Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru (1923–2023) was an Ethiopian Orthodox nun, pianist, and composer born in Addis Ababa. Trained in classical music in Egypt and Europe, she entered monastic life following the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and the upheaval of her early life. Her piano compositions blend European romantic and impressionist idioms with Ethiopian modal scales and rhythms, resulting in music of rare spiritual intensity and originality. She lived for decades at a monastery in Jerusalem, where she composed and recorded in relative seclusion. Reissues on Mississippi Records brought her work international recognition in her final years.