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"Changing Lives Through Music" - An Interview with Cellist Robert Howard, Co-Artistic Director of the Kenya International Chamber Music Festival

Author
Joel Dallow
Published
Fri 22 Aug 2025
Episode Link
None

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Robert Howard. Robert is a Founder and the Co-Artistic Director, along with Rebecca Merblum, of the Kenya International Chamber Music Festival. He shares his journey growing up as a cellist in metro Atlanta, to his life of teaching and freelancing in the San Francisco bay area. After an incredibly moving trip to Kenya in 2019, Robert and Rebecca were inspired to start the Kenya International Cello Festival, which quickly morphed into a chamber music festival. Robert speaks about the impact they are making in Nairobi by teaching young musicians how to play string instruments, which have been generously donated by many organizations in the US, bringing in faculty to coach chamber music groups, training music teachers to teach the younger students, and training Kenyans how to do repairs on instruments. This is an incredibly inspiring story about how to make a difference in the lives of young students living in the slums of Nairobi, through the power of music!

For more information on Robert: https://roberthowardcello.com/

You can also find Robert on Instagram: @rhowardcello

For more information on the Kenya International Chamber Music Festival: https://www.kicf.net/tour

If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com

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