The Small Music Company With a Big Heart

MUSIXX was unofficially founded in 1999 by Denis Kwanda. Prior to this time while volunteering at the Nairobi Chapel as a sound tech and budding drummer, Denis (who has strict standards of quality) had a lot of problems getting good gear (mostly accessories) for the sound and worship team. He would spend many days combing through the Nairobi CBD looking for a music retailer who would stock quality gear. Totally fed up of getting substandard merchandise, Denis saved up $800 (KES 66,400.00 at the time) from his part-time teaching job at Rosslyn Academy & Nairobi Academy and sent an American missionary to the US with a huge shopping list. When the merchandise came, he was completely impressed at the quality, variety, durability and price. When he began using the gear, many people would beg to buy from him. He then began selling some of the gear, saving up and sending more people for greater and greater quantities of gear under the unregistered name MUSIXX (later to be fully registered in 2008).

By 2004, the demand was too high for people to carry, and many of his carriers had already moved on to other countries. MUSIXX stopped retail as Denis focused on teaching music. In late 2006 after he married his wife Connie, they went through a financial crunch that led them to think about re-launching the retail business. They thoroughly studied the Kenyan import structure and officially began MUSIXX retail by taking pre-payment. Customers would pay, then the orders would be consolidated and imported. This relieved the stress of looking for start-up capital and has been the operational mode to this day. Thanks to the contacts Denis had made during his earlier shopping days, they were easily able to pick up from where he left off.

Today MUSIXX has grown to become a popular supplier of musical instruments to schools, churches, and individuals while setting landmarks in the Kenyan music retail business. Denis has also gained much experience in getting good instruments and in instrument repair; and being a musician himself, he is able to help out other musicians in a way that other profit driven salesmen cannot do. For Denis and Connie, it’s about finally giving Kenyan musicians the choice of sound they have been desperately looking for.

MUSIXX has no bells and whistles, just a quiet, simple company. That is why it is so effective in providing solutions. The time others focus on PR and gaining a big name is the time we spend on providing effective and quality service. It’s just that simple.

Denis is also currently the country representative for LCM Examinations (London College of Music) in Kenya.