BALANCHIVADZE, MELITON (1863–1937). Composer, People’s Artist of the Georgian SSR (1933), father of Andria Balanchivadze and George Balanchine. Born in Kutaisi, he graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory and studied musical theory under Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov. In 1882, he established the first Georgian folk ensemble and organized the first folk concert in Tbilisi the following year. From 1889–1895, he studied in St. Petersburg Conservatory and authored his first works, including Nana, Shen getrpi marad, Odesac gitsker, and Tamar tsbieri. From 1895–1917, he founded and performed with choirs throughout the Russian Empire and produced numerous theater plays in St. Petersburg. Returning to Georgia in 1917, he established the Kutaisi Music College in 1918 and later directed the Department of Music of the Georgian Commissariat of Education, the Batumi School of Music, and the Kutaisi Music College from 1921–1937. His works were instrumental in establishing and developing modern Georgian opera. His brother, Vasily Balanchivadze (1867–1951), was a prominent stage actor and director. 

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