Kelly Takunda Orphan

Kelly Takunda Orphan, Tapscott Music Teacher, is a vocalist, percussionist, band-leader, song-leader, and plays a variety of instruments. Kelly has taught music and has collaborated and performed with musicians around the world. She weaves her experiences directly into her teaching of music, so students not only learn music from around the world but begin to understand geography and the culture of the music they study. Kelly grew up in a large Armenian-American family of musicians in the Bay Area and completed a year-long ethnomusicology course at the University of Zimbabwe (1994), where her musical life was profoundly influenced. She also lived in Oaxaca, Mexico, and developed a love for African music in the Diaspora. Kelly has also been committed to integrating anti-racism and social-emotional learning concepts into the music class. Kelly has taught music to children and adults for over 25 years and loves to bring people together in rhythm and song.