Our Programmes
We believe art music, with its traditions of structure, discipline and excellence, can offer a great awakening and opportunity to a broad spectrum of Kenyan youth. Our programmes center on mentorship, first-class training and performance opportunities – we see music uniting communities and changing lives.
Ghetto Classics
Ghetto Classics is the flagship programme of the Art of Music Foundation. It is a community programme that involves over 300 children in Korogocho – one of Kenya’s biggest slums that is home to about 300,000 urban poor and over 600 more children in 9 satellite areas around Nairobi, 1 in Kiambu and 4 in Mombasa through the Link Up Programme.
National Youth Orchestra of Kenya (KNYO)
Inspired by the success of Venezuela’s El Sistema organisation in bringing communities together and developing national pride through music participation, the National Youth Orchestra of Kenya (or KNYO as it is often called) was set up in 2010 as a leadership, social-integration (across cultural, age, socio-economic, ethnic barriers) musical leadership programme. It draws from all of Kenya, public and private schools, colleges and young professionals.