By Ozolua Uhakheme
Vice Chairman, Musical Society of Nigeria, (MUSON) Mr. Louis Mbanefo (SAN) has said the yearly MUSON Festival may become a centre for arts in West Africa.
Mbanefo spoke at the unveiling of this year’s festival activities in Lagos.
He said: ‘’From our aspiration some 14 years earlier to set up a modest society to organise concerts, it has grown into a centre of musical excellence, a rallying point for the realisation of artistic dreams and a socio-cultural venue.’’
He noted that a major development since the first festival was the establishment of the MUSON Diploma School, pioneered by the late Mr. James Adekunle.
“It was nurtured and placed on a high trajectory by director, Mrs Marion Akpata and her deputy Mrs Edna Soyanwo. Both retired last year and have been succeeded by Princess Banke Ademola and her deputy Mr. Emeka Nwokedi. The school has produced over 300 alumni who are musicians of high calibre, a testimony to the outstanding leadership and teaching staff of the school,” he added.
Mbanefo disclosed that two visiting international artistes, renowned conductor Walter Michael Vollhardt and pianist Rebecca Omordia, will be featuring at the festival, which opens from today till October 27.
For the second year, the MUSON Festival has set aside a day to celebrate Nigeria’s rich culture with those of four countries in an international night of culture featuring special presentations from China, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Columbia. The festival, which has as theme, Celebrating excellence in the arts, will open today with a Youth Concert, Music Meets Art, featuring free Master Class conducted by Edosa Ogiugo with Yinka Davies as model, and exhibition organised in partnership with Society of Nigerian Artists. The festival will also feature Nigerian troupes, such as Footprints of David and joint dance performances from foreign troupes.
Chairman, Festival Organising Committee Mr. Kitoye Ibare-Akinsan said the recently-inaugurated Muson Marketing and Fund Raising Committee had enhanced sponsorship of the festival.
He noted that through the committee’s activities ‘’we have been able to obtain sponsorship in cash and kind from many organisations’’. According to him, the festival, which has been held in the past 23 years, is an initiative for expanding the cultural base and scope of MUSON to involve all-performing arts with the fine art.
To spice the festival with satirical performance, a fast-pace comedy play, Wat’s Dis All About, an adaptation of Woza Albert, a South African play created by Mbogeni Ngema, Percy Mtwa and Barney Simon, under the siege of apartheid. It is being directed by renowned actor Toyin Oshinaike, produced by African Radio Drama Association (ARDA) and will be performed by OneSix Productions.
The Artistic Director, Toyin Oshinaike said: “The adaptation to the Nigerian socio-political situation is a satirical commentary based on the hilarious idea of the coming of a messiah to Nigeria and the bizarre expectations of the common man for a better life.”
Among the events lined up for the festival are My kind of music, Chevron festival drama, Danjuma festival opera, Alumni concert (Igbe yawo), Piano master class by Rebecca Omordia, Muson Day, Jazz party, Festival gala night, Muson festival choir, Muson festival orchestra and Piano concerto.
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