The Semi-Final Round of the Musical and Vocal Competition “GTU – STAR” Held at the Georgian Technical University

The semi-final round of the university musical and vocal competition “GTU – STAR” was held at the Georgian Technical University with the support of the rector, academician David Gurgenidze, the GTU administration, student self-government, and student clubs, and organized by the Department of Student Services, Culture, and Sports.

At the opening event of the semi-final round of “GTU – STAR”, the rector of the Georgian Technical University addressed the students and the audience. Academician David Gurgenidze congratulated the students on the return of “GTU – STAR” to the university space.

“The renewed “GTU – STAR” has returned to the university with new faces, ideas, and diversity, congratulations! This wonderful competition was suspended for several years due to objective reasons. “Your voice is your chance, become a student star!” your success begins with this slogan of the competition and continues on the stage, where legends of Georgian pop and performing arts performed, such as Giuli Chokheli, Otar Bzvaneli, Suliko Koroshinadze, Guram Bakuradze, Gia Chirakadze, Paata Burchuladze, Gia-Jarji Asatiani, Temur Tatarashvili, Nukri Kapanadze, Nato Metonidze, Achiko Beridze, Gia Macharashvili, as well as the groups “Blue Trio”, “Ursa”, “Mgzavrebi” and others. In Georgia, from the 1950s to the present day, the famous orchestra and boys’ quartet of the Georgian Technical University have made a great contribution to the development of pop music and jazz; for decades, it was precisely through cooperation with the orchestra of the GTU that almost all famous singers, composers and instrumentalists of the old and new generation began their active pop careers and gained international recognition. One of the first among them was the legendary Nani Bregvadze. Even today, the university orchestra, boys’ chapel, choreographic ensemble “Merani”, and student bands are successful in many ways. I hope that, in parallel with the thorough study of your main profession, you will also name your native university on stage. I wish you success,” David Gurgenidze noted in his speech.

The project “GTU – STAR” consists of three stages and two rounds. About seventy students of the Georgian Technical University expressed their desire to participate in the selection round. The winners and semi-finalists of the first round were:

• Nutsa Khujadze – Engineering Economics, Media Technologies and Social Sciences;

• Gvantsa Gigashvili, Elene Partenadze, Mariam Ksovreli and Ana Gigashvili – Transportation Systems and Mechanical Engineering;

• Tamar Tarughishvili – Law and International Relations;

• Anamaria Museliani – Informatics and Control Systems;

• Saba-Giorgi Gakharia – Mining Geology;

• Giorgi Zhgenti – Agricultural Sciences and Biosystem Engineering;

• Dea Pachulia – Construction.

In the semi-finals, the jury consisting of Davit Okitashvili (Advisor to the GTU Rector), Ketevan Odzelashvili (musician), Nutsa Janelidze (musician), Nikoloz Chkhartishvili (Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia) and Liana Targamadze (Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy) selected 5 finalists of the competition: Ana Gigashvili, Nutsa Khujadze, Gvantsa Gigashvili, Dea Pachulia and Anamaria Museliani.

The final of “GTU – STAR” will be held in January 2025. “GTU – STAR” is a youth project of the Georgian Technical University, which goals to identify young people with the best vocal data among students endowed with musical talent and pave the way for them to the big stage.