Girma yifrashewa biography of christopher

Girma Yifrashewa

Ethiopian classical pianist (born )

Musical artist

Girma Yifrashewa (born ) is an Ethiopian classical pianist and composer. He is director of the Ashenafi Kebede Performing Arts Centre of the Addis Ababa University.[1]

Early life and education

Yifrashewa was born in Addis Ababa in [2] In his childhood he played the krar, a traditional harp from Ethiopia.[3] At the age of sixteen Yifrashewa entered the Yared School of Music, where he began to learn piano.[4] In Yifrashewa began studying at the Bulgarian State Conservatory.[2][3] He lost his scholarship in when the Bulgarian Communist Party lost power following the revolutions of [1] Yifrashewa spent two years in Italy and returned to the Conservatory in to finish his studies, funded by the Irish Christian Brothers.[5][1]

Career

Yifrashewa gave his first public concert at the Italian institute in Addis Ababa in [5] His debut album The Shepherd with the Flute was released in , followed by Meleya Keleme () with Michael Belayneh, and Elilta ().[6] Yifrashewa's fourth album Love & Peace was released by US record label Unseen Worlds in , and comprises five solo piano pieces, including an homage to a melody written by Ashenafi Kebede, as well as traditional Ethiopian hymns and wedding songs.[7] Reviews of Love & Peace compared Yifrashewa's playing to pianists Scott Joplin and George Winston.[7][8] The album reached number 23 on the Billboard classical albums chart.[9]

In January Yifrashewa gave the first ever grand piano concert in Ethiopia, at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel.[6] He has performed concerts across the world, including at Carnegie Hall and the Issue Project Room in New York.[1][3][10]

Discography

Albums

  • The Shepherd with the Flute ()
  • Meleya Keleme (), with Michael Belayneh
  • Elilta ()
  • Love & Peace (Unseen Worlds, )
  • My Strong Will (Unseen Worlds, )

References

  1. ^ abcdSaeed Kamali Dehghan (), "Musical journey: lessons begin after piano finally arrives in Ethiopia", The Guardian, retrieved
  2. ^ ab"Girma Yifrashewa biography", , retrieved
  3. ^ abcSteve Smith (), "From Chopin to Ethiopia, and Partway Back Again", New York Times, retrieved
  4. ^Tesfalem Waldyes (), "Girma Yifrashewa: A classical pianist giant meets his match", Addis Standard, retrieved
  5. ^ abSamson Berhane (), "Ethiopia's Piano Man Finds His Stage", The Reporter, retrieved
  6. ^ ab"Bridging cultures through music", The Reporter, , retrieved
  7. ^ abClive Bell, "Love & Peace (review)", The Wire, no.&#; (September ), p.&#;60
  8. ^John Mulvey, "Love & Peace (review)", Uncut, no.&#; (September ), p.&#;79
  9. ^"Classical Albums – Week of August 16, ", Billboard, retrieved
  10. ^Michael J. West (), "Girma Yifrashewa's blend of European piano and Ethiopian music", The Washington Post, ISSN&#;, retrieved

External links