To God Be the Glory,
Ermias Haylay was first introduced to the harp of David (Begena) at merely the age of 15, during Sunday School at Church. His passion for begena grew rapidly and he started practicing 8 hours a day. Ermias was quickly chosen to teach over 30 students aged from 5 to 17, at St. Mark’s school Located in ‘Haya Hulet’. Ermias’s ability to rapidly teach and explain the complex and revered Begena was able to make these students perform for a live audience in 2 weeks. This started the impromptu home schooling of the Begena under his tutelage, which resulted in Ermias paying his skills forward and producing not only more students but teachers of Begena. This gave him various opportunities to pay forward his skill passion and knowledge in various National TV and Radio interviews.
Gaining great momentum Ermias continued to teach and connect students and masters, even producing more Begena teachers and creating a team that is passionate about the Begena and all the wealth of healing and mental and spiritual health it offers. They proceeded to organize a huge event called “Zekre Begena (Memorabilia of the Begena) at the National Theatre of Ethiopia. It was first of its kind and attracted a massive audience. Renowned Begena Masters and young children performed their songs, independent researchers presented their findings and connected the historical Masters that go back to thousands of years to the live Begena scene. This received considerable international media exposure with BBC being one of the medias it reached amongst others, who have covered and shared the event world-wide. Local newspapers and radio talk shows reported on it as well.
Ermias’s passion did not stop with just learning and teaching Begena, he became a renowned Begena performer. Performing in different events and singing his songs. This gave Ermias an opportunity to get signed to Sewasew Multimedia to record a 15 track album during the season of Lent. His artistic take to not only release a quality album in a major national label but also do it in the Lenten schedule connected with his audience. During the two months of lent a track was being released every Sunday following the weekly sections and observances of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Due to the success of this album Ermias not only appeared on the national Ethiopian television but its famous weekend late night show The Seifu Show and performed on live TV at prime time.
His recent works include a tribute to The Virgin Mother Mary and the Queen of Sheba. A poetic worship song called Ergeb ena Wanayn (The Dove and the Crow). This song like many Begena lyrics uses the Ethiopian style of literature Kene: Wax and Gold. Kene is a high form of literature that uses a play on words to convey a deeper meaning (the Gold), while fashioning it with another meaning (wax). Just like wax gives gold different designs and beautifies it. Words with similar meaning are used in each verse of the songs in order to convey a deeper meaning while maintaining a less complicated meaning that everyone can understand.
Following the footsteps of King David we are teaching and demonstrating the Begena for its amazing healing gifts as mentioned in 1 Samuel 16: 14-16. Our institute not only teaches and sells Begenas but works with different Hospitals , Nursing homes and Psychologists to offer music therapy. Grace Nursing home and Clinic is one of our main partners for Spiritual music therapy” (Ermias Haylay). More information about our Music Therapy and treatment is found on our Main Page.
The young Ermias Haylay is still rapidly pursuing his passion to the Begena. He is working on a Begena Book, His second Album and the second annual event of Zekre Begena.