The Iavnana Ensemble
The Iavnana Ensemble is an intermediate to advanced vocal arts project dedicated to the study and performance of traditional polyphonic music from the Republic of Georgia, Lazona, and neighboring Black Sea and Caucasus regions. Comprised of the words “ia” (violet) and “nana” (mother goddess), the ensemble borrows its name from a traditional healing song of the same name. Violets were often present in healing ceremonies, representative of joy and a euphemism for the goddess of the underworld in Georgian folk poetry. “Nana” is a derivative of the name “Inanna”—an ancient mother goddess found throughout the ancient Near East. Together, the name represents the project’s primary aim to explore music as a form of healing and connection, both to each other as a community of practice, and to broader engagements with the cultures and communities from which we draw our musical content. In addition to learning repertoire and associated dances, the ensemble will also explore the folklore, history, and ethnographic context of each song while simultaneously developing ensemble skills. We will work on blending, breathwork, vocal placement and quality, pitch, dynamics, pronunciation, and so on. Hosted by Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble, folklorist Kristine Barrett directs the choir.
