On Friday, Oct. 27, Kingswood Oxford welcomed world-renowned musician, Samite Mulondo, to the Roberts Theater stage for an exuberant performance of East African music. Invited to the school through the Goodman Banks Symposium program, Samite’s visit was noted as a favorite of many KO students. “I thought it was riveting,” junior Alex Segal said. “I like the way that he got the audience engaged and made us excited to hear the music.”
In anticipation of Samite’s arrival, creative arts teacher Dr. Wayne Pierce spoke to students and faculty about the Goodman Banks Visiting Artist program and its importance within the KO curriculum. Following this, junior Margaret Miller introduced Samite and talked about his achievements.
Samite was born and raised in Uganda, and he was introduced to the musical world when his grandfather taught him to play the flute. However, in 1982 he fled to Kenya and became a refugee as a result of political conflict. He then came to New York, where he founded Musicians for World Harmony, an organization working to empower musicians and promote peace around the world. In 2019, he received a Hollywood Music in Media award for his song “On the Same Journey.”
Despite his impressive accolades and contributions, Samite came across as a humble performer. “I decided to listen to some of his music while I was preparing my speech, and it was pretty good, but his live performance exceeded my expectations,” Margaret said. “Some people are naturally great performers, and he definitely had those talents.”
Alex also noted the unique nature of his performance. “The way he introduced himself to us wasn’t, ‘I am a musician playing for you,’” she said. “It felt more like, ‘I am a musician playing for us.’”
Samite, along with two other performers on drums and guitar, crafted an engaging performance of original songs interspersed with personal anecdotes and audience participation. As an introduction to one of his songs, Samite explained what he had in mind while composing. “[The melody] reminded me of the lakes, rivers, and mountains in Uganda,” he said. Following an audience question, he admitted that most of the notes he composes come from dreams. “I always keep a tape recorder next to my bed,” he said with a smile.
In addition to playing the kalimba, an African instrument native to Zimbabwe, Samite encouraged audience participation through dancing, clapping, and singing. The Upper School choir was invited up to the stage to accompany Samite in his song “Ani Oyo.” Additionally, Samite initiated call-and-response with his second-to-last song, “Kaleba.” Finally, the entire student body was up and moving during the last song, “Buli Muntu.”
Margaret reflected on the performance as a whole. “I really loved it,” she said. “He was very energetic and engaging, and I liked how he interacted with the crowd.” Alex echoed these statements. “His energy and music were very unique, and I would definitely love to see him back at KO in the future,” she said. Samite’s visit encouraged appreciation of the arts and brightened the days of KO faculty and students.
