Mahlet Institute of Worship and Music

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Introduction

HISTORY AND MINISTRY

The Institute started as “Mahlet Christian Music Forum.” It has been directed by Pastor Melaku Yigezu.

The Mahlet Institute “is dedicated to promoting the music ministry of the Church by instructing, leading, encouraging and nurturing songwriters, composers, singers and worship leaders to the glory of God and the expansion of His Kingdom” (from its FB page).

The Institute conducts concerts and recognition programs

• to honor 3 singers who released outstanding albums/ songs recently
• to celebrate the life achievement of 2 singers / choirs

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CRITERIA OF EXCELLENT GOSPEL MUSIC

The Institute’s original 8 criteria for evaluating hymns were:

• The song is for the purpose of evangelism, worship, thanksgiving, discipleship, encouragement, edification or for correction.
• The message of the song is Biblically accurate.
• The song has a beautiful melody, rich harmony, subtle rhythm (flow), and resolution (a fitting end).
• The song is well-written with good choice of words and the music matches the words
• The song is original in its lyrics and music composition and is not copied from other sources
• The singer has an exemplary Christian life
• The song has a consistent theme throughout
• The singer(s) is (are) highly gifted (from 2014 YouTube movie)

In 2022, the Institute published an expanded list of 10 criteria
(You may want to use Google Translate if you do not read Amharic):

ግምገማው የሚካሄደው በሚከተሉት ዐሥርት መስፈርቶች መሠረት ነው፡-

1. የዝማሬው ግጥም መጽሐፍ ቅዱሳዊ ትክክለኝነት አለው፡፡
2. ዝማሬው ወጥ መልእክት ያለውና ዘመን ዘለቅ ጥራት ያለው ነው፡፡
3. ዝማሬው ልብን የሚነካ፣ አእምሮን የሚመግብና መንፈሳዊ አሰላስሎን የሚያነሣሣ ነው፡፡
4. የዝማሬው ቃላት ሥነ ጽሑፋዊ ብስለትና ሥነ ግጥማዊ ውበት አላቸው፡፡
5. ዜማው፣ ኅብራዊነቱና ምቱ ልእቀት ባለው ሁኔታ የተሰናሰሉ ናቸው፡፡
6. ዜማው (ሙዚቃው) አድማጩ የመዝሙሩን መልእክት እንዲያስታውስ ያግዘዋል፡፡
7. ዜማው ከቃላቱ ጋር በሚገባ የተዋሃደ (የተስማማ) ነው፡፡
8. የመዝሙሩ ወርጅናሌነትና አዲስ አቀራረብ (የፈጠራ ክህሎት፡፡
9. የዘማሪው የመዘመር ተሰጥዖ ያለው መሆን፡፡
10. የዘማሪው መንፈሳዊ ሕይወትና ጤናማ የሕይወት ምስክርነት ያለው መሆኑ፡፡

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AWARD RECIPIENTS

Award recipients (in chronological and alphabetical order) at

1st recognition event (Los Angeles, 2012):

• Bethlehem (Betty) Tezera
• Dagmawi (Dagi) Tilahun
• Dawit Getachew

2nd recognition event (Los Angeles, 2013):

• Abinet Girma
• Azeb Hailu
• Milkias Adugna

3rd recognition event (Washington, D.C., 2014):

• Agegnehu Yideg (award for an excellent album)
• Eyerusalem Negiya (award for an excellent album)
• Tamirat Haile (award for an excellent album)

4th recognition event (Addis Ababa, 2015):

• Endale Woldegiorgis
• Endalkachew Hawaz
• Hanna Tekle
• Addisu Worku (enduring legacy award)
• Tesfaye Gabbiso (enduring legacy award)

5th recognition event (Addis Ababa, 2017):

• Bereket Tesfaye
• Meskerem Getu
• Samuel Negussie
• Meserete Kristos Church Addis Ababa Choir
  (enduring legacy award)
• Mulu Wongel Believers Addis Ababa Choir
  (enduring legacy award)

6th recognition event (Addis Ababa, 2019):

• Abenezer Legesse
• Aster Abebe
• Azeb Hailu
• Geja Kale Heywet Choir (enduring legacy award)
• Getayawkal Girmay & Biruktawit Assefa
  (enduring legacy award)

7th recognition event (Addis Ababa, 2022):

• Hanna Tekle
• Tamirat Haile
• Harar Ammanuel Choir
• Girma Tibebu (enduring legacy award)

Connect

» Follow Mahlet Institute on Facebook

» Visit the Institute’s YouTube channels:
new channel (since 2017) / old channel

» Visit Mahlet Institute’s website

Video

» Watch videos of Mahlet Institute recognition events

Pictures

» Watch pictures taken at the 7th recognition ceremony in 2022 (Facebook post by Mahlet Institute)

Further reading

» Read Amharic and English press release on Mahlet’s 7th recognition ceremony in 2022