Nodar Gabunia

Nodar Gabunia (1933-2000) dominated the Georgian music scene in the latter decades of the 20th century. While still in his twenties, he caught the ear of Dmitriy Shostakovich, who described him as one of the most talented composers of his generation.
After graduating with honours from the Moscow State Conser-vatory, where he studied piano under Aleksandr Goldenweiser and composition under Aram Khachaturian, he returned to Georgia to lead the piano department at the Tbilisi State Conservatory. In 1983, he became vice-chancellor of the conservatory, a position he held for the rest of his life.
In the course of his illustrious career, Gabunia gained equal recognition as a pianist, composer and teacher.
Gabunia taught many outstanding Georgian pianists.
Concerts by his students were always keenly anticipated events in the country’s cultural life.
Along with the well-established classical repertoire, he actively promoted works by Schoenberg, Kurtag, Berio and Stockhausen, which were otherwise rarely performed in the Soviet Union.
At various stages in his career, Gabunia taught as a visiting professor at the conservatories of Paris, London, The Hague and New Orleans.
Soon after he died, his  students honoured his memory by founding a national piano competion in his name.