Emahoy Tsegemariam Geberu

The 82-year old Emahoy Tsegemariam Geberu has written hundreds of songs, steeped in Ethiopian culture.  As remarkable as her musicianship is her personal story.  Having studied music in Switzerland as a child and later in Cairo, she became a nun and lives in a convent in Jerusalem. Emahoy  is a multitalented musician, playing the piano, violin and organ.  She is also a painter and a poet and is fluent in Hebrew, French German and several other languages.

Emahoy has recorded six LPs and CDs, the latest was recently released as the 21st in the "Ethiopique" series by the French record company, Buda Records. She talks about her life and her music with the VOA Amharic program’s Alula Kebede. (click the link above to listen to the interview in Amharic)