Appreciating the transcultural in music gesture diversities and stage directing in Kenyan choral music

Abstract

Choral conducting/directorship is an artistic praxis that continues to generate varied opinions and positions. Whereas in the Western world, the praxis is clearly defined, it is not the case in Kenya. It is common that whenever a choir appears on stage, questions of whether the conductor directed the choir appropriately, was overt, or lacked certain and/or requisite gesticulations arise. Consequently, some musicians show that the art ought to follow Western ideals of conducting. Others raise the need for it to be more liberated so that other directorship ideals are employed besides the Western ones. A third school of thought, however, think(s) that every artiste ought to generate their own unique directing/conducting mannerisms based on the music being performed, devoid of any restrictions. Based on the three positions, it is not clear what determines/influences conducting/directorship ideals in the Kenyan choral-art (music combining both African and Western elements) music scene. Whether it is the music being performed, the performer, or the culture that informs the praxis. This paper responds to the preceding concerns by analyzing the nature of choral-art music that is performed in Kenya based on a field study that made use of ethnographic approaches in the Kenya Music Festival 2017 edition. Among other issues, the paper demonstrates how gestures and other music traditions could be possible influences for conducting manifestations. Moreover, the paper provides insight into how conducting as visual culture and/or gesture enhances music meaning and, therefore, the need to appreciate its diversified approach as well as practice, in the transculturally negotiated choral space.