Born in Addis Ababa on 15 October 1967, Girma learnt to play the Kirar, a harp-like traditional Ethiopian string instrument, at a tender age. He was introduced to piano at the age 16, marking a turn in his
life.

Girma first saw the piano at the Yared Music School when he was sixteen. He had just passed the entrance examination and was about to join the school with only the love and the ability to play the kirar, the Ethiopian stringed instrument. "When I saw the grand piano there in the room at the school I fell in love with it," recalls Girma.  "I never had any other choice.

He studied at the Yared School of Music in Addis Ababa for four years and graduated with a diploma in piano. He then received a five-year bursary from the Ethiopian government to study at the Sofia State Conservatory of Music and graduated with a Masters in Piano.

It is in Bulgaria that he made an impact as a solo pianist holding shows throughout the country until his return to East Africa in 1995.  Perhaps his best show was in the Salabaldini Room in Rome just before returning to his home
country.

His best achievement as a performer is in the sphere of romantic and impressionist repertoires, above all the piano works of Schumann, Schubert and Debussy. He has a preference and well-determined approach to the music of Bach as well as to those of Mozart and Beethoven.

His training in Bulgaria was never a rosy one.  In the middle of his school years at the Conservatory, Girma saw the collapse of the Soviet Union that was also felt seriously in Bulgaria.  Instantly, the stipend that they got as students was discontinued and [he] could not carry on with his drills as he had no access to the piano.

"The brothers saved me and made me what I am today as I possibly would have ended up being somebody else," he notes. He then completed his education at the Conservatory in good standing. "His performance radiates a pure and rich mentality, a precious balance between the emotional and the rational...   He manages to perfect his instrumentalist skills to a degree that permitted him to play with ease compositions requiring virtuoso technique," testified Atanas Kourtev, the professor under whose tutelage Girma perfected his skills.

Girma was privileged to have received scholarships for short-term specialization courses from the British and German Governments, at the Royal Academy of Music in London (1997) and at the Hochschule fur Music Und Theater – Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy – in Leipzig (1999), respectively.

With regard to his work experience, on his return to Ethiopia in 1995, he took up a position with the Yared School of Music as a piano teacher where he worked until 2001. He was also working at the Sheraton Addis as a Pianist for one year (2000-2001). Now Girma is involved in his private work to promote Ethiopian and Classical Music throughout
the continent and beyond. On his spare time, he also gives private piano lessons to students of different age groups.

Girma has so far released two albums: the Shepherd with the Flute (2001) and Meleya Keleme (2003). He has finalized the recording of his third album “Elilta” and is planning to release it soon.

In light of dreams coming true, this CD production of classical music has therefore, become the first of its kind ever to be published by an Ethiopian.

2003: Composed and arranged the music for the album Meleya Keleme.

April 2004: Composed and arranged the music for the songs presented during the
second tour in Africa with a vocalist.

Nov. 2004: Composed, arranged, directed and presented a Children’s Choir
concert under the auspices of the African Child Policy Forum.

2005: Arranged the Piano piece the Shepherd with the Flute to be played by an orchestra and arranged a new piece, a quartet (Piano, Violin, Cello and Clarinet), entitled My Strong Will, these two being part of the latest CD, Elilta, along with 4 other piano compositions of Ethiopian music presented in the western classical style.

In 2005, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of the commencement of Ethio-German diplomatic relations, Girma was given the unique opportunity to perform with the German Leipzig Youth Symphony Orchestra Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 2 and Ethiopian music (Girma's own compositions.) The concert was highly praised both in Germany (Leipzig and Berlin) and Addis Ababa.

Elilta is the vocal custom by which Ethiopians express their deepest joy.  It is usually used during happy occasions like weddings and other joyous social events.  It is also widely used during church festivities.  Elilta, in this album, is an amalgamation of popular Ethiopian wedding songs and Girma's personal interpretation of this unique sound on the piano.

2002: International solo tour to 11 African countries (Djibouti, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius,  Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa (Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

2004: International tour with a vocalist to 10 African countries (Djibouti, Seychelles, South Africa (Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg) Lesotho, Zimbabwe (Harare and Bulawayo), Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Burundi, Uganda).

Girma successfully explores lyric music with a marked taste for romantic and impressionist repertoires.

Recently, he received the Phoenix Prize given in honour of artists contributing to the development of art in Ethiopia.

2002 Australia (Melbourne, Ballarat).

2003: Tour in France and Germany to launch and promote the CD Meleya Keleme (with a vocalist, a violinist and a cellist)

2005: Concert held in Germany and Ethiopia with the Leipzig Youth Symphony Orchestra in commemoration the 100th Anniversary of the
commencement of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Germany.

Other concerts held in Bulgaria, Italy, United Kingdom.