Carnegie Hall

The musical traditions of Kenya are as varied as the East African country itself, which has more than 50 ethnic groups, regional languages, and diverse natural environments. At the edge of the Indian Ocean, Kenya has also drawn musical influences from the Arabian Peninsula, India, and other parts of Africa, Europe, and the Americas. These musical traditions have been passed down orally for generations, along with a variety of instruments and dance. Throughout the country, music has always been used to accompany important rites of passage and celebrations, such as a baby’s birth, marriage, funerals, harvest, and religious ceremonies. The Kenyan songs from this unit represent two different traditions from Western Kenya: first, from the Luo community, and second, from the Luyia (Luhya) community.

Makobi is from Nairobi, Kenya and has been surrounded by music since he was born. His mother was an elementary school choir director and his father started the first dedicated music department to training high school teachers at Kagumo Teachers’ Training College. His first professional performance was as a member and soloist with the Kenyan Boys Choir, and he sang with them at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration. He later co-founded and directed Taifa Mziki (which means “Music Nation”), an all-male vocal ensemble whose repertoire includes arrangements of traditional Kenyan music. Makobi is currently completing a doctorate at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where he has broadened his vocal expertise to include opera and art songs.