Nurturing Young Singers’ Talent

Ndugu Mdogo Centre, on Saturday February 5 hosted a training session on singing that saw participation from about fifty students of the Domus Marie Secondary School and others from our affiliate centres. The young men were in high spirits, full of anxiety despite the morning cold.

The early morning training kicked off by greetings and a briefing session on the day’s activity from Fr. Kizito Sesana, founder and director of Koinonia Community.

“Today we are going to have a different kind of training from those of the past, much focus will be on singing, we will not take much time on dancing, acrobats or drama, those you already know,” he said.

With those few remarks, he asked Mr. Kisanga, a teacher at Domus Marie Secondary school, to take over the session.  

The children’s excitement filled the air, their anticipation written all over their faces. The students showed their quick grasping speed as they sang the Italian song- Va Pensiero, which was being used for audition purposes. Because the lyrics had been written on the board before them, they found it easy to pronounce the words of the foreign song, making singing an easy task.

The purpose of the training was to prepare the children vocally, to enable them acquire the skills to sing. Those who emerge victors will be chosen to join the Italian orchestra team expected in the country by February 13. The Koinonia Youth Team will display their best numbers, in the hope of being selected to take part in the Friendship Concert that will take place in Uhuru Park on 9 July, with the participation of the Cherubini Orchestra and Choir, a total of almost 300 talented musicians from all over Italy.

As the curtains fell on the training, only one thing stood out- the determination of the students in outshining one another while anxiously waiting for February 15 2011, the day successful competitors will perform a show for the Italian organizing committee of the Friendship Concert.