‘We are grateful to start the school term on a high note!’ This was the joyful reception we received from many of the schools that we visited during the Baraka Opera Kenya Schools’ Concert Tour which took place at the end of August. Four musicians presented an environmentally themed production on how ‘Mazingira’, (the environment), needs our care and attention.

Amongst the excitement and laughter contrived from trapping each other in colourful cloths or showering the children with bubbles to depict rainfall, the team of musicians sent a powerful educational and musical message to our young audiences. A Kikuyu song about rainfall ‘Wakiriru’ had the children (and teachers) stamping and clapping away until dust began to rise from the floor.

We travelled from Kenya to Spain to discover a strong bullfighter who could lasso the rain clouds closer to the earth with his operatic singing of Toreador. And amongst the harmonies of a Verdi chorus and the nostalgic moments of a Sondheim melody, the children experienced music from around the world.

A Bollywood number led by soprano Nami Shah described the quickening excitement of thundering clouds. Paired with a traditional Gujarati folk dance called Garba, the finale was where everyone subscribed to the Kenyan motto of ‘Harambe’ (working together). It was this sense of fun, music, dance and cross-collaboration that finally burst the rain clouds.

The guitar, djembe, 2 sopranos and 1 baritone formed the musical cohort of four. Many curious children would often ask to play the djembe, dance or sing for us and the shows always ended with a delightful post-show party atmosphere. Some schools had neither chairs, halls, formal music education nor proximity to instruments. However, this did not stop them from performing in return par excellence! Many thanks to this wonderful team and to Baraka Opera Kenya for giving us this humbling opportunity.

Special thanks to CEO Rhoda Achieng Ondeng Wilhelmsen and Administrator Peter Kiarie. Yovan Barkisoy - Guitar, Patrick Tigana - Djembe and Piano. Sopranos - Nami Shah & Mariah Gichu