Opinion: The selection of three fellows for 1beat Program is evidence of #Kenya’s rising status as a cultural hub

by with No Comment newsOpinion
The tour dates Sept. 10-Oct. 7, 2012
What happens when you bring musicians from different continents in one country for a tour and residency program? Well, you have yourself smart power and that is what the United States of America has been up to of late. This is through the 1beat program that brought together 32 fellows from 21 countries to the US for tours and residency program.
What is 1beat?
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/49820202 w=500&h=281]

OneBeat 2012 from Found Sound Nation on Vimeo.

OneBeatSM is an international music exchange that celebrates musical collaboration and social engagement through innovative people-to-people diplomacy. From September 10 – October 7, a group of exceptional young musicians from around the world will collaboratively write, record, produce, and perform original music in venues ranging from concert halls to city parks to rock clubs. In addition to creating new work, OneBeat Fellows will partner with community organizations, schools, and socially-engaged local musicians to offer workshops, performances, and public dialogues.

Ambassadors of Soft Power
Kenya is a bastion of sports especially track races and marathons but what is now emerging is that Kenya is also rising as a cultural hub. This is evident in selection of three musicians from Kenya out of the eight who represented Africa. The musicians who represented Kenya are;
1. Nina Ogot
2. Muthoni the Drummer Queen and
3. Kato Change
Other African countries represented are Democratic Republic of Congo (with two musicians), Nigeria, Mozambique and Senegal each with one representative.

NairobiNow takes this opportunity to congratulate these Kenyan trailblazers and wish them all the best in their endeavours.