Discovering Monasticism in Medieval Georgia; Guided Tour

Friends,

I will be co-leading a ten day tour of Georgia's most famous
eclesiastical monuments in early June and would appreciate your help
with advertising. As many of you know, I have been studying Orthodox
music and history for the past couple of years and have had occasion
to visit many of the monasteries in Georgia.


The tour will be lead by a trio of chanters, whose aim it will be to
orchestrate an intellectually interesting and logistically comfortable
tour. At the same time we wish to compare the acoustical properties of
exotic locations such as the Lavra at Davit Garegi, Alaverdi
Cathedral, the 6th century churches of Jvari and Anchiskhati, the
Mshio Ghvime and Zedazani monasteries, and the Bodbe convent outside
Sighnaghi.


Many of these places were academic centers for three-part medieval
chant up until the 19th century, and have only recently been
'rediscovered' as incredible masterpieces of acoustic architecture.


Though we will be particularly interested in the lives of the many
nuns and monks who lived in Georgia throughout the Middle Ages, we
will not be experimenting with their lifestyle. Transportation,
comfortable housing, and a delicious variety of traditional Georgian
cuisine is all inclusive in the tour. Consultations with frescoe and
iconography experts, with knowledgable translators, will make the tour
an exciting journey into the medieval history of Georgia.


Side trips will include a visit to one of Kakheti's famous wineries,
with a traditional Georgian supra feast.


Please forward to all interested parties, and be in touch with
questions. Tour limited to fifteen.

John Graham
+995 99 365-372
jagraham@wesleyan.edu