Meet Ken Wakia: Founder and Visionary Behind the Nairobi Chamber Chorus

By Samuel Ouma

Ken Wakia is a distinguished Kenyan choral music director and the visionary founder of the Nairobi Chamber Chorus (NCC), a prominent choral ensemble in East Africa. Since its establishment in October 2005, the Nairobi Chamber Chorus has emerged as a symbol of choral excellence, nurturing young talent and highlighting the beauty and depth of choral music both locally and internationally.

With a strong background in music, Ken is a proud alumnus of Kenyatta University, where his passion for the arts was first ignited. Over the last two decades, he has collaborated with hundreds of young singers, primarily aged 19 to 25, many of whom are university students from institutions such as Kenyatta University, the Technical University of Kenya, Strathmore University, and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. Others come from Nairobi’s vibrant music scene, including the Conservatoire of Music and self-taught musicians.

Through the Nairobi Chamber Chorus, Ken has promoted the appreciation of choral music in Kenya and beyond, working to dispel misconceptions about the art form. Under his guidance, the ensemble has evolved into a celebrated platform for musical expression and cultural exchange, providing singers with opportunities to perform both locally and on international stages. As the Nairobi Chamber Chorus marks its 20th anniversary in 2025, Ken Wakia’s unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and celebrating the rich tapestry of choral music serves as a testament to his passion and vision.

Ken had a one-on-one interview with Pan African Visions correspondent Samuel Ouma where he shared his journey in music and the Nairobi Chamber Chorus. Here is the conversation:

Can you share your journey as the founder of the Nairobi Chamber Chorus? What inspired you to create this choir, and how has your vision evolved over the years?

Ken Wakia: My journey is actually an interesting one, because when people see me now on stage conducting, and you know conducting is waving my hands to the choir members. So when people see me do that, they always think that this guy must have grown up doing this, and he always wanted to do this. He's living his dream. But ironically, I joined, choir music by force. I went to Mumias complex primary school and while I was in class six our music teacher then Mr. Lamek, who was also the deputy head teacher of the school came to our class and asked all of us to stand up and sing national anthem. Lamek would then go around the class, pointing at the people he wants to go to the choir, and he would say, “you are in my choir”, that was the last thing, because I wanted to play football. A lot of people from our area are footballers, so I did not want anything to do with choir. Incidentally, choir and football met at exactly the same time after classes, and so the choice was either you join choir or play football and I went to choir once, because, you know, those days we were smacked if you disobeyed the teacher, and I did not like it, so I sneaked away to go and play football.

But Lamek had such a photographic memory, and he knew those who were not his rehearsal. The next day he’ll call you in his office, then you'd get smacked. So after three or so escapades, I decided, Okay, I'm going to stay here, and then we started traveling for the music festivals, and that seemed quite enjoyable to me. So then I thought, Oh, it's actually interesting. And I enjoyed performing on stage and winning trophies. In high school, I voluntarily chose to join the choir myself, and there we also enjoyed going to the Kenya Music Festival, and so I was already having a lot of fun being on stage. Long story short, I fought with my father to take music at the university because my dad wanted me to be an engineer. As you well know parents that our parents want us to be what they want, what they see in you now. My dad said to me that, “you know this music of yours, you can't go to the university just to sing nothing, no such thing.” But then I was already doing very well in music. In fact, it was my strongest subject. And my music teacher then Mr. Matenda Chere from Musingu High School, really liked me being in the choir, and it was very encouraging to me. So between Mr. Matende Chere and I, we chose my first choice at the university to be music education. So I went to Kenyatta University and did my music education there. But even then, I was part of the Kenyatta University Choir, and my music teacher, Mcokeyo, also really encouraged me. He thought I was the best conductor. So in fact, at one Kenya Music Festival competition, he once described my performance as the best conducted performance. So Mcokeyo was extremely encouraging. And while at Kenyatta University, I was always given the opportunity to conduct the University choir and you know, all that gave me a very good basis.

When I went to precious blood as a music teacher, I also continued to conduct this group choir. Then fast forward, when I was in Miami at the University of Miami in Florida, I joined a community choir there called JUBILATE. I joined this community choir, and the sounds that were around me were just so nostalgic. I was just wondering If I can create something like this in Kenya. But even before I went to Miami, I had traveled around Europe with the choir known as the World Youth Choir. So in 1997 I auditioned to join the World Youth Choir, and I was invited to go to Japan. We Toured Japan, Taiwan, Poland, Italy, France, and a lot of other countries in Europe. That was in 1997 and I just so wished that we could have a choir in Kenya that was something like this. So coming from the World Youth Choir in 1997 and later in Miami in the year 2003,  2005 for me, it was already decided that I really wanted to start something like this in Kenya. I wanted a choir that was going to perform choral music at a very high level, and a choir that would give young singers a challenge, something to challenge them and to hear international sounds around them. When I formed the Nairobi chamber chorus, one of my aims was to give young people a broad experience in music, that is choral music. So I have been performing a wide range of choral music, of course, based on our sound, which is still a very Kenyan sound, but with an international touch.

I must say that my vision of bringing international level in Kenya has really been achieved, because not only is Nairobi Chamber Chorus one of the best choirs in Kenya today, but the choir at the moment acts as an inspiration to many other choirs. In fact, I always get texts and messages on my phone or Facebook page of how my work with the Nairobi Chamber Chorus is an inspiration to the choir directors and singers in Kenya. The NCC is helping build careers of young people, not only in singing, but in many other things. Music in itself, is a very therapeutic, therapeutic career. Whereas some people prefer not to actively participate in the singing or performing the music, they are very active listeners. So I feel like the Nairobi Chamber Chorus has acted as a catalyst for high level choral singing in Kenya and for the last 20 years, the choral music environment in Kenya has really improved. I think that is in part due to the work that Nairobi Chamber Chorus and other choirs around have performed because since we started in 2005 we have given concerts in and around Kenya, and if you're familiar with the Michael Joseph Center that was our home for many years. We did lots of concerts there, and we have had a lot of audience members coming to us and saying, what a wonderful afternoon or evening they had in our concerts. So I view the vision of Nairobi Chamber Chorus in itself evolving from a toddler, so to say to this adult that it has become. And we are meeting our initial objectives, which is to expand the realm of The knowledge of all these singers.

How did the collaboration with Hans Zimmer come about, and what does this opportunity mean to you and the Nairobi Chamber Chorus?

Ken Wakia: We were invited to a festival in Germany early last year and it was going to be in May 2024. They published our performance on their website and before long I got an e-mail from the festival saying, we have an inquiry about your availability for another performance. Would you be interested? And we said yes. I’m sure they might not mind if I mention them. There is a production company known as the Kaitos. that got in touch with us. They said we have seen you performance in Germany. We have another opportunity, maybe you might be interested and we said for sure. Tell us more about it and that’s how we got into the world of Hans Zimmer programme because as soon as we said yeah, we are interested. But you know they were not sure because they didn’t know who we are. They also did not know our ability. They did not know whether we were going to fit. You know, this is an African choir. I know they were asking themselves questions like what kind of Voices do they have? What kind of music will they manage? And so? Once we said yes, they said yeah, but this was not really the final. They said if you’re available now, we move to the next stage and the next stage was an audition. They sent US music and asked us to sing, record, then send it to them? So we sang, recorded, sent it to them and they said, oh, wow, OK, if you’re still interested, you’re hired. We would like you to come on tour with us and the rest was history. So we I always tell my seniors whenever we are having a concert, I tell them you never know who is in the audience, you never know who is listening. So while on stage you need to give your very best because for me, every performance is a step. Things turn to the next performance.

The collaboration meant a lot for us. It meant that we were getting to keep our pivot point, because, as I told you, we are quieter, so we are a mix of classical and African.  And joining this program was going to be a really new line for us, because it is all about film music. Whereas we had peformed excerpts from musicals, like we had performed just small excerpts from various musicals, because I personally love music. Musicals are not exactly classical choral setup. So joining this program spelled a brand new life for us. You know, blending into film music that has been scored for quite so it was really interesting is the one of black music. It was a very interesting opportunity for us, because then it was given as a new challenge and as I told you before, my objective was to challenge young musicians. This was, for us, a new challenge for the prior we were going into new territories that we had not envisioned before. So yeah, that's what this opportunity meant for us.

What has been the most fulfilling part of performing alongside Hans Zimmer, and how has this experience influenced the choir’s musical style and approach?

Ken Wakia: The most fulfilling moment for me was really being on stage and watching in the audience, knowing that there is 10,000 people watching us. It was one of those superstar moments, because choral music is usually believed to be performed in a concert hall. Usually the largest concert hall you might have to acquire performance has a capacity of 10,000. Concert halls like the Royal Navajo, which takes about five to 6000 or, you can think about the concept of the National Theater, which takes about 300 people. We had performed at the Michael Joseph Center, which takes a maximum of 250 people. Here we are on stage in Frankfurt and having 10,000 people in the audience. Here we are in Berlin, having 10,000 people in the audience. Here we are in London, the Auto stadium, with 12000 or so 1000 people in the audience. How could this be that we are on stage and being watched by 10,000 people? For us, this was big, big moment.

Meanwhile, choral music is, typically, performed within acoustical settings where you do not need microphones. But here we were, performing with microphones because that's the style of this music, so we had to adjust to adjust to fit into this style. I have really encouraged my singers to be as flexible as possible, and that's the reason we have been able to see broadly. And I do not want to blow my trumpet, but I think the background that I gave the group meant that we were able to fit into this style with ease and with very little disruption, because my choir has not been very positive. In my repertoire planning, I made sure to include a variety of programs at different times. We're not just a typical choir that adheres to one style—we're quite versatile. My programming is designed to feature a mix of genres, from jazz to musicals, so we can represent a wide range of music from different backgrounds.

 The choir showcases Africa’s cultural richness during the tour. How do you think this representation challenges stereotypes about the continent and inspires young African artists?

Ken Wakia: I'm a really strong believer in the ability of Africans to do anything that is presented to them and one of the reasons that I started Nairobi Chamber Chorus, was really to prove to the world that Africans can do whatever is presented to them. I wanted to challenge the idea that African music is only about folk songs. While folk music is a universal aspect of every culture, there’s a stereotype that when you mention being from Africa, people expect you to perform folk songs in traditional clothing, often exaggerated with animal skins or painted faces. My goal was to change that narrative by highlighting our versatility—showing that we can perform European music just as well as anyone else. We’ve even embraced Asian music, regularly participating in the Japanese Emperor’s Day celebrations, where we sing their national anthem, which is notably the shortest anthem in the world.

How does the choir incorporate African cultural elements into its performances, and what has been the reaction from international audiences?

Ken Wakia: Currently, in this Hans Zimmer production, The Lion King is often regarded as the highlight of the performance. I have a deep appreciation for this production because it masterfully combines various elements, presenting a vision of what the world should ideally be—a harmonious mix of cultures and artistic styles. The Lion King unites the richness of Western musical traditions with the vibrant essence of African music and the captivating beauty of diverse cultural expressions. What makes this production even more remarkable is its ability to connect with the audience on a profound level. Our capacity to sing and dance at the same time leaves the audience in awe, and that combination is a hallmark of our performances. On stage, we don’t merely stand still and sing; we infuse life and energy into the music through movement. Each performance is a dynamic showcase of rhythm, choreography, and harmony.

For us Africans, movement is an integral part of how we express ourselves musically. Our performances are a full-body experience, incorporating unique dance styles, expressive gestures, and vibrant singing. This distinctive approach not only highlights the African spirit but also creates an unforgettable experience for the audience, who often find themselves swept up in the rhythm and energy we project. The audience’s response to this blend of singing and dancing is a testament to the power and impact of this fusion. By weaving traditional African movement and rhythm into a global production like The Lion King, we not only preserve the essence of African culture but also celebrate it on an international stage, creating a shared experience that resonates with everyone.

 What challenges have you faced leading the Nairobi Chamber Chorus to this global stage?

Ken Wakia: Our challenges are quite common for many of us in various groups. The most significant hurdle we face is finances. If we had the necessary funds, we could accomplish everything that is expected of us. The Nairobi Chamber of Commerce operates purely on a voluntary basis, and we don’t even have membership fees. I owe a lot to my wife, who has supported me since I founded the Nairobi Chamber Chorus. There have been numerous occasions when she has allowed me to use our personal finances to support our activities.

I also strongly believe in copyright and understand the effort that musicians and artists put into creating their work. At Nairobi Chamber Chorus, we strive to adhere to copyright regulations as much as possible. Whenever I perform a piece of music, I make it a point to reach out to the composer or arranger to obtain their permission. I don’t simply photocopy music for my choir. If I can’t reached out to the singers, I play the music instead. It has become a tradition in the Nairobi Chamber Chorus to purchase published music for our performances, which often comes down to using our own resources. As I mentioned earlier, we receive invitations for various international trips, sometimes I’m invited, but the organizers require us to cover our own airfare. This often forces us to travel with a limited number of choir members due to financial limitations. However, some collaborations, like those with Hans Zimmer, are fully funded, which makes things much easier for us.

 With upcoming U.S. performances, how is the choir preparing for this next chapter of the tour, and do you see this opening more doors for future collaborations?

Ken Wakia: The choir is ready to go as it has had amazing rehearsals. I’ve had online rehearsals with the choir and as far as I’m concerned the choir is ready. When we get there, we’re going to have another two days of rehearsals with everybody before we start the concerts. So I am very confident that the choir is ready for this performance and who knows, as I said before, you never know who is listening. I do believe that this performance is only going to open more.

Looking back, what moments stand out as the most pivotal or rewarding for you in your journey with the choir?

Ken Wakia: I cannot answer that question without mentioning performance we had in 2012. It may sound a long time ago but that performance still stands out as it marked a turning point for Nairobi Chamber Chorus in 2012. We got scouted and we went and performed for the Queen of England and since then we have been receiving invitations every year.

 What advice would you give to aspiring musicians or choirs aiming for global success, and what values do you emphasize to ensure the choir maintains its identity amidst international recognition?

Ken Wakia: The very important word for me in my vocabulary is integrity. If people don’t trust you, they will not entertain you around them and I would advise anyone who wants to get into this field to think about it. You cannot invite someone in your house if you know that they are going to leave with your spoon or knife. So I would say that integrity is very important, but also you have to aim for the highest. Whatever it takes, you have to do your level best, but you also have to remain consistent.

 What’s next for the Nairobi Chamber Chorus after the Hans Zimmer Live tour, and how do you see the choir continuing to shape the global perception of African talent and culture?

Ken Wakia: The Nairobi Chamber Chorus is making its mark on the global stage, and we hope our performances resonate with audiences, leaving them with a lasting impression of Africa's vibrant spirit. Our goal is to share the positive aspects of Africa—highlighting the incredible talents that flourish across this continent. Through our music, we strive to be proud ambassadors of Africa, demonstrating that our potential knows no limits. The richness of Africa extends beyond its minerals; it is also a wealth of cultural resources, overflowing with creativity and artistry.