At KICF, our goal is a sustainable musical community, within Kenya and beyond. To develop this community, our focus is both top/down and bottom/up. We have experienced unrivaled enthusiasm for music in Kenya, along with a pre-existing network of string players. To ensure long term sustainability, we regularly engage with three groups: 

NEW AUDIENCES

We regularly host introductory shows for kids and adults alike. Many of our audience members have never seen a violin before. We also host masterclasses both online and in person for any Kenyan who wants to join. 

EUGENIA STRING PROJECT

Our paid intern Sanya Wanjiru teaches 4 schools per week at the Eugenia Arts Center. The program is so popular, the kids actually requested lessons during their school holidays! We even have a couple of teachers who volunteered to join in. 

PARTICIPANTS

We work intensely with a core group of veteran string players both online and in person. Several players receive weekly Zoom coaching; each teaches students of their own. Twice a year, we hold live festivals on the ground in Kenya. Partnering with Tafaria Arts Center, we host week long workshops, where we perform 4-6 concerts per festival, reaching audiences of over 1000 per trip. In June 2024, we offered a 10 day Luthier Repair Workshop to a group of KICF participants. They each received a tool kit upon completion. They hit the ground running; several have already gone into business repairing instruments in their own communities.