Tbilisi
Dato Naveriani & Mate Pitskhelava
Dato was born in 1986 in Mulakhi, Svaneti.¹ His father, Navruz Naveriani, was the director of the Cultural House there as well as a soloist in Mestia’s national ensemble, Riho. Dato later studied music in Tbilisi at the Shota Milorava Institute. He currently works in Kazakstan, but when in Georgia lives between Tbilisi and Svaneti. Mate, who joins Dato for their recording, is originally from Samegrelo. Check out Bani, the Tbilisi-based band of which he is a member.
¹Svaneti is a region in northwestern Georgia, perched high in the Caucasus Mountains. The local language is Svan, one of four Kartvelian languages spoken in Georgia. Due to its isolation, Svaneti more than other regions has retained many of its ancient customs, including its unique choral singing tradition. Most Svan songs are antiphonal, alternating between two choirs of similar size, and are performed with a round dance. The chunir, a 3-stringed bowed lute, and the changi, a harp mostly played by women, are frequently used to accompany singing.
Dato Naveriani & Mate Pitskhelava