Giorgi Mtatsmindeli University of Chant takes its sources from the “International Center for Georgian Chant and Song” which was founded in 2006 by Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, the Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan Bishop of Abkhazia and Bichvinta, His Holiness and Beatitude, Ilia II, as a structural unit of Patriarch’s charity foundation. The Institution, specialized onto the education of regents of the Georgian Ecclesiastical Chant and conductors of Georgian folk songs, has long been the cherished dream of the society of amateurs of Georgian traditional music. At the same time, together with the resuscitation of the Orthodox faith in Georgia, in hundreds of temples there has appeared the demand for chanters equipped with professional skills and knowledge.
Archimandrite of St. David’s Monastery, Ioane (Kikvadze) and Anzor Erkomaishvili, the great maestro of Georgian folk songs and chants, both stood at the origins of foundation of the Institution. Grandfather of Anzor Erkomaishvili, the famous song conductor Artem Erkomaishvili used to say: “the government must open a special school where the youth will be taught only the old folk songs and chants.” This initiative, expressed as a will of the ancestors, was supported by the businessman Ivane Chkhartishvili, a music amateur, by the joint efforts of whom as well as of the leader of the Church of Georgia, there has become possible to form this longed-for educational establishment.
On 19th September 2006, during the blessing of the building of the Institution, His Holiness and Beatitude, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia said: “We are starting a very great endeavor. I am sure that the song conductors that we shall instruct, will create the choirs everywhere in Georgia, and by means of them the whole Georgia will be able to praise the Lord.”
The School of Ecclesiastical Chant and Folk Song was initially founded next to Tbilisi Spiritual Academy by the order #100 of 3rd October 2006 of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. It was initially located next to the All-Saint Sameba Patriarchal Temple, at #4, Gabeskiria Street. Archpriest Basili Kikvadze (nowadays Archimandrite Ioane) was appointed as a dean, and BadriBeraia as a curator. Ever since the foundation, the leading circle of the Institution is represented by the workshops of famous song conductors Anzor Erkomaishvili and Malkhaz Erkvanidze. Later, in the academic year 2008-2009, the Institute moved to the building of the Spiritual Academy and Seminary itself. Since 2010-2011 it turned into an independent higher educational institution and moved to #9, Delisi Street. Since 2012, the Institution changed its address again, this time to #3, Sandro Euli Street, 5th level in the building of “Ertsulovneba,” Television of Patriarchy.
There must be specially noted the care of the supervisory council of the Institution performed under the leadership of Ivane Chkhartishvili for the support of the teaching process, by means of ensuring the corresponding infrastructure and wages fund.
Regents and song conductors educated by our Institution already work with success in various regions of Georgia: Guria, ShidaKartli (Inner Kartli), Svaneti, Imereti, Kakheti, etc. The students and alumni of the Institution appear successfully on the stages and at the scientific conferences.
In 2014, there occurred certain reforms in Giorgi Mtatsmindeli Higher Educational Institution of Ecclesiastical Chant. The administration underwent some alterations, and Nana Gotua was appointed as the Head of Administration. The Institution changed its statutes, the administrative personnel was renewed as well as there was partially renewed the personnel of professors’ staff. The office work has been facilitated, was rearranged the infrastructure, was renewed lecture-halls and library. As a result of internal structural transformations, University for Chant achieved exceptional success. On December 25, 2014 and July 12, 2021, by decision of the Council of Authorization of Higher Educational Institutions The institution has been granted with Authorization.
Since 2015, the University of Chant has been implementing the educational program of the second level of higher education and is starting to take care of raising the quality of using the results of scientific and research activities in practice.
According to the Decree of the Government of Georgia, No. 816, of May 14, 2020, the real estate, located in Tbilisi, 49 Chubinashvili str., was gifted to the University of Chant for the duration of its existence (total area of 1800 m2 of first and second floors of the building). It is planned for the end of 2024 to change the current building of the University of Chant to this above mentioned location.
In December 2023, according to the decision of the Council for the Authorization of Higher Educational Institutions, the NNLE “Giorgi Mtatsmindeli University of Chant” was granted authorization for a period of 6 years. As a result of the mentioned decision, the status of the Orthodox theological higher educational institution was changed and transformed into a higher educational institution. On the basis of the above mentioned change, the University of Chant will implement new higher educational and short-term certificate programs. It will also actively engage in international exchange and mobility programs and international research.
Most percent of the alumnis of the University are employed with the obtained qualification, which is largely the result of the successful cooperation between Giorgi Mtatsmindeli University of Chant and the “Georgian Chant” Foundation. The regents and lotbars raised by the University of Chant work in different parts of Georgia, and students and graduates successfully participate in various concerts and scientific conferences.