Universities are emerging as important centres for nurturing creative talent, with students putting on display a new level of skill, confidence and originality during this year’s Kenya National Music Festival.

The competition demonstrated how creativity among university students has risen a notch higher, with performers taking on demanding musical and artistic categories besides blending traditional, contemporary and international styles.

Their performances have provided a platform for institutions of higher learning to demonstrate that talent development can complement academic excellence, key to achieving the country’s agenda on the creative economy.

Among the universities making a strong impression is Mount Kenya University (MKU), whose creative arts teams posted an impressive haul at the 98th Kenya National Music Festival held at Kibabii University in Bungoma County.

MKU secured 19 overall top positions, 25 second-place finishes and 14 third-place positions, earning recognition in several categories and further establishing the institution as a growing force in university creative arts.

The university choir delivered some of its strongest performances, winning top honours in the Zilizopendwa category with live instruments. It also excelled in the adaptation and arrangement of popular gospel songs and secular tunes from Kenya’s Zingazovuma repertoire.

 The choir further emerged top in a special composition sponsored by Equity Group. It also won in the Office of Data Protection Commissioner-sponsored class and finished third in a Central Bank of Kenya-sponsored set-piece.

The Verses team added to MKU’s success, winning in the Communication Authority special composition and a tuberculosis-themed composition sponsored by Amref Kenya. The team also performed strongly in French verse and other categories.

The performances underline the depth of creative talent now being developed in universities, with students increasingly using music and performing arts to express ideas, preserve culture and compete on national platforms.

MKU Dean of Students Emmanuel Awour congratulated the teams, saying their performance had “exceeded his expectations.” Team leaders Tracy Mulindi and Brillian Ochieng attributed the success to discipline, sacrifice, patience and divine guidance following months of rigorous rehearsals.

MKU Head of Sports, Film, Creative and Performing Arts William Luta said the achievement reflected the institution’s commitment to nurturing creative talent alongside academics.

The festival brought together students from Kabarak, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenyatta, University of Embu, Masinde Muliro, Cooperative, Jomo Kenyatta, Dedan Kimathi, Egerton, Alupe, Machakos, Multimedia, Daystar, Kibabii, Technical University of Mombasa, Rongo, Karatina, Maseno, St Paul’s University of Nairobi, Turkana University College and Kaimosi University.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Muoki Charles