Biography

  

AMELIA COMBRINK grew up near the beautiful town of Cambridge, England in a family that highly valued music and education. Music has been an integral part of her life from attending preschool singing groups and recording Christmas songs with her sister, through to touring and recording with choirs, teaching music to all age groups, and composing worship songs.

The Chapel Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge

She was a member of the National Youth Training Choir of Great Britain, and held a choral scholarship at Selwyn College, Cambridge with whom she recorded four CDs. After training as a Primary Teacher, she spent four years at Braeburn International School in Arusha, Tanzania. There she taught Class 4 as well as undertaking History Curriculum Co-ordinator duties. In her final two years, she became the Primary Specialist Music Teacher, delivering the British music curriculum to children of all ages, leading music clubs and choirs, coaching singing and dancing for theatre productions, and creating and managing other musical events.

The zeze of the Wagogo

Amelia has enjoyed opportunities to learn more about the musical cultures of Tanzania; including attending the Zanzibar music festival (Sauti za Busara), taking lessons on the oud at the Dhow Counties Music Academy, rehearsing with the Loruvani Masaai Choir, attending classes in Tanzanian drumming, singing and dancing at Makumira University, and jamming with Msafiri Zawose and the Sauti Band who is the only international Tanzanian recording artist of traditional Wagogo music. In particular, she has enjoyed incorporating Kiswahili songs and traditional dancing and drumming into her curriculum, and sharing these experiences with her pupils. Amelia has been privileged to experience Masaai church choirs and has also taught keyboard skills and music theory in Masaai-land.

Amelia is an active member of the music community in Arusha, where she has managed events including a collaboration concert between Kenyan and Arusha choirs, workshops with traditional Tanzanian musicians, and performed with the band Millie and the TomToms. She also maintained a private studio teaching piano, violin and voice, and has conducted choirs and lead worship groups at her church. In addition, she has gained experience working in development organisations by serving on the Board of Directors of Shining A Light, an empowerment program for underprivileged women, and a stint as Assistant Program Manager for the Pastoral Women's Council. 

Amelia is a member of the fifth and final class of El Sistema Fellows. Based at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA, the fellowship fulfilled the TEDPrize Wish of Dr. Abreu (the founder of El Sistema) to create a professional training program for 50 postgraduate musicians who are passionate about creating careers for themselves that connect music, youth and social change.



Meeting Dr Abreu

Along with the experience of sharing this learning journey with nine inspirational people, the highlight of the year was to visit and experience the program itself in Venezuela, including a meeting with Dr Abreu. Her reflections on this trip are recorded in this blog. She strongly believes that providing equal access to a quality music education has the potential for great personal and social change; taking inspiration from El Sistema, Sistema-inspired programs, her own musical upbringing and many other sources.

She currently lives in Arusha, Tanzania and is preparing for the next stage of her career whilst accompanying her husband, Kirstein, as he travels around the country serving with Mission Aviation Fellowship.