The Symphonic Band Travels to Kenya and Tanzania

In the spring of 2013, Dean of the Conservatory of Music Michael Wilder met Rosemary Jensen, Founder and President of the Rafiki Foundation. The organization serves in multiple African nations through villages that offer education and homes for children. That meeting would spark a long friendship that would take Dr. Wilder and his wife Joyce Anne to the organization’s headquarters in Eustus Florida and even to visit the Rafiki communities in Africa. Dr. Wilder's wife Joyce Anne would start a more than a decade-long commitment to the Rafiki communities by creating a music curriculum and assisting in training teachers.

This relationship led to several collaborative projects between the Conservatory and the Rafiki Foundation. Professors, such as Dr. Buis, Dr. Okpebholo, Dr. Trotter, and Dr. McNeil all traveled to Africa to serve alongside the Rafiki Foundation in their communities.   The Rafiki Foundation has been serving African villages since 1985 by providing homes for impoverished families, widows, and orphans. They also provide Christian education and Bible studies to the communities in the hopes of raising up Christian leaders who can take the gospel into their own communities. Over the past decade, Dr. Wilder’s friendship with the Rafiki Foundation has led to additional resources including music books and curriculum. Even though faculty members have taken trips to serve in the communities in the past, this tour will mark the first official collaboration between a conservatory ensemble and the Rafiki.  When asked about personal thoughts on the trip, Dr. Wilder stated, “To provide Wheaton College students an opportunity in which they might learn about and understand God’s generous blessing in and through this organization, is to engage in life-altering relationships and engagement.”

During their two-week tour, the Symphonic Band members will perform for schools in each of the Rafiki villages as well as engage in their music programs. In addition to their concerts, the students hope to bring the joy of music and inspire future music teachers. In addition to their collaboration with the Rafiki community, they will also engage with local international schools and churches. Additionally, the Band plans to gift the Rafiki Villages with music supplies, sheet music, and instruments to help support the programs as access to these items is limited. Through these gifts and their service, the Rafiki school music programs will be able to continue for years to come. The band members will have the opportunity to strengthen their faith, build cross-cultural relationships, and gain confidence to share the gospel through the power of music. Dr. McNeil, who traveled to the Rafiki communities last summer, reflected on how musical engagement with another culture has influenced his teaching philosophy and is praying that,”...students experience this same phenomenon, and bring back new perspectives on global Christian fellowship to the Wheaton campus community.” 

– Written by Justin Hill '27