Video discussion: Music education in Kenya

This has resulted in a lack of role models and general acceptance of music as a suitable profession. At the second edition of East African music summit ONGEA! stakeholders in the music education sector sought to debate how the education offered is relevant to the burgeoning music industry.

The panel, which comprised Wandiri Karimi, Natalie Lukkenaer, John Kigada and Prof Duncan Wambugu, debated various issues including the scope of education and its impact on students, and how the education and music industries affect each other.

While defining the term ‘industry’, Karimi said the ecosystem that makes up the music industry in Kenya is yet to earn its status as an industry and instead proposed that it should be regarded as a sector based on factors such as the contribution it makes to the country’s GDP. A World Bank-commissioned survey in 2004 put the economic worth of the music recording industry in Kenya at about $111.6m per year.

Lukkenaer posed the question, are education structures adequately preparing students for the music industry?

Kigada said the music education offered was largely not relevant to the industry. He singled out the education offered at university level where studies were geared towards church music. This music was not even relevant to artist who wanted to venture into gospel music. Kigada urged universities to shift their curriculum to be socially reflective and interactive.

Panellists:

Natalie Lukkenaer – founder of Sauti Academy and part of the management team of H-Art the Band.

Wandiri Karimi – Kenya Conservatoire of Music director.

John Kigada – music leadership educator and founder of Cypher Taifa.

Moderator: Prof Duncan Wambugu – lecturer at Kenyatta University.

Watch the discussion in the video below: