Nilsson, Marianne

Life and ministry

Marianne Nilsson was born in Sweden in 1941. She is a teacher and a church musician with a BA in musicology from Stockholm University.

Marianne served with the Swedish Evangelical Mission and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus. She lived in

  • Asmara (1963‒65),
  • Adwa (1970‒71) and
  • Addis Ababa (1971‒86).

Marianne Nilsson’s areas of work in Addis Ababa included the Entotto Mekane Yesus Choir, the former Music Department at Mekane Yesus Seminary, and the preparation of hymnals, especially Mert Mazmurat.

Songs in hymn book

Mert Mazmurat (1975ff)

Melody: 1:6, 1:18, 1:39; 3:12

Pictures

Marianne Nilsson conducting the Mekane Yesus Seminary music group
(adapted from Grenstedt, Longstanding Relations, p. 170,
* EFS [SEM] historical archives)
MarianneNilsson portrait 480 Web
(adapted from the back cover of her book,
Melodies of Spiritual Songs from Ethiopia)

Further reading

Nilsson, Marianne. Melodies of Spiritual Songs from Ethiopia: A Consideration of the Tunes in Mert Mezmurat 1‒6. Nordingrå (Sweden): Marianne Nilsson Bokförlag, 2019. [See esp. pp. 17‒26: “My Journey into Ethiopian Song”]

Grenstedt, Staffan. Longstanding Relations in a Process of Change: The Swedish Evangelical Mission in Ethiopia 1898‒2015. Uppsala: Narin forlag, 2024. [DIVA Portal]