Vaja Azarashvili

Vaja Azarashvili (b. 1936) was born in Tbilisi. He completed in 1963 the Conservatory in his hometown, where he studied composition under Andria Balanchivadze, Alexander Shaverzashvili, and Iona Tuskiya. In 1969, his Cello Concerto No. 1 was premier performed by the celebrated cellist Eldar Issakadze, which brought him recognition and popularity. Multiple performances of the Concerto followed shortly after, in the former Soviet Union and in Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Very successful was also his Viola Concerto, written in 1973, which secured him reputation as a master of the concerto form. Vaja Azarashvili has written popular songs, and music for theatre and film. In 1961, he started teaching in composition in Tbilisi State Conservatory.