Nigeria Content Online

In a press
conference held on July 20, The Musical Society of Nigeria Festival
committee publicised the programme of events for the forthcoming MUSON
Festival 2010, scheduled to hold from October 25 to November 7 at the
MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Chatting with
journalists, Iyabo Aboaba, general manager, MUSON, remarked that with
the exception of the classical concert, all activities during the
festival will be performed by Nigerians. She appealed for support as
MUSON attempts to “Let the world know that Nigeria is not all about
kidnapping and social disequilibrium. Lagos is still determined to be
hooked up to the civilised world by the propagation of classical music.”

She emphasised that
the MUSON festival should not be seen to be limited to classical or
jazz music, reiterating that all other events are just as important as
the Jazz Nite, which will hold on November 5 and 6.

Chair of the
festival committee and vice chairman of MUSON, J.K. Randle, said that
the MUSON Festival, themed ‘Nigeria at Fifty’ to commemorate the
independence anniversary, is a celebration of Nigeria’s achievements as
a nation.

“Unlike Somalia,
where anarchy reigns presently, we have a lot of things to be thankful
for. We have cause to rejoice and are looking forward to the future
we’ve been hoping for.”

Randle also
expressed hopes that government would assist in making the festival a
success, remarking that, “We need to reach out to the agencies of
government, which should be anxious to assist us.”

Though noting the
present economic downturn of the country, and the perceived exorbitance
of the festival tickets, Aboaba said that the cost of the tickets will
not be prohibitive, “We are conscious of the economic situation and
tickets will not be out of reach for anyone. But tickets will not be
too cheap; when something is too cheap, it attracts just anything.”

Commenting on the
need to attract younger audiences to the appreciation of classical
music, Femi Adeniyi-Williams, chairman MUSON, who joined the press
briefing just as it wound to a close, noted that, “MUSON is not a
profit making organisation. The reason for its establishment is to try
to get Nigerian youth to be knowledgeable and appreciative of classical
music. Young people are the ones who will convey the image of what
Nigeria is, and what it will be in the future.”

The festival is
billed to open with MUSON Day on October 25, when the centre will “roll
out music of yesteryears”, and a reading of the work of late Alhaji
Babatunde Jose, written October 1, 1960. The British national anthem,
the old Nigerian anthem, and other compositions will be directed by
Theophilus Okang.

Other itinerary for
the MUSON festival include: the Youth Concert, a competition of 7 youth
previously shortlisted from advert responses; ‘My Kind of Music’, which
will feature four individuals of accomplishment as they give “uncommon
glimpses of the lesser known sides of their persona”, as well as
digital recordings of their favourite music.

‘Home Sweet Home’,
a play written by Bisi Adigun, about six friends who meet up to share
memories after many years since their university days, will be staged
on October 29. A classical concert and a choral concert on November 5
and 7 respectively complete the programme of events for the festival.

As MUSON gears to
host a successful 2010 festival, its diploma choir is also set to
“carry the Nigerian culture to the international orchestra.” The choir,
headed by its director, Emeka Nwokedi, will be attending the World
Conference for Music Education in Beijing, China. Speaking on the
choir’s achievement, Nwokedi revealed proudly how from 70 choir entries
the MUSON Diploma Choir (MDC) was selected as the only choir from
Africa.

Travelling with a
30-member crew, including the choir director, the school director, and
28 singers and instrumentalists, the MDC will perform in four concerts
– two in Beijing, one in the town of Tianjin, and one on August 8 for
the Diplomatic Corps and the Nigerian Ambassador to China.

Nwokedi concluded that, with all-Nigerian content, composers,
orchestra, costume, and instrumentation, the MDC is set to make MUSON
and Nigeria proud at the world orchestra, “The contents of the
performance is purely Nigerian. We are going to be representing Nigeria
to the world.”