Safaricom has announced that 11 students will graduate at the seventh Safaricom Youth Orchestra graduation ceremony to happen Sunday 25th April, 2021. The event will be conducted online for the second year in a row, and will be streamed on Safaricom’s YouTube Channel from 2 P.M. East African time.
The 11 music students graduating will be awarded certificates in orchestral music, having learnt to play various instruments ranging from the Flute, Alto Sax, Trumpet and Violin.
“Music education is highly beneficial to students’ well being and development. Inline with our purpose of transforming lives, Safaricom is dedicated to continuously support and invest in music platforms such as the Safaricom Youth Orchestra and Ghetto Classics that play a key role in uplifting the lives of young boys and girls,” said Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO
The Orchestra was launched in 2014 by the late Bob Collymore with the aim of bringing together gifted and talented students and tutors to make beautiful music. Over 130 students have graduated so far and progressed to pursue their university education, specializing in different disciplines. The orchestra draws 45% of its students from public schools, 30% from the Ghetto Classics program, and 25% from private schools.
“I started playing the French horn four years ago when I joined the Ghetto Classics program. I have also been a proud member of the Safaricom Youth Orchestra over the last three years. Music is an integral part of my life, and the orchestra has allowed me to nurture my talents, explore music and gain exposure with world-renowned artists in the industry,” said Cyndicate Kabei, Safaricom Youth Orchestra Class of 2021 graduate.
With the COVID-19 disruptions last year, Safaricom provided over 80 members of the orchestra with 4G enabled mobile handsets and airtime to enable them to attend rehearsals virtually.
The orchestra’s year is divided into three terms, May to July, August to December and, January to April, when the students who have completed high school graduate.
Call for applications to join the orchestra closed end of March, and auditions are currently being held virtually, where successful candidates will be selected by the music directors and tutors through a combination of theoretical and practical tests.