All is set for this year’s Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Festival of Arts. The festival, which has as theme, Resilience, is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 20, 2023. It ends on Sunday, October 29.
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Speaking at the unveiling of this year’s festival, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Louis Mbanefo, expressed gratitude to all the founding members and others who have supported the society all through the years. He attributed the success to their selfless contributions to MUSON.

“The founding fathers and mothers deserve the gratitude of the Nigerian society for the very considerable sacrifice of their time and skills for no personal reward or gain,” he said.

He noted that whereas the arts are heavily subsidised by governments in other climes, the MUSON project has been funded entirely through generous donations by individuals and the major companies in Nigeria.

MUSON was formed by a group of friends, including the late Mr. Akintola Williams, the late Chief Ayo Rosiji, the late Mrs. Francesca Emanuel, the late Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi and Mr. Louis Mbanefo in 1983 with the main objective of promoting the performance, understanding and enjoyment of serious music.

“On MUSON Day event on October 25, we shall be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the founding of MUSON by our founding fathers and mothers. We have amply demonstrated the spirit of resilience, for despite all the vicissitudes of life in Nigeria, MUSON continues to thrive and to progress from strength to strength – a shining example of what can be achieved by Nigerians,” he said.

Mbanefo said this year’s theme would resonate with the staying power and progress of the centre, which has shown commitment to preserving the musical arts in spite of challenges faced over the years.

“We tackled our objectives in two ways: first, we held concerts with regularity from 1984, with performances of the highest quality by Nigerian and expatriate performers.

“We have developed two Schools of Music – the Basic School, which provides musical education in the theory of performance of musical instruments for Nigerians of all ages, and the Diploma School.
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“The latter runs a two-year course in theory and instrumental performance and has an annual intake of 30 advanced students who are all granted scholarships by the MTN Foundation.

“From humble beginnings, the school has now become a Diploma awarding institution, which is accredited not only by the Ministry of Education, but also the Music Examination Board in England.

“The school has produced over 400 diploma graduates, many of whom have continued their musical education in Europe, South Africa and America and attained international recognition.

“Most of our alumni have made and are making very impressive contributions to the musical life in Nigeria and indeed, the world.

“They have raised considerably the standard of singing and musical performance in churches, in schools and at social events. Indeed, many churches and musical societies throughout Nigeria are borrowing from the templates established by MUSON,” Mbanefo explained.

“There could be no doubt that training in classical music was an important discipline for our youth and a source of spiritual fulfillment, not to mention employment, throughout their lives and the contribution of the organisation to societal development.

“The MUSON Choir, which has won gold medals at international competitions, travelled to Greece last year and performed to a distinguished audience. We have a symphony orchestra, which is conducted in regular concerts by our visiting German maestro, Walter-Michael Vollhardt. We also have an opera department, which has programmed highly acclaimed performances of many well-known international operas,” he said.

The festival will also honour the legacies of two Centenarians, who were instrumental to MUSON’s existence but passed away in September 2023.
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“Mr. Akintola Williams who celebrated his 104th birthday August 9, passed away September 11, while Sir. Mervyn Brown, who celebrated his 100th birthday on September 24, passed away two days later,” he revealed.

The 1741 composition by George Frideric Handel, titled, Messiah, is a major highlight of this year’s festival. First performed in Dublin on April 13 1742, Messiah is one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

Handel wrote Messiah for modest vocal and instrumental forces, with optional settings for many of the individual numbers. In the years after his death, the work was adapted for performance on a much larger scale, with giant orchestras and choirs.

Conducted by Sir Emeka Nwokedi, the MUSON choir and orchestra will be performing this three-hour long classic on the last day of the festival on Sunday, October 29.

The oratorio will have as guest soloist, Francesca Chiejina, an alumnus of MUSON School of Music, who is one of the most sought after soprano singers on the global stage.

The festival will also feature art exhibition with focus on the legendary artist, Bruce Onobrakpeya while the epic drama, Efunsetan Iyalode Ibadan, by Akinwunmi Sesan is selected for Chevron Festival Drama. The event will be coordinated by Prof. Muyiwa Awodiya.

Other events include, My Kind of Music, Danjuma Opera, Pagliacci, by Rugerro Leoncavallo.

The main innovation in the festival will be ‘Collabo – Music Meets Technology.’ This segment will provide expert’s insight into how the creative industry could help to boost income the nation’s economy.
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