After previous years’ themes of Resurgence, Resilience and Revival, the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) is back with its 2025 edition titled, In The Flow.
Speaking with the media on activities lined-up for this year’s musical feast on Friday, October 10, 2025, the Chairman of MUSON Board of Trustees, Louis Mbanefo (SAN), said after 42 years of excellence, the MUSON project has continued to thrive and flow beyond the dreams of its founders.
MUSON was formed by a group of friends, including Mr. Akintola Williams, Chief Ayo Rosiji, Mrs. Francesca Emanuel, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi (all dead) and Louis Mbanefo (SAN), in 1983.
He lamented that whereas the arts are heavily subsidised by governments in other parts of the world, the MUSON project has been funded entirely through the rental of our facilities as well as generous donations by individuals and the private sector in Nigeria.
He said: “The MUSON project is one that all Nigerians should be proud of. It has demonstrated what can be achieved by Nigerians when we cooperate and pool our resources, talents, skills and energies towards a common goal. The founding fathers and mothers deserve the gratitude of the Nigerian Society for the very considerable personal sacrifice of their time and skills over many years.”
According to Mbanefo, “our objective has been the promotion of the performance, understanding and enjoyment of serious music.” He said: “We have tackled our objectives in two ways. First, we have held concerts with regularity since 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 music as well as the performance of musical instruments for Nigerians of all ages, and the Diploma School. The latter runs a two-year course in music theory and instrumental performance and has a yearly intake of 45 advanced students who are all granted scholarships by the MTN Foundation.”
From humble beginnings in 2008, the School has now become a diploma awarding institution, it has produced over 500 diploma graduates, many of whom have continued their musical education in Europe 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,” he said. “They have raised considerably the standard of teaching, of singing and of musical performance in churches, in schools and at social events. Indeed, many churches and musical societies throughout Nigeria are now borrowing from the templates established by MUSON.”
According to him, “there can be no doubt that training in classical music is an important discipline for our youth and a source of spiritual fulfillment, not to mention employment, throughout their lives.”
The MUSON Choir, which has won gold medals at international competitions, has performed in Europe, America and China. The choir also has a Symphony Orchestra, which is conducted in regular concerts by the visiting German maestro Walter-Michael Vollhardt. “We also have an opera department which has programmed highly acclaimed performances of many well-known international operas. We are grateful to one of our Patrons, Lt. General T.Y. Danjuma (Retd), who has consistently financed the opera department for several years.”
The highlight of the 2025 festival, which is the 28th, is a musical brunch, held on October 12, during which there were musical performances. This was followed by the MUSON Day concert on October 14.
It was also an occasion when MUSON’s birthday was celebrated with a concert by students and alumni of the MUSON Diploma School. On that day, the pioneer Director of the School, Mrs. Marion Akpata, who passed away in September, was honoured.
On the October 17, there was a jazz party featuring performances by well-known jazz artistes. On October 18, there was equally a musical drama, sponsored by Chevron.
Titled, Sawalele – The Beat Of A Dream, it is an original musical featuring some of the amazing songs of Rex Lawson, a Nigerian highlife music legend. This is the story of a gifted and passionate young musician from the town of Rumuola, who dreamt of achieving musical greatness. The tale is a celebration of resilience, cultural identity, and the healing power of music.
The time is 12:00pm matinee, while 5:00pm is the eventide performance. The show holds at Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre.
On October 19, there will be an operatic performance. And on October 21, there is a symposium on music meets technology, which has been dubbed ‘Collabo’.
On October 23, there will be a concert showcasing talented young performers. And on October 25, there will be another operatic performance.
This year’s festival will be concluded by a gala concert on Sunday, October 26, sponsored by Total Energies. The concert features the MUSON Choir directed by Emeka Nwokedi, as well as the MUSON Symphony Orchestra conducted by our visiting maestro, Walter-Michael Vollhardt. The highlight will be a full performance by the choir and orchestra combined of Carl Orff’s iconic work, Carmina Burana.
