[Elilta (Cry of Joy): Ethiopian Classical Music by Girma Yifrashewa; Elilta (7:06), Ambassel (9:40), Chewata (9:31), Sememen (9:50), My Strong Will (7:32), The Shepherd with the Flute (8:50); Girma Yifrashewa, piano; Doroteya Dimitrova, violin; Lyubomir Nikov, cello; Mikhail Zhivkov, clarinet; Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra; Dian Tchobanov, Conductor; Balkan Multimedia Center (2006)]
Girma Yifrashewa (b. 1967) is an Ethiopian classical pianist and composer who is profiled at AfriClassical.com. He has a very informative website, http://www.girmayifrashewa.com/ EthiopianReporter.com has published an overview of his career, and notes that Girma will perform at a concert in honor of the Chopin Bicentennial in Addis Ababa in October:
Saturday, 18 September 2010
By Tibebeselassie Tigabu
“He paid many sacrifices to get where he is now, he tells his struggle for the love of music, the path he passed in music and he tells that story through his piece entitled ‘my strong will’, the Ethiopian classical musician and pianist Girma Yifrashewa. Classical music being strange to Ethiopian audience, his every day was a struggle to make people understand his music and tell his story but as he tells the hardship was a blessing for him which made him to find new ways to bring classical music to Ethiopian audience.”
The article says Girma first heard classical music while a student at Yared Music School, and the first work of music he heard was the Polonaise of Frederick Chopin:
“‘Polonaise’ caught his heart, transformed his thinking and at that moment he wanted to do that kind of music. He was inspired by Frederick Chopin back then and now as this year celebrates the 200th anniversary of Frederick Chopin all over the world, Addis Ababa also is going to show the history of this legendary man through concert and Girma will perform the works of Chopin in this concert with other pianists from all over the world next month.”
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