TSINANDALI FESTIVAL - Key Persons


Abraham Shoshani

Job Titles:
  • Artistic Director
  • Member of the Board
"The concept we developed was for a fully-fledged music festival accompanied by an academy and the creation of the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra. The creation of this youth orchestra for musicians aged between 18-28 was vital to us as the Caucasian region has historically been a melting pot for cultural exchange but also of long-lasting hostilities. By giving these players the chance to work together and learn from the best international musicians we are convinced this will bring better understanding of each other and create lasting friendships across the region and beyond. Establishing the Tsinandali Estate as a regional cultural centre is something we are very enthusiastic about and we hope that everyone, artists included, will become effective ambassadors for this wonderful and exciting new initiative".

Aleksandar Tasic

Job Titles:
  • Principal Clarinet at the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra

Alex Topuria - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Member of the Board
Alex's academic background comprises advanced studies in Economics and Business Management at Witten/Herdecke University in Germany and studies in Economic Geography at Tbilisi State University, Georgia. He is fluent in Georgian, Russian, German and English. Alex Topuria's private interests include travelling, football, music and spending time with the family. He was a member of football cadre of Dynamo Tbilisi FC from 1983 to 1984.

Amedeo Cicchese

Job Titles:
  • Principal

Brendan Kane

Job Titles:
  • Principal

Claudio Vandelli

Job Titles:
  • Assistant
  • Music Director

David Borger - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Member of the Board
David Borger is a partner of the Silk Road Group, serving on the boards of different group companies. He holds a PhD in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics, where he was also teaching for several years. Before joining the Silk Road Group in 2005, he worked in information technology and with major management consultancy companies, advising large corporations as well as private equity investors. He loves music and is an active member of his local church choir. David lives with his family in Munich.

David Sakvarelidze - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Management Board
  • General Director

David Tsitskishvili

Job Titles:
  • Artistic Administrator

George Ramishvili - Chairman, Founder

Job Titles:
  • Chairman
  • Founder
The Tsinandali Foundation is committed to investing in the bright and peaceful future of the talented young musicians of this region. Our vision for the Tsinandali Estate from day one, when Silk Road Group engaged with the project, was to establish a meaningful and sustainable cultural and educational center in Georgia. Our friends and partners joined the project with the same understanding. The importance of the Language of Music initiative cannot be underestimated, as music is the most powerful ambassador for peace, prosperity and for strengthening cultural and economic ties between Caucasian nations.

Gianandrea Noseda

Job Titles:
  • Music Director
Gianandrea Noseda is one of the world's most sought-after conductors, equally recognized for his artistry in both the concert hall and opera house. Since 2017, Noseda has served as Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. He is Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Orquesta de CadaquƩs, and Artistic Director of the Stresa Festival in Stresa, Italy. On July 2, 2018, it was announced that Maestro Noseda was appointed next General Music Director of the Zurich Opera House and he shall start his engagement there in 2021. Noseda has led performances with the most important orchestras and at the leading opera houses and festivals including the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, La Scala, Munich Philharmonic, MET Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Opera House, Salzburg Festival, Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony and Zurich Opera House.

Gvantsa Gogiberidze

Job Titles:
  • Accounting & Finances

Lasha Shekiladze

Job Titles:
  • Design

Liliane Carol Benoit

Job Titles:
  • Ambassador in France

Mariam Ekseulidze

Job Titles:
  • Marketing & PR

Mariam Karalashvili

Job Titles:
  • Head of Administration

Martin Engstroem

Job Titles:
  • Artistic Director
  • Member of the Board
"When George Ramishvili initially approached us to start a music festival in Tsinandali it didn't take long before his vision and enthusiasm convinced us that this was something that could be very special. We then travelled to Tsinandali and discovered the wonderful estate of Alexander Chavchavadze and were taken aback with the beauty of the region, the friendliness of the people and the possibilities we imagined. Meetings followed with the Prime Minister and four other ministers in order to understand the government's proposed support for an international music festival in Tsinandali. Their vision and enthusiasm matched those of George's so we knew that this was something we wanted to be part of".

Maya Lomadze

Job Titles:
  • Executive Manager

Mimi Durand Kurihara

Job Titles:
  • Strategy and Development / International

Nancy Wu

Job Titles:
  • Viola / Associate Concertmaster MET Orchestra New York

Sonja Angelina Vandelli

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Director

Vakhtang Gabidzashvili - CTO

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Manager
  • Technical Director