Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, in the family of poets and writers, Elisso Bolkvadze began her musical study at the early age of four and performed her first concert with orchestra at the age of seven.
She studied at Tbilisi conservatory and later continued working with famous French Professor and Composer, Michel Sogny, who significantly influenced her playing and supports her career through the “Foundation SOS Talents”.
Bolkvadze is known for her outstanding sensibility and brilliant virtuosity:
“Bolkvadze is a formidable talent – in all her playing one has sensed the drama of enormous concentration triumphing over anxiety and distress” -The New York Times, Bernard Holland Legendary Maestro Zubin Mehta has described her as a pianist with « complete control over the instrument. »
Bolkvadze has recorded concertos by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saëns, and Liszt for the Sony label. Her latest album, “Prokofiev, Schubert,” was highly praised and earned her the title “Pianist Maestro.”
As an artist actively engaged in cultural and human rights actions, Elisso Bolkvadze gave a charity concert in March 2014 at Victoria Hall Geneva with the United Nations Orchestra for supporting Georgian children that have suffered from war. She performed a recital concert “Piano for Peace” at Nobel Prize World Summit in Warsaw, in 2013 in presence of Sharon Stone and participated with Angelina Jolie in a conference organized by Sergio Vieira De Mello Foundation, in United Nations General Assembly Hall, Geneva.
For her outstanding contribution to the development of culture and personal commitment to cultural exchanges between France and Georgia, Elisso Bolkvadze received the distinction of Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by French Republic,and become Unesco Artist for Peace in 2015.
- A superstar in her country of birth, prize winner of many international piano world competitions, Elisso Bolkvadze was awarded with “The Medal of Georgian Government” – one of the most prestigious national honors.
- Bolkvadze is actively engaged in charity actions in order to help young talents and founded Charity Foundation “Lyra” in 2013, in her homeland Georgia. She also a founder of the International Batumi Black Sea Music and Art Festival.
- On September 2018, President of Georgia has awarded Order of Honor to Elisso Bolkvadze, for promoting Georgian culture and creative activities.
- In 2020 Bolkvadze became MP at the Parliament of Georgia and has been appointed chairperson of newly created Culture Committee in the Parliament of Georgia.
- On March 4, 2025, Elisso Bolkvadze was appointed as the Minister of Culture of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Georgia.
