Biography

Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, Giorgi Gigashvili began taking piano lessons with no thought of ever becoming a professional pianist. Passionate about singing and arranging Georgian folk and pop songs, he began successfully competing in Georgian singing contests at age 12 while maintaining his formal musical training at the Paliashvili Central Music School for Gifted Children and at the Tbilisi State Conservatory, under the guidance of Revaz Tavadze.

Everyone has an idol, and for Mr. Gigashvili it has always been Martha Argerich. The turning point of his career came about in April 2019, when he won first prize at the Vigo International Piano Competition, chaired by Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire. Some months later, Mr. Gigashvili also won the third prize and the audience prize at the 62nd Busoni International Piano Competition.

The outbreak of the pandemic forced Mr. Gigashvili to remain in Georgia, where he began to write electronic music and songs. But 2021 offered a fresh stimulus for his other calling, classical piano: the Hortense Anda-Bührle Bursary, awarded to him at the 15th Géza Anda Piano Competition in Zurich, brought him an invitation to the KlavierOlymp in Bad Kissingen, Germany, where he won first prize as well as the audience prize. At the same time, he joined Nelson Goerner’s class at the Geneva University of Music. For his studies in Geneva, Mr. Gigashvili is supported by Martha Argerich, the Lisa Batiashvili Foundation, and the Géza Anda-Foundation. He makes his San Francisco Symphony debut with this performance.

(12/2022)