This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
On August 24, 2019, Professor Emily Achieng' Akuno made history by becoming the first Kenyan and first female from Africa to occupy the presidency of the Paris-based International Music Council.
Prof Achieng' is a woman of many talents, serving as a professor of music at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) and Deputy Vice Chancellor at the Co-operative University of Kenya.
She is set to take over as the president of the Pan-African Society of Music Educators (PASMAE) next year, succeeding Prof Mellitus Nyongesa Wanyama.
Prof Achieng' spoke to Nation.co.ke about her experiences and insights on the importance of music festivals, particularly the Kenya National Music Festivals at Kabarak University.
“I started participating in music festivals when I was 10 years old, and this has shaped my career, which culminated into becoming a professor of music,” she recalls.
She praised the performances at this year's festival, highlighting the uniformity of movement on stage, vocal blending, and artistry that showcased the best of talents.
Prof Achieng' was particularly impressed by the deep involvement of the boy child in this year's competition, noting that the number of boys participating was impressive.
She added, “I remember in 2006, we had more female participants than their male colleagues. I am glad the boy child is stepping out and coming back to the stage.”
Prof Achieng' also emphasized the importance of registering intellectual property rights for musicians, saying, “As artists and trainers must learn to register with the relevant authorities so that their works are protected.”
She commended the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) for its potential to take music and other talents to the next level, saying, “It is crucial we embrace CBC so that we can prepare the next generation of pianists, composers, and singers.”
Prof Achieng' has been working tirelessly to promote Kenyan music on the international stage, saying, “Kenya has no option but to revive its participation in the international music scene. What we need to do is to come together and forge unity like this one witnessed in national music festivals and upscale it to an international level.”
She also suggested harmonizing church festivals and cultural music gatherings calendars to form a formidable yearly show, which would bring people together and grow economically.
Prof Achieng' is set to complete her two-year tenure as president of the International Music Council on September 27, 2021.
She shared that her sons, Moses and Darrel-Jo, are both musically inclined, with Moses playing the saxophone and Darrel-Jo playing the violin.
Prof Achieng' has written several songs for her singing group at Nairobi Central Seventh Day Adventist Church and has published music books, including the 8-4-4 series known as music for schools.
