Tsotne Zedginidze

Fifteen-year-old Tsotne Zedginidze began piano lessons at the age of five and began composing at the age of six. He gave his first public recital in Tbilisi in 2019, where he performed works by Berg, Bach, Shostakovich, and Janáček, along with a selection of his own compositions. A few months later, was the soloist at the season-opening concert with the Georgian National Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.2.

The following year, Tsotne premiered his piano composition The Bells, written in memory of his mother. This was followed in 2021 by the premiere of his Sonata for Violin and Piano with Lisa Batiashvili, who has since become a mentor. In addition to offering financial assistance through the Lisa Batiashvili Foundation, she has introduced Tsotne to an invaluable confederacy of advocates and teachers, including Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim, Jörg Widmann, Alfred Brendel and Antonio Pappano, who have joined her in supporting and teaching him.

2024 saw Tsotne join Sir Simon three times as soloist, performing Schoenberg's Piano Concerto with the Bavarian State Youth Orchestra, Bartók’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Verbier Festival Orchestra and Poulenc's Aubade with the BR Akademie Ensemble.

Coming up, Tsotne gives a recital at the Konzerthaus Berlin at the invitation of Bechstein, and joins the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker on tour with conductor Andrey Boreyko performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto. He gives concerts in Tokyo with the New Japan Philharmonic performing Stravinsky’s Capriccio, as well as a recital tour in Japan, Seoul and Taipei.

On the composition side, Tsotne’s first symphony will receive its premiere on 28 January 2025 with Camerata Salzburg under the direction of François Leleux at Mozartwoche, followed by concerts in the Canary Islands. Performances follow in Stockholm with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and in Edinburgh with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Each of Tsotne’s recital programmes also includes his own compositions.

Born into a family of musicians, Tsotne Zedginidze is a descendant of renowned Georgian composer Niko Sulkhanishvili, and eminient pedagogue Anastasia Abdushelishvili-Virsaladze. Tsotne continues his studies with his grandmother, Professor Nino Mamradze.