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- This school year, the foundation is providing new support to pianist Mariam Kvernadze from Tbilisi, oboist Ramaz Sinauridze from Kutaisi, and violinist Bakur Egetashvili from Tbilisi. Information is available under "Scholarship Recipients."
- Scholarship holder Keti Zariashvili participated in the Meklenburg Music Festival in June 2026. She has passed the entrance examinations at the Zurich University of the Arts and secured a place in Prof. Ragna Schirmer’s class. The Foundation wishes her all the best in her career as a pianist and in her personal life.
- In August 2026, scholarship holder Lizi Megrelishvili successfully took part in the performance course with Professor Hansjörg Strub in Weidenkamm (Germany).
- Scholarship holders Marta Tavdishvili and Barbare Gagloshvili have successfully passed the entrance examinations for the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and will be studying there. The Foundation wishes them every success in the future.
- Scholarship holder Avtandil Vartagava performed as soloist with symphony orchestra.
- In November 2025, the Konstantin Vardeli Foundation awarded a prize to violinist Anna Chania for an outstanding performance at the International Marine Iashvili Violin Competition in Tbilisi.
School year 2026/2027
Mariam Kvernadze from Tbilisi was born in 2012. She has been a scholarship recipient of the foundation since September 2026. Mariam began playing the piano at the age of five. She currently attends the Zacharia Paliashvili Music School for gifted children in Tbilisi, studying in the class of Maka Aladashvili. Mariam loves the music of Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and playing sports.
Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody Nr. 2: Video
Bakur Egetashvili from Tbilisi was born in 2011. He has been a scholarship recipient of the foundation since September 2026. Bakur has been playing the violin for eight years. He currently attends the Zacharia Paliashvili Music School for gifted children in Tbilisi, studying in Giorgi Khaindrava’s class. His musical interests range from the Baroque to the modern period. In his free time, he enjoys reading.
Sergej Prokofiev 1. movement from the violinconcerto Nr. 2: Video
Ramaz Sinauridze from Kutaisi was born in 2009. He has been a scholarship recipient of the foundation since September 2026. Ramaz has been playing the oboe for just three years, with great success. He attends oboe lessons in Malkhaz Mchedlishvili’s class at the Z. Anjaparidze Music School in Kutaisi.
Ramaz is the youngest musician in the Kutaisi Opera House Orchestra. He particularly loves the music of Bach, Mozart and Haydn. In his free time, he enjoys going fishing.
Franz Schubert Serenade: Video
Ana Songulia, from Tbilisi, was born in 2011. She has been a scholarship holder of the Foundation since 2025. Ana attends the Tbilisi Music Gymnasium, where she studies the violin under Giorgi Khaindrava. She frequently performs on major stages.
Sergej Rachmaninov Hungarian Dance: Video
Atato (Avtandil) Vartagava, from Tbilisi, was born in 2010. He has been a scholarship holder of the Foundation since 2021. Atato continues to work very hard, is rapidly expanding his repertoire and is invited to take part in all major public performances. In May 2026, he had the opportunity to perform the first movement of Aleksander Scriabin’s Piano Concerto in F-sharp minor in the main hall of the Tbilisi Conservatoire. He is currently in Year 10, studying piano with Esma Kiria.
Aleksander Skriabin pianoconcerto in F sharp minor 1. movement: Video
Lizi Megrelishvili from Kutaisi was born in 2009. She has been a scholarship holder of the Foundation since last school year. Lizi continues to live in her home town with her family and, for the past three years, has been travelling to Tbilisi every week to attend piano lessons at the Evgeni Mikeladze Central Music School in Nino Katamadze’s class. At the same time, she attends secondary school in Kutaisi.
In August 2026, Lizi successfully took part in the performance course with Professor Hansjörg Strub in Weidenkamm (Germany).
Frédéric Chopin Variations brillantes op.12: Video
Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody Nr.11: Video
In the summer of 2021, I set up the Konstantin Vardeli Foundation in memory of my late violinist father. Its aim is to provide financial support to young Georgian musicians from families in need. Last academic year, the foundation supported four female and two male scholarship holders; three of them have now completed their schooling, passed their university entrance exams and have therefore been bid farewell by the foundation. The new scholarship holders for the coming academic year will be selected by the end of this month.
Education in Georgia, especially music teaching, is heavily skewed towards the capital, Tbilisi, where there are two good-quality music schools. They cater for gifted students and have some excellent teachers. Their infrastructure is decent by Georgian standards.
In contrast, facilities outside the capital, especially in remote regions, are generally poor, so the most gifted local pupils are often advised to transfer to the Zacharia Paliashvili Central Music School (formerly, the Music High School) in Tbilisi if at all possible.
I myself attended this school for seven years and know first-hand that standards there are much higher than in the regions. That is why I decided that the foundation would support needy pupils mostly from that particular school.
These scholarships are partly funded with my performance fees, but mainly with donations. There are two models for donations: "natlia" (godmother/godfather) and "saerto" (for all).
Under the "natlia" model, you can choose a specific pupil from the list below and support him or her with an annual contribution of between CHF500 and CHF1000. This sum is then paid directly to your chosen pupil as a monthly scholarship during the school year. The amount allocated to the ‘Natlia’ scheme is topped up from the foundation’s general fund. So, for example, if you choose to donate CHF500, the other half will be paid from the foundation's reserve fund.
Under the "saerto" model, your donation will go into the reserve fund.
During the selection of the scholarship recipients (portraits and shots find below), I met them all personally, talked to them and listened to their performance. I follow their progress and keep in constant contact with their teachers. Recordings from concerts and competitions are sent to me regularly.
Become a "natlia" or donate to all of them!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me here.
Thank you.
Irina Vardeli
- Scholarship holder Avtandil Vartagava won 1st prize at the Arno Babadjanian Piano Competition in Yerevan in July 2023. A recording can be found below, in the detailed information on the current scholarship holders.
- The scholarship holder Nino Kasrelishvili was invited to Kazakhstan to take part in the Music Festival in Almaty. The concerts took place in October 2023. A recording can be found below, in the detailed information on the current scholarship holders.
- At the National Competition in Tbilisi end of April 2023, the Konstantin Vardeli Foundation has awarded a prize for best contestant in the String section. The 19-year-old violinist Marina Getia received this award, together with an amount of 1000 GEL. She is at present studying near the end of her first Batchelor year at the Tbilisi Conservatory.
The following video is a recording of Marina Getia's performance at the competitions final concert.
Marina Getia, violin
Teona Mikeladze, piano
Vaja Azarashvili Scherzo
Schuljahr 2025/2026
Marta Tavdishvili from Tbilisi was born in 2008. She was a scholarship holder of the Foundation during the 2025/2026 academic year. Marta was a pupil at the Tbilisi Music Gymnasium in Ekaterine Pantskhava’s violin class. In the summer of 2026, she graduated from school and passed the entrance examinations for the Tbilisi State Conservatoire. She performs as a soloist and regularly plays in chamber music ensembles. She has performed with symphony orchestras on several occasions and has won prizes in various competitions. Marta’s favourite composer is Dmitri Shostakovich.
Henryk Wieniawski 1. Satz aus dem Violinkonzert Nr.2: Video
Robert Schumann 1. Satz aus dem Klavierquintett (Marta 2. Violine): Video
Keti Zariashvili from Samtredia (Imereti) was born in 2007. She was a scholarship holder of the Foundation between 2021 and 2026. Keti worked very productively with her teacher, Esma Kiria. In June 2026, she graduated from school and passed the entrance examinations to study piano at the Zurich University of the Arts, securing a place in Professor Ragna Schirmer’s class.
Keti gave three solo recitals in Zurich in January 2026. In June 2026, she took part in the Mecklenburg Music Festival in Germany.
Frédéric Chopin Scherzo Nr.1: Video
Antonin Dvorak Trio Dumky 6. Satz: Video
Ana Songulia from Tbilisi was born in 2011. She has been a scholarship holder of the Foundation since 2025. Ana attends the Tbilisi Music Gymnasium, where she studies the violin under Giorgi Khaindrava. She frequently performs on major stages. In September 2025, she had the opportunity to take part in the international music festival in Telavi. She has also won prizes on several occasions at various competitions. Ana’s favourite composer is Antonio Vivaldi. In her spare time, she loves to draw.
Antonio Vivaldi 1. Satz aus Winter aus Jahreszeiten: Video
Sulkhan Tsintsadze Sachidao: Video
Atato (Avtandil) Vartagava, from Tbilisi, was born in 2010. He has been a scholarship holder of the Foundation since 2021. Atato continues to work very hard, is rapidly expanding his repertoire and is invited to take part in all major public performances. Last summer, he had the opportunity to take part in a tour of Germany. He is a pupil of Esma Kiria.
Sergej Rachmaninov 1. Satz aus dem Klavierkonzert Nr.2: Video
Lizi Megrelishvili, from Kutaisi, was born in 2009. She has been a scholarship holder of the Foundation since 2024. Lisi continues to live in her home town with her family and travels to Tbilisi every week to attend piano lessons at the Evgeni Mikeladze Central Music School, where she is taught by Nino Katamadze. She also attends secondary school in Kutaisi.
Sergej Rachmaninov 1. Satz aus dem Klavierkonzert Nr.1: Video
Barbare Gagloshvili from Borjomi (Samtskhe-Javakheti) was born in 2008. She was a scholarship holder of the Foundation between 2021 and 2026. Barbare studied in Nutsa Kasradze’s piano class. In the summer of 2026, she finished school and passed the entrance examinations for the Tbilisi State Conservatoire.
Sergej Rachmaninov Etude Tableau op.39 Nr.9: Video
School year 2023/2024
Nino Kasrelishvili, born 2004, is from Gurjaani, Kakheti region. She has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. In summer 2024, she will graduate from music high school and start studying piano. It remains to be seen whether she will study at the conservatory in Tbilisi or abroad. Nino was invited to the music festival in Almaty in Kazakhstan last autumn.
Here there is the recording of Rondo Toccata by Georgian composer Rezo Lagidze from this concert: Watch
Keti Zariashvili, born 2007, is from Samtredia, Imereti region. She has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Keti was very successful in the last school year, learnt many new pieces, played many concerts, including Robert Schumann's piano concerto in June 2023. Last August, however, Keti had to undergo a serious operation on her spine and was unable to play the piano for three months. Now she can practise again. Here is a recording from December 2023.
Claude Debussy Feux d`Artifice: Watch
Robert Schumann Klavierkonzert a-Moll 1. Satz: Watch
Barbare Gagloshvili from Borjomi (Samtskhe-Javakheti) was born in 2008. She is a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Barbare is very diligent, she has learnt several new pieces and played at various concerts in Tbilisi. She also won a prize at the online WNYLE Piano Competition. Here is a recording from the competition program.
Frédéric Chopin Ballade No.1: watch
Atato (Avtandil) Vartagava from Tbilisi was born in 2010. He has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Avtandil is very successful. He won 1st prize at the Arno Babadjanian Piano Competition in Yerevan in July 2023. Avtandil learns very quickly and is extremely productive. The following recording is a television recording during a program on Georgian television. Franz Liszt Tarantella: Watch
And here Waldesrauschen by Franz Liszt and a Waltz by Frédéric Chopin: Watch
Impromptus by Arno Babadshanjan: Watch
Giorgi Baliashvili from Gori (Kartli) was born in 2005. He has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Giorgi will graduate from music high school in summer 2024 and start studying piano at the Tbilisi State Conservatory. Giorgi is very committed and is also increasingly playing chamber music. In the following recordings from November 2023, he plays Etude op.8 No.12 by Aleksander Skriabin in a concert in the big hall of the Tbilisi Conservatory and Cantabile and Presto by George Enescu for flute and piano in the recital hall of the Conservatory.
Watch Skriabin
Watch Enescu
School year 2022/2023
Nino Kasrelishvili from the Gurjaani region (Kakheti) was born in 2004. She has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. She will graduate from music high school in summer 2024. Nino won the piano competition in Almaty in 2022.
Franz Liszt Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 watch
J.S. Bach Präludium und Fuge D-Dur watch
Keti Zariashvili from Samtredia (Imereti) was born in 2007. She has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. In June 2023, she played Robert Schumann`s piano concerto accompanied by the symphony orchestra.
J.S. Bach Präludium und Fuge es-Moll watch
Frédéric Chopin Etude op.10 Nr. 8 watch
Barbare Gagloshvili from Borjomi (Samtskhe-Javakheti) was born in 2008. She has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Barbare learnt many new works this school year and played at various concerts in Tbilisi.
Frédéric Chopin Etude Nr. 1 op.25 watch
Meri Davitashvili Chorumi watch
Atato (Avtandil) Vartagava from Tbilisi was born in 2010. He has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Avtandil is very successful. He won 1st prize at the Arno Babadjanian Piano Competition in Yerevan in July 2023.
Felix Mendelssohn Rondo capriccioso watch
J.S. Bach Präludium und Fuge h-Moll watch
Giorgi Baliashvili from Gori (Kartli) was born in 2005. He has been a scholarship holder of the foundation since 2021. Giorgi will graduate from music high school in summer 2024.
Nodar Gabunia Imptovisation und Toccata watch
Domenico Scarlatti Sonate D-Dur und J.S. Bach Präludium und Fuge b-Moll watch
School year 2021/2022
Keti Chkadua, born 2005, is from Telavi, Kakheti region. She plays flute and piano equally well and is yet to choose her main instrument. Her favourite composer is Chopin. Photography is her hobby. Keti travels to Tbilisi twice a week for her flute, piano and theory lessons. In this recording, she plays the 2nd movement of the Flute Sonata by the 20-century Georgian composer Otar Taktakishvili.
Nino Kasrelishvili, born 2004, is from Gurjaani, Kakheti region. She has played piano since she was 7. She travels to Tbilisi for her lessons twice a week. Nino's favourite composer is Liszt. In her free time, she enjoys reading. In this recording, Nino plays Liszt's Rhapsody No 10.
Keti Zariashvili, born 2007, is from Samtredia, Imereti region. She started taking piano lessons at the age of 7. Samtredia is quite far from Tbilisi, so Keti and her family decided that she would move to Tbilisi with her grandmother. They are renting a small room near the school. Keti paints in her spare time and writes stories and poems. In this recording, she plays Liszt's Rigoletto Paraphrase.
Barbare Gagloshvili, born 2008, is from Borjomi, Samtskhe-Javakheti region. She started playing piano at the age of 6. In the past two years, she has been living with her grandmother in Tbilisi. Barbare likes listening to music in her spare time. Her favourite composer is Chopin. In this recording, she plays Chopin's Etude Op. 25, No 1.
Atato (Avtandil) Vartagava, born 2010, is from Tbilisi. He has played piano since he was 5. Atato loves Liszt. In his free time, he paints and makes papier-mâché. In this recording, he plays Rachmaninoff's Études-Tableaux Op. 33.
Giorgi Baliashvili, born 2005, is from Gori, Kartli region. He was 8 when he started taking piano lessons. For the past three years, he has been travelling to Tbilisi twice a week to attend classes at the Central Music School. Giorgi's hobby is hiking. His favourite composer is Chopin. In this recording, he plays Wagner-Liszt's Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde.
Otar Chkadua, born 2007, is from Telavi, Kakheti region. He started playing the recorder when he was 6 and switched to flute at the age of 11. He travels to Tbilisi for his lessons twice a week. Otar enjoys reading in his spare time. His favourite composer is Bach. In this recording, he plays Allegretto from Suite de trois morceaux by Benjamin Godard.
BANK DETAILS
For donations in Swiss francs of CHF300 or more, click here
Please mention "Konstantin Vardeli Foundation" in the subject field.
This is a tax-free account, and you will receive confirmation of the tax deduction.
For donations in Swiss francs of less than CHF300 francs, click here
For donations in euros, click here
For donations in USD, click here
For donations in Georgian lari, click here
In the subject field, please enter either "natlia" and the name of the donation recipient, or "saerto" if you wish to donate to the general fund.
Thank you!
