Kaethe Hostetter

Violin

East African

English

Kaethe Hostetter is an American violinist who was based in Addis Ababa for 11 years. Originally stumbling upon Ethiopian music by way of experimental and free jazz scenes, she teamed up with Danny Mekonnen to form the group Debo Band, which went on to tour internationally. Upon performing in Addis Ababa, she realized there was an undiscovered frontier for her instrument, and Kaethe relocated to Ethiopia’s capital in 2009. She was compelled to explore deeper and began learning from masinko players and dive deep into the culture, eventually honing her sound in numerous exploratory and professional projects. As part of her immersion in Ethiopian music and culture, Kaethe brought together some of the most accomplished players in Addis Ababa’s music scene and founded QWANQWA in 2012.