The city of Lagos came alive last week for the annual celebration of the Music Society of Nigeria’s (MUSON) musical festival.
The event which kicked off on Thursday October 16th with the festival’s favourite show, My Kind of Music at the Agip Recital Hall.
Tagged ‘Coming of Age’, it was the18th edition. MUSON general manager, Gboyega Banjo described the theme as the age when adolescents are generally no longer considered minors and are granted the full rights and responsibilities of an adult.
‘My Kind of Music’ was a gathering of some prominent Nigerians who shared their personal love for music. Those who were invited to discuss their kind of music were: Emeka Anyaoku,former secretary general of the Commonwealth, Dr. Mrs Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, scion of the Awolowo family, who was unavoidably absent at the event and former Nigerian ambassador, Professor Ayo Banjo, former vice chancellor University of Ibadan and Mrs Mobolaji Osomo,former minister of housing, lands and urban development.
The session was anchored by chair, Festival Organising Committee, Kitoyi Ibare-Akinsan anchored the program.
The session started with Banjo telling the audience about his all time favourite Mozart –Piano concerto No9 (First Movement). The music was played to the audience through an audio CD.
Another favourite for Banjo is ‘My ain Folk’, a Scottish song made very popular by the celebrated Scottish tenor, Kenneth Mackeller. But a recording done by John McDermot was played that evening. “I came across this piece when I was studying in Scotland and Kenneth Mackeller used to perform it very often and I found the words very fascinating because if you hear he says: “I’m far across the sea but my heart will always be at home in good old Scotland, with my ain folk.” whenever Banjo heard it, he felt nostalgic about home while studying in England.
Banjo also likes Beethoven’s piano sonata. A preference he tied to his failure as a pianist. “I love Beethoven’s piano sonatas I think basically because I am myself a failed pianist, “ he said to the audience’s amusement, “and the number that I am proposing is his Sonata No 21 in C Major, the Rondo. Ever since I first listened to a live performance of this sonata, I fell in love in it. “
Next was Chief Anyaoku who said he loves the music of Louis Armstrong. “I happen to be very fond of his rather croaky voice in singing ‘What a Wonderful World ’ he told the gathering. “It’s a piece that I always enjoy listening to. He’s my favourite trumpeter; he was a great trumpeter but he combined it with his singing in his rather unusual voice.”
In addition, Anyaoku is in love with the popular song ‘Edelweiss’. A famous piece in the all time musical, Sound of Music.
For Osomo, ‘Ise Oluwa’ is her favourite song. “Ise Oluwa is very popular in Nigeria,” she recalled, “and I had to render the song in the 1960s in England and I was the only Black student in Scarborough. ‘Ise Oluwa’ was written by Dayo Dedeke as performed tonight by Mr Edwards. He has a very wonderful bass voice and the bass voice reminds me of Paul Robeson.”
The festival continued on October 19th with the staging of a stage adaption of Cyprian Ekwensi’s famous novel, Jagua Nana. Adapted for stage by playwright and director, Wole Oguntogun and performed by the Renegade theatre, Jagua Nana tells the story of Jagua Nana, a streetwise prostitute who later finds true love but her greed will not let her follow her heart. In the end, she inherits the money stolen by her politician male friend, Otunba Taiwo. Jagua Nana highlights the social decadence of post independence Nigeria where young women eager to live in the city are forced to go into prostitution in a bid to make ends meet in a city like Lagos.
As a musical, the play takes the audience down memory lane with the use of 1960 music which cuts across different genres like highlife, calypso, etc.
An exhibition of paintings on modern contemporary art was part of this year’s festival. Some of the pieces exhibited were works of established and emerging artists. The theme coming of age of the festival was visible in the array of works displayed. Guests were treated to works from masters like Aina Onabolu, Ben Enwonwu and that of younger artists like Olamide Onadipe, Osagie Aimufia amongst others. The work ‘Adamu Orisha’ by Aimufia depicts the famous Eyo festival with the artist showing the masquerade in static position. However, the intensity with which the artist paints the folds of the Eyo regalia makes the work engaging.
The high point of the MUSON Festival is the classical concert which took place on Sunday October 19th at the Agip Recital Hall. The MUSON Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tunde Jegede performed interesting classical pieces such as ‘Lamentation for Strings’, Cello Sonata in E minor for Cello and Orchestra to the delight of the audience. The highpoint of the night’s presentation was the performance of late Fela Anikulapo’s popular tune, Water no get Enemy which was arranged by Bode Afolabi.
A jazz night with Ben Idakula and Imoleayo Balogun brought a twist to the week long activity. The audience was treated to some of the finest of contemporary Jazz tunes.
Finally, the curtain closed on this year’s edition of the festival with the Gala Choral Concert by the MUSON Choir conducted by Sir Emeka Nwokedi.
FUNKE OSAE-BROWN
