Panel discussion: An Emahoy century – On Emahoy’s life

An aura of legend has coalesced around Emahoy’s astonishing life, marked by worldly renunciation, steadfast spiritual resilience, and restless migration and exile. This panel discussion will situate Emahoy as a not only legendary, but also historical figure, considering her biography against the backdrop of nearly a century of intense sociopolitical change, in Ethiopia and abroad.

Featuring Hanna Kebbede (CEO of Emahoy Tsege Mariam Music Foundation and Publisher, and Emahoy’s niece) and Tamrat Kebede (Executive Director of InterAfrica Group, and Emahoy’s nephew); moderated by Prof. Fouad Makki (Associate Professor, Cornell Department of Global Development).

This event is part of a two-day symposium, titled Emahoy Tsege-Mariam Gebru at 100, celebrating the music and life of the legendary Ethiopian composer, pianist, and nun, Emahoy Tsege-Mariam Gebru. The events will include panel discussions about Emahoy’s life and archive, and presentations of Emahoy’s music (some never yet performed) in live concert performances, and from her personal recordings. All events will be free and open to the public, and hosted on Cornell’s campus.

This symposium is generously co-sponsored by the Cornell Music Department, Cornell Council for the Arts, the Institute for Comparative Modernities, Cornell Africana Studies and Research Center, the Institute for African Development, the Cornell Center for Historical Keyboards, Society for the Humanities, the Jian and Tran Family Charitable Fund, the Music Graduate Association, and Cornell Centers for Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging.