Social setting of Music in Georgia

Singing is mostly a community activity in Georgia, and during big festivities (for instance, weddings) all members of the community is expected to participate in singing. Traditionally, top melodic parts are performed by individual singers, but the bass can have dozens or even hundreds of singers. There are also songs (usually more difficult) that require a very small number of performers. Out of them the tradition of "trio" (three singers only) is very renowned in western Georgia, particularly in Guria.

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The Georgian traditional songs are often centered on banquet-like feasts called supra, where songs and toasts to God, peace, motherland, long life, love, friendship and other topics are proposed. Traditional feast songs include "Zamtari" (winter), which is about the transient nature of life and is sung to remember ancestors and a great number of "Mravalzhamier" songs. As many traditional events greatly changed their nature (for instance, working processes), the traditional feast became the harbor for many different kinds of music. Work songs are widespread in all regions. The oroval for instance is specific solo work songs that originate in eastern Georgia only. The extremely complex three and four part working song naduri is distinctive of western Georgia. There are a great number of healing society, funerary ritual songs, wedding songs, love songs, dance songs, lullabies, and traveling songs. Several archaic songs are connected to round dance.

The current Georgian stage choirs are generally male, though some female orchestra also exists; combined-gender choirs are rare, but also exist. (An example of the latter is the Zedashe group, based in Sighnaghi, kakhet.) At the same time, in village groups mixed participation is more common, and according to Zakaria Paliashvili, in the most remote region of Georgia, Upper Svaneti, combined concert of traditional songs was a common practice.