Girma Yifrashewa (born 1967 in Addis Ababa) is an Ethiopian classical pianist and composer. He is director of the Ashenafi Kebede Performing Arts Centre of the Addis Ababa University.[1]
Girma Yifrashewa | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967 (age 56–57) |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | Unseen Worlds |
| Website | girmayifrashewa |
Early life and education
editYifrashewa was born in Addis Ababa in 1967.[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 1986 Yifrashewa began studying at the Bulgarian State Conservatory.[2][3] He lost his scholarship in 1989 when the Bulgarian Communist Party lost power following the revolutions of 1989.[1] Yifrashewa spent two years in Italy and returned to the Conservatory in 1991 to finish his studies, funded by the Irish Christian Brothers.[5][1]
Career
editYifrashewa gave his first public concert at the Italian institute in Addis Ababa in 2001.[5] His debut album The Shepherd with the Flute was released in 2001, followed by Meleya Keleme (2003) with Michael Belayneh, and Elilta (2006).[6] Yifrashewa's fourth album Love & Peace was released by US record label Unseen Worlds in 2014, 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 2020 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
editAlbums
edit- The Shepherd with the Flute (2001)
- Meleya Keleme (2003), with Michael Belayneh
- Elilta (2006)
- Love & Peace (Unseen Worlds, 2014)
- My Strong Will (Unseen Worlds, 2023)
References
edit- ^ a b c d Saeed Kamali Dehghan (2024-10-08), "Musical journey: lessons begin after piano finally arrives in Ethiopia", The Guardian, retrieved 2024-11-17
- ^ a b "Girma Yifrashewa biography", girmayifrashewa.com, retrieved 2024-11-17
- ^ a b c Steve Smith (2013-06-09), "From Chopin to Ethiopia, and Partway Back Again", New York Times, retrieved 2024-11-14
- ^ Tesfalem Waldyes (2016-11-23), "Girma Yifrashewa: A classical pianist giant meets his match", Addis Standard, retrieved 2024-11-14
- ^ a b Samson Berhane (2023-08-26), "Ethiopia's Piano Man Finds His Stage", The Reporter, retrieved 2024-11-14
- ^ a b "Bridging cultures through music", The Reporter, 2020-02-01, retrieved 2024-11-17
- ^ a b Clive Bell, "Love & Peace (review)", The Wire, no. 367 (September 2014), p. 60
- ^ John Mulvey, "Love & Peace (review)", Uncut, no. 208 (September 2014), p. 79
- ^ "Classical Albums – Week of August 16, 2014", Billboard, retrieved 2024-11-17
- ^ Michael J. West (2015-05-04), "Girma Yifrashewa's blend of European piano and Ethiopian music", The Washington Post, ISSN 0190-8286, retrieved 2024-11-14
External links
edit- Girma Yifrashewa discography at Discogs