On 12-22 July, Khulo, Shuakhevi and Keda municipalities of Achara will host a scientific-musical expedition. The expedition is will be realized as part of the three-year (2018-2021) project “Computational Analysis of Traditional Georgian Vocal Music”, with the financial support of German Research Foundation. The project aims to the documentation of Georgian traditional songs with new technologies.
The expedition plans to record local performers of traditional songs and instruments with laryngophones, which is an innovative method in the history of traditional music, allowing computer procession and analysis of the recorded material in a new manner.
The expedition will be headed by Frank Scherbaum professor of Potsdam University. The expedition members are: Nana Mzhavanadze – Doctor of Arts (Germany, Potsdam Univeersity), Nino Razmadze – doctoral student in ethnomuiscology (Deputy Director of the IRCTP of Tbilisi State Conservatoire), Uta Freund – cameraman and Giorgi Jolbordi –manager of the sound recording studio at the Chanting University. The expedition will also involve the students of Chanting University to get experience in field work.
With the consent of folk performers the recorded material will be used for scientific-research, educational and other non-commercial purposes. Most importantly, the material will be available on internet https://www.audiolabs-erlangen.de/resources/MIR/2018-ISMIR-LBD-ThroatMics and accessible for all the interested.
In addition to scientific-research, the project also has social function, as the recorded audio material will be handed to the performers free of charge with the aim to publish them as educational and standard audio albums. Several publications have already been planned with the financial support of Georgian Chanting Foundation.
The scientific-musical expedition will be held under the aegis of the International Research Centre for Traditional Polyphony of Tbilisi State Conservatoire, Georgian Chanting Foundation and Potsdam University.
Georgian Chanting Foundation will be a co-financier of the project together with German Research Foundation.
