June 27, 2008
Nino Khelaia , Georgia Today

The Sukhumi School of Music and Art was relocated to Tbilisi in 1992 when war ravaged Abkhazia.

During this time the school has kept functioning and working despite various problems both financial and moral. Most of the school’s musicians, both teachers and students, are internally displaced persons from this conflict region – people who have experienced the brutality of war and ethnic cleansing.

Previously the school had been known as the No. 1 Music and No. 1 Art School of Abkhazia.

In April they were established as a single School of Music and Art under the patronage of Tbilisi City Hall. Like many other specialized educational institutions in Georgia, these schools have battled problems relating to territory and real estate. Currently the school is located at Rustaveli 37, in the former building of the Georgian Ministry of Culture.

On June 23, for the first time since the school moved to Tbilisi, a symphony concert and a presentation of the Arts School in the National Music Center took place. Students performed symphonic works of different composers accompanied by the Georgian National Orchestra led by merited conductor Revaz Takidze (who has a reputation for cooperating with young musicians with professionalism and devotion).

The concert was partially organized through the strong effort and commitment of school director Tamar Akhalaia. “The top priority of the Arts School is to raise the new generation originally from Abkhazia on the basis of high values, and oriented towards high esthetic principles,” she commented. “We have experienced military conflict in its entire cruelty, but we do not lose courage or enthusiasm, as we play, sing and paint, and are willing to show wider society that Abkhazia is alive, it exists and has a wonderful new generation.”

Even though the school serves primarily internally displaced persons (IDPs) it is also open to other students too.

“In fact, till January 1, 2007 these two schools were financed directly from the budget of the Abkhazian Government as it has been a place for IDP children and we all know their social and economic conditions. Since July 2007, according to a Georgian government decree, both schools were shifted to a self-finance scheme. It should therefore be noted, to the honor of these children and teachers and their inspiration and dedication, that they pursue their work without any compensation,” remarked Ministry of Education representative Besik Odisharia.