On October 26, 2016, art and music lovers of different nationalities were gathered together at Merab Berdzenishvili International Cultural Center “Muse” in Tbilisi. With the support of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia, the RA Embassy in Georgia, the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Gyumri State Symphony Orchestra, directed by conductor Yervand Varosyan, had arrived in Tbilisi to hold a concert. The concert of the symphony orchestra with distinguished history was dedicated to the 25th anniversary celebrations of Armenian independence.

In attendance were Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia; poet and translator Givi Shakhnazari; the Armenian Embassy’s cultural attaché Elina Mkrtchyan; the editor of “Vrastan” (Georgia) newspaper Van Bayburtyan; David Chichinade, MP Candidate in Tbilisi’s Isani district; et al.

In her opening remarks, an Honored Artist of Republic of Armenia, Counselor to the Governor of Shirak region, Hasmik Kirakosyan, on behalf of Gyumri, the capital of culture, paid tribute to a former cultural center and pioneers gathering place – the city of Tbilisi; she called the concert “a factual account of strengthening and developing of friendly relations between independent Armenia and Georgia”. The speaker expressed her gratitude to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, with whose blessing the event was made possible. Hasmik Kirakosyan thanked the Hayartun Center and the Center’s Director Levon Chidilyan, the RA Embassy in Georgia, for organizing the event.

Gyumri State Symphony Orchestra performed a magnificent concert program. Armenian, Georgian and foreign music pieces were performed by symphony orchestra and orchestral soloists, Karapet Shaboyan and Meruzhan Gevorkyan. The festive concert ended with “Sachidao” by Revaz Laghidze.

The concert of Gumri State Symphony Orchestra was accompanied by the exposition of artworks by Susana Mkrtchyan, who is famous between Armenian art lovers in Tbilisi. The concert of Gumri State Symphony Orchestra marked a beautiful page in the cultural life of Tbilisi.