Alemu Aga (Ethiopia) is one of Ethiopia’s most renowned masters of the begena, as well as a singer, teacher, and devoted custodian of this ancient sacred instrument. The begena is an ancient ten-string lyre closely tied to Ethiopia’s spiritual and religious tradition, often referred to as the Harp of King David. Its sound is marked by a deep meditative and contemplative quality, inviting listeners into silence, reflection, and inner stillness.

Born in Addis Ababa, Alemu Aga began studying the begena at the age of twelve under the guidance of the distinguished master Aleqa Tessema Welde-Emmanuel. He later earned a BA degree and went on to teach at Yared Music School, Ethiopia’s leading music school. He was quickly recognized for the depth of his practice and released his first record in 1972. However, the period of dictatorship that Ethiopia went through between 1974 and 1991 forced him to practice his instrument in private. Since the country’s relative opening, he has traveled the world to promote this instrument, which reminds Western audiences who have forgotten it how Ethiopia is one of the central places in the history of Christianity. Over the course of his long career, he privately taught around 600 begena students, many of whom have since become teachers themselves and now pass on the tradition to thousands of students in church schools.

Alemu Aga has performed in many European countries, including France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, England, and Italy, as well as in Israel, Canada, Morocco, and elsewhere. He speaks English, French, and Italian fluently. He has released 3 audio cassettes and 5 CDs in France, Germany, and Belgium, participated in numerous cultural conferences in Ethiopia and abroad, and received multiple awards for promoting, teaching, and preserving this ancient instrument of cultural heritage around the world.