Reflection, part of his world tour, at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire.
About Shahin Novrasli
“He is one of the greatest pianists I have ever heard.” – Ahmad Jamal
Modal at heart, improvisational in soul, academic in spirit, and Azeri by roots, Shahin Novrasli’s cultural background flows through every performance.
His style is a fusion of jazz, classical music, and mugham, a traditional Azeri folk art form passed down through generations. This jazz-mugham synthesis reflects the essence of his “Land of Fire” homeland. It is a meeting point of East and West, echoing Azerbaijan’s heritage and its famous Buta symbol, often associated with renewal and evolution.
Novrasli began playing piano at the age of three, encouraged by a musically rich family environment. Since then, music has remained both an academic and spiritual pursuit. By the age of 11, he was already performing in symphonic orchestras. More recently, he has studied mugham singing, one of the most complex art forms in Azeri musical tradition. His lifelong dedication is evident in the intensity of his performances.
Best experienced live, Novrasli performs with a focused, almost trance-like intensity. His repertoire draws equally on Joni Mitchell, Bach, and Vagif Mustafazadeh, reflecting his deep commitment to musical fusion, which has become a defining feature of his jazz-mugham style.
This approach also drew the attention of jazz legend Ahmad Jamal, who called him one of the greatest pianists he had ever heard. Since their meeting in 2014, Jamal has produced two of Novrasli’s most exploratory albums: Emanation (winner of the UK Vibe Best Jazz Album 2017 award) and From Baku to New York City.
Tickets are available at tkt.ge/tbilisirhythm
Prices range from 25 GEL to 95 GEL
Tbilisi Rhythm Festival is organized by Tagis Art Ltd.
By Team GT
