May, 2015 - Nairobi Now

Party: Chemistry, May 22 2015 @ Shifteye Gallery

Chemistry is an incredible party where you get to experience collaborations between djs/ producers and film makers/ photographers.

We called it Chemistry because it’s really an experiment where we invite artists to see what they can create together. This is our 2nd Lab session, we have 3 a year and they’re such good fun. Come along, bring a friend or three.

VENUE: The Shifteye Gallery, Argwings Kodhek Rd., Nairobi
DATE: Friday, 22nd May 2015
TIME: 8PM – 4AM
ENTRANCE: KSHS 500 (GATE ONLY)

EXPERIMENT SCHEDULE

8:00 PM – 9:30 PM – Jemir Blanco + Eddie Matu
9:30 PM – 11:00 PM – N.Kai+ Kevin Kariuki Gakere
11:00 PM – 12:30 AM – Nu-Fvnk+ Melman Art
12:30 AM – 2:00AM – Raj el Rey + Räy-Räy Otieno
2: 00 AM – 3:30 AM – Zelalem + Ian Mooner

info: 0712 917426 info@shifteyegallery.com

Chemistry facebook page

24th European Film Festival, May 13-31 2015 @ Alliance Française Auditorium

Dates: May 13-31, 2015
Venue: Alliance Française auditorium
Time:
Weekdays: 5.30 & 7.30 pm
Weekend: 3, 5.30 & 7.30 pm
Tickets: 50/-

2015 marks the 24th anniversary of the Festival. The identity of European cinema has been evolving with local, national and global influences shaping the aesthetics.

The Festival presents 22 critically acclaimed European films from 15 European countries and 2 ACP countries showing a multi-cultural 21st century Europe with enriching, educating and entertaining content.

click here for the programme

Kizomba Dance Workshop: The Art of Connection Part 3, May 16 2015 @ Italian Institute of Culture – Westlands

Kizomba is an African rhythmic dance, developed in Angola in 1983. Being born in a continent with a effervescent musical history, Kizomba is a result of an evolution.
Kizomba is all about “connecting people”… and in this third series we have added more spice to all things content (footwork, Technique, body movement, turn variations and partner work combinations) for each of the three levels we will focus on.

Beginners Level 1 Session ~ 2:00 – 3.00 pm
Beginners Level 2 Session ~ 3:05 – 4.05 pm
Intermediate Level 1 Session ~ 4:10 – 5.10 pm

Early bird registration is Ksh 1000 paid in advance by the 12th of May or Ksh 1500 at the door

To Make reservations, call Marion Munga on 0723325680 or email mungamarion@gmail.com

Ubuntu Fireplace Event, May 9 2015 @ Kuona Trust

Date & Time: Saturday, May 9th 2015, 6pm
Venue: Kuona Trust, Nairobi
Tickets: Advance tickets are 1500 via paybill number 885989. 1800 at the gate.

About
Café UBUNTU, a project of CTC International, which is an incubator of social enterprise empowering people to do amazing things-, is teaming up with Tree House Media, a film production and talent management company to bring “UBUNTU Fireplace”.

What: “UBUNTU Fireplace” is an artistic showcase of local Kenyan talent, which draws upon the historical centerpiece of fire-based storytelling, music and dance. It is set against the backdrop of Café UBUNTU, a place based farm-to-table project of CTC International in Maai Mahiu, and contributes to growing community through local art, local food, and social enterprise.

Why: Through the Fireplace initiative, we seek to inject a cultural consciousness into this region. To effectively induce this consciousness and move this vision toward success, we must turn to the concept of UBUNTU, “I am because we are”. The event will be hosted by the power team NAZIZI and WYRE. This will indeed be an appropriate and strategic platform to analyze our cultural inadequacies as pertains to community service and social integration, thereby forging forthright measures to counter these shortcomings.

With the money raised from each event, we will not only be supporting local talent and local business, but will also be donating a portion of funds each month to a specific program of CTC International. All proceeds from May will go towards supporting the Malaika Mums and Malaika Kids program. These Malaika Mums all have one thing in common- they each have a child with special needs. These children are all enrolled in our school where they receive various therapy treatments and learning opportunities. Thus, the women come together to earn income for their families, support the education of their children, and support each other, while making products that improve the environment.

Book Discussion: Kizza Besigye & Uganda’s unfinished Revolution, May 12 2015 @ IFRA/BIEA Conference Room

Date: May 12, 2015
Venue: IFRA/BIEA Conference Room
Time: 11h-1230h

Daniel K. Kalinaki’s Kizza Besigye and Uganda’s unfinished revolution, DominantSeven Publishers – 2014

With : Daniel Kalinaki, Pauline Bernard, Dr.Joshua Rubongoya & Dr. Musambayi Katumanga.

About
“[R]enowned journalist Daniel Kalinaki’s book, Kizza Besigye and Uganda’s Unfinished Revolution […] charts the journey of Besigye starting from his childhood in Rukungiri to working alongside Museveni against the Obote ‘regime’ and finally, to leading an opposition movement.

The backdrop to the story is a Uganda re-emerging from decades of abuse by tyrants of yester-year. Kalinaki provides a concise account of the history of the country and interwoven into it are the stories of Besigye, Museveni and their respective parties and causes. This perhaps is where the book triumphs. In one volume the reader gains an insight into Besigye the man, the evolution of Uganda and the sins and successes of a government which has possibly outstayed its welcome.

In recent years, Besigye has often made headlines for his acts of rebellion, his inability to be silenced and refusal to stand down. The book goes into detail offering accounts of every beating, imprisonment and act of injustice forced upon him by the powers that be. In the midst of this he becomes a husband and a father, and one cannot help but think that this is what he sacrifices in order to continue with his quest for success. Years are spent in exile, away from his family and home; was it for personal glory or an act so altruistic as being for the good of the nation?

While this story is told through accounts provided by Besigye, his wife Winnie and many others that have fought by his side and against him, Kalinaki makes a concerted effort to shed light upon the huge differences between the Museveni of 1986 and the Museveni of 2016”.

Fret Venture – Time through Music Concert, May 16 2015 @ Braeburn Theatre – Gitanga Road

The Kenya Conservatoire of Music launches Fret Venture – Time Through Music concert. Fret Venture is an annual concert hosting performances of guitar students which is in its 5th great year. This year the event will be held on;

Date: Saturday, 16th May 2015
Venue: Braeburn Theatre, Gitanga Road
Time: at 7:00 pm
Advance ticket: Kshs.800/-
At the door: Kshs. 1,000/-

About
The event will feature performances from a wide variety of genres and eras with the guitar as the base instrument. From solo performances to band arrangements the program will have 25 songs that cover jazz, rock, pop, R&B, funk, afro and reggae. It will encourage the musicians to notate their arrangements as it prepares them for the professional stage. Our teacher Manaseh Uzele arranges all the pieces performed in the concert.
You are invited with your family and friends to this exciting event!

Advance tickets are available at the Conservatoire office from 1st to 9th May.

Payments should be made to The Kenya Conservatoire of Music Mpesa Paybill
Business Number: 316550
Account Number: FVC2015

Website: http://www.conservatoire.co.ke

50 Years of Conducting by Tony Davies, May 9 & 10 2015 @ All Saints Cathedral – Kenyatta Avenue

Dates: Saturday 9th May 7.30 pm and Sunday 10th May 3.00 pm
Venue: All Saints Cathedral, Kenyatta Avenue
Tickets: Adults: 800/- Students (with ID) and NMS members 500/-

About
The main item on the programme of this year’s May concert is the much-loved Mozart Requiem. If you don’t instantly remember it, it’s the work which was central to the film Amadeus. In the first half of the concert we shall sing eight shorter pieces, some quite well-known and others more unusual but equally lovely. We can be sure that one of them, by Jansson, will definitely be new to you because it was only published last June. It is exceptionally beautiful, which is why it has secured a place in this landmark event.

The landmark is that the conductor, Tony Davies, will be setting down his baton for the last time at the end of these concerts. He came to Nairobi in 1963 after leaving Oxford, where he conducted his first choir. He has made innumerable appearances in musical events here: as solo pianist in several concertos with the orchestra, in piano recitals, as accompanist in voice and instrumental recitals, and as conductor of his own chamber groups, the last being Cantabile. He is founder Chairman of the annual Young Musician of the Year Competition. Most importantly for us, he has conducted more performances of Nairobi Orchestra and of Nairobi Music Society (each taken separately) than anyone else in their long history (67 years and 77 years respectively). In addition to the orchestral and choral repertoires, he has conducted or been musical director of musicals, revues and opera, as well as just generally entertaining people with light piano improvisations and classical piano works at all sorts of events.

We are of course not celebrating his retirement but rather acknowledging and thanking him for the all pleasure his music he has brought to so many people, all those thousands of people in the audiences and the many hundreds of performers he has guided and encouraged since his arrival here fifty-two years ago. Do come and join the celebration, and share some of the world’s great music conducted by a great friend of music and musicians in Nairobi.

Exhibition: Remade in Kenya by Walied Osman, May 9-31 2015 @ Alliance Française

Date: May 9-31, 2015
Venue: Alliance Française

Remade in Kenya, Haute Couture Recycled Functional Art Exhibition by Walied Osman

About
Afghan-American multi-media artist, Walied Osman, exhibits an array of artwork that are a deconstruction and reconstruction of old airplanes and cars. Recycling is central to his work. Quoting from the French chemist/biologist Antoine Lavoisier’s famous maxim: ‘Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed,’ which was in turn borrowed from Greek philosopher Anaxagoras of Clazomenae, Walied’s artworks blend aesthetics with functionality and practicality, dramatically transforming scrap materials into unique haute couture functional art. The artist also addresses current events through his pieces, using the power of art to explore human follies.

Walied studied electrical engineering in the USA. His exposure to art came from working in the art-moving business connecting with museums, galleries, collectors and artists from around the world. He moved to Kenya in 2012 and was introduced to a Kenyan Italian lady, who kindly granted him access to her late husband’s warehouse full of old disused aircraft at Wilson Airport. This was the beginning of a fulfilling journey, the results of which will grace the Alliance Française galleries in May.

Comedy: Kenyans Please Step Aside, May 8-10 2015 @ Alliance Française Auditorium

Dates: May 8-10, 2015
Venue: Alliance Française Auditorium
Time: Fri. 6.30pm, Sat.3 & 6.30pm, Sun. 3 & 6.30pm
Tickets: KES 599/-

Kenyans Please Step Aside
Kenyans have jubilated that at last action has been taken and that corrupt officials have stepped aside. Heartstrings hilariously will show what happens after the whole country of Kenya has stepped aside.

This is a Heartstrings Entertainment production

Musical Play: My Mum My Queen, May 10 2015 @ Louis Leakey Auditorium – National Museums

Date: Sunday, May 10 2015
Venue: Louis Leakey Auditorium (National Museums)
Time: 2 Shows
1. Sunday 3pm 10th May
2. Sunday 6pm 10th May
Tickets: 1200/= advance, 1,500/= at the Door

About
This Mother’s day treat your mum, your wife, or a mum you love, to this amazing Play and Musical Narrative, My Mum, My Queen.

My Mum, My Queen is a celebration of the different stages of motherhood, as we get to experience the funny, challenging and heartfelt moments of motherhood, through entertaining drama and music. It will be great fun-full of laughs, and heartfelt moments that will leave your mum feeling like Royalty.

To book your tickets call 0725 040 951 or Lipa na Mpesa number 317979

Nairobi Now

Monthly Archives: May 2015