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Kijani’s music education workshops are affiliated with the music festival – the visiting international artists are invited to hold separate workshops, either ‘master classes’ for music teachers, musical exchanges with Kenyan artists, or workshops for young people in the care of children’s homes, often HIV+ orphans and vulnerable children.
Some 600 children, from age two to fifteen and 450 members of various choirs have taken part in workshops with Kijani. These children regularly perform in Kjiani festivals. Many more are sponsored by Kijani to attend and form part of the audience of some of the exciting festival performances.
The effect on the children especially has been palpable – these children are usually orphans, victims of abuse or abandonment, or come from destitute families. Thus these children often haven’t been exposed to a variety of music or art forms. For many, Kijani’s music festival is their first time seeing an opera. The workshops also allow them to meet children from other homes.
The teachers and staff at the children’s homes all noted how beneficial Kijani’s music education programme is, mentioning how the children came away inspired, happy and with increased confidence. |
Karl was one of the international artists who participated in the 2009 Kijani Music Festival. His quote sums up so well the desired impact of Kijani’s music education programme – to foster musical exchanges across cultures and to increase the number of Kenyan young people exposed to a variety of music.
Ken Burton is a well known conductor and Director of the London Adventist Chorale (LAC) who specialises in teaching young children to sing. He has become particularly involved working in Kenya in homes for vulnerable children and the results of his work have been spectacular.
