Dr. Wilson O. Shitandi is an Adjunct Lecturer in Music in General Studies at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. He is continuing his professional development by pursuing a graduate certificate in Academic Advising through the Indiana University School of Education. He is also an interpreter (Kiswahili) with Exodus Refugee Services in Bloomington, Indiana.
Previously, he worked as the Director of Post-Graduate Studies at Kabarak University, and as founding Associate Dean and senior lecturer in the School of Music and Media. He supervised Masters and Doctoral students' exams and defenses across the university, and taught courses in ethnomusicology and African music, including traditional dance, instrumental, and vocal music, as well as courses in composition, harmony and counterpoint. A former DAAD Scholar, Dr. Shitandi completed his research studies at the universities of Mainz and Hildesheim in Germany and at Kenyatta University, under the guidance of Prof. Wolfgang Bender, Prof. Emily Okuno, and Prof. Charles Nyakiti.
Dr. Shitandi is an active choral member and conductor, and he is a strong advocate of community-based music making as a vehicle towards social change. To this end, he and other music educators in Kenya and the USA initiated a project called Tunaweza Kimuziki, a music and cultural exchange project that aims to nurture and promote music talents through workshops, online learning, seminars, and performances. Dr. Shitandi has published in book chapters and peer reviewed journals with research interest in the areas of African music, ethnomusicology, musicology, hymnology, and choral music. In addition, he sings, composes, and arranges African indigenous music, national songs, and Euro-American classical music. He has earned an international reputation as an expert in Kenyan drumming and vocal music. Among his choral compositions are ten masses for mixed chorus in Kiswahili and English. He is the director emeritus of St. Cecilia Holy Cross Choir in Nairobi, a board member of the Bloomington (Indiana) Symphony Orchestra, founding member and principal director of Star Chorale, and a founding member of the Tunaweza Kimuziki initiative. He is also a member of Society for Ethnomusicology, a member and the Kenyan Representative at the Kenya Studies and Scholars Association (USA), the American Guild of Organists (Nairobi chapter), Pan African Musical Arts Education, Nairobi Choral Music Society, Rotary (Bloomington Indiana district), and Voces Novae.
Previously, he worked as the Director of Post-Graduate Studies at Kabarak University, and as founding Associate Dean and senior lecturer in the School of Music and Media. He supervised Masters and Doctoral students' exams and defenses across the university, and taught courses in ethnomusicology and African music, including traditional dance, instrumental, and vocal music, as well as courses in composition, harmony and counterpoint. A former DAAD Scholar, Dr. Shitandi completed his research studies at the universities of Mainz and Hildesheim in Germany and at Kenyatta University, under the guidance of Prof. Wolfgang Bender, Prof. Emily Okuno, and Prof. Charles Nyakiti.
Dr. Shitandi is an active choral member and conductor, and he is a strong advocate of community-based music making as a vehicle towards social change. To this end, he and other music educators in Kenya and the USA initiated a project called Tunaweza Kimuziki, a music and cultural exchange project that aims to nurture and promote music talents through workshops, online learning, seminars, and performances. Dr. Shitandi has published in book chapters and peer reviewed journals with research interest in the areas of African music, ethnomusicology, musicology, hymnology, and choral music. In addition, he sings, composes, and arranges African indigenous music, national songs, and Euro-American classical music. He has earned an international reputation as an expert in Kenyan drumming and vocal music. Among his choral compositions are ten masses for mixed chorus in Kiswahili and English. He is the director emeritus of St. Cecilia Holy Cross Choir in Nairobi, a board member of the Bloomington (Indiana) Symphony Orchestra, founding member and principal director of Star Chorale, and a founding member of the Tunaweza Kimuziki initiative. He is also a member of Society for Ethnomusicology, a member and the Kenyan Representative at the Kenya Studies and Scholars Association (USA), the American Guild of Organists (Nairobi chapter), Pan African Musical Arts Education, Nairobi Choral Music Society, Rotary (Bloomington Indiana district), and Voces Novae.
Dr. Shitandi has been involved in several projects in Kenya and internationally, including St. Cecelia choir of Holy Cross parish, Kenyatta University Department of Music and Dance, Muziki 4 Kenya, Tunaweza Kimuziki, and Utafiti Foundation. Click here for more information about these projects.
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Dr. Shitandi has many compositions, arrangements, and publications available. Click here for sample performances and an overview of available works.
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