Planina: From Georgia with Love

Planina is a group of singers and instrumentalists from the Denver-Boulder area who love the haunting melodies and rousing rhythms of music from Eastern Europe. They’ve been performing since 1988, have produced three CDs and a cookbook, and have made three group trips to Bulgaria.

This past July, ten members of Planina traveled to the country of Georgia for a two-week study trip. Situated at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Georgia is a fascinating country and home to rich polyphonic singing traditions; in fact, UNESCO has recognized Georgian polyphony as a unique phenomenon in world culture.

In Georgia, Planina studied with five groups of singers in three different folkloric regions and experienced the extraordinary hospitality, wine, complex history, and natural beauty the country is famous for. Members returned with a wealth of new material, recordings, and memories.

This concert is Planina’s opportunity to say thanks to their local fans who helped support them in making the trip, and to share some of the musical treasures they brought back. Finally, in Planina’s usual tradition of a varied concert, you can look forward to hearing a lively assortment of tunes from other countries as well, including Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Rom traditions.