By ADA
DIKE
At the remarkable evening of music,
dance and instrumental extravaganza held on February 12, 2016 at Shell Hall,
MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, some members of the MUSON Alumni put up
scintillating performances that thrilled and wowed the gorgeously dressed and
handsome looking guests that graced the event.
Goodness Onuoha kick-started the concert
with Claude Debussy’s Arabesque. She wore a long black gown and adorned her
hair with a red rose and walked majestically to the stage and romanced the
piano, lifting her hands intermittently, which attracted a resounding applause.
This was followed immediately by F & C Doppler’s Fantasie.
Singing like Whitney Houston, Fatima
Anyekema rendered ‘May it Be’ from ‘Lord of the Rings’. The soul-inspiring
music caused the hall to be still as everyone focused their attention on Fatima
while Fagbohun handled the violin even as Ayo Ajayi played the piano.
There was no dull moment because the
singers and performers did not spend much time on stage and as each
performer/performers exited the stage, the next one/ones took over without
wasting time.
While showing appreciation to guests and
MTNF, the Director, MUSON School of Music, Mrs. Marion Apata, extolled MTNF kind gesture and noted
that it was the fourth pre-Valentine concert. She described the programme as
unexpected tradition for Val time celebration.
“It seems people love chocolates,
flowers and cup-cakes, and not real meaning of love for each other. MTNF has
generously joined the former scholars to spread and share the love of music.
The music defined man’s greatest expression of love and has shown we all have
love songs. The alumni have shown
appreciation to this school by giving the proceeds of this programme to the
school building project.
“To MTNF, I find it very difficult to use
the proper words to show our appreciation for their continued support for our
students and those that have graduated.” She thanked the alumni for not
forgetting them but have continued to encourage their ideals and goals. She
added that the alumni’s performances had justified the faith they placed in
them.
In her response, the Executive Secretary
of MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, extolled the alumni of MUSON for their
incredible performances that evening and urged guests to grace any occasion the
alumni are performing. She asked them to relax and enjoy the real music. “There
is a lot of alternative music out there, but there is time for this kind of
music. This is the fourth year that we are doing this concert, supporting the
alumni. When they came the first time, saying that they wanted to give back by
doing a concert and giving back to the society while the proceeds of that
concert would be used for MUSON project, and what we thought to do was to
support them. We also thought that each year, we will introduce and bring
someone from our family such as our brand ambassador, Cobham Asquo.”
The brand ambassador, Cobham Asuquo and
Banky W are some of Nigerian top acts that showed up at the concert. Asuquo
played a song titled, ‘New Beginning’ and ‘Give Me Love’ to inspire the
students and entertained guests.
The fourth item on the programme was
Seun Onifade and Seyi Ajibade who handled clarinet and piano and delivered
Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Trio for Piano, Clarinet and Cello.
It is pertinent to note that one word
that filled the air that evening was ‘Love’. It is on this note that a leader
of a nine-man band, Bolanle, while performing on stage with a song titled, ‘Oro
Ife’ said, “I will climb Kilimanjaro to tell the whole world that I’m in love
with you.” ‘If I were a Boy’ by Beyonce
was done Phebean Oluwadare and her five-man-band. She played the sax better than
any man. With a soft tempo, they also played late Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s ‘Lady’.
Phebean displayed dexterity as she played
the sax and also danced Fela’s dance steps.
‘Papageno’, a drama and music show was
done by two great singers whose voices almost brought down the hall’s roof.
If one asks you, ‘What is love?’ what
would you say? Look no further, because Jennifer replied by saying, ‘JAMB
Question’. Putting on a beautiful short cream gown, Jennifer used violin to
sing Dija’s Aww and Simi’s JAMB Question.
How can one be feeling cold and needs a
companion while her boyfriend/fiancée molests her, spits on her and walks away?
That was what happened when Debbiesoul and Band, in a dramatic form did Asa’s
‘Bamidele’.
A love medley titled: We found Love’, performed
by Imoleayo Balogun was dedicated to couples that were present at the concert.
‘Give Me Love’ by Ed Sheeran was done by Nomso Diali and Lanre. Beautiful! was
the right word to describe Nkiruka Andrew and Fatima’s Flower Duet from the
Opera ‘Lamke’.
Others include Adele’s ‘Hello’
rearranged by Johnson Adenuga and performed by Adenuga, Perpie and Band; ‘Emily
Oni Kaba’ by Elizabeth, Adeniyi and Band; ‘My Favourite Things from the ‘Sound
of Music’ by Alphonso and Band; ‘Love Trio’, originally by Andrew Lloyd Weber.
(Voice Divas –Ifeoma, Genevieve, Debbiesoul, piano- Fope Onalaja); P Square’s
‘Bring it On’ and ‘Wrecking Ball’ by Miley Cirus were performed by Emmanuel
Fagbohun, David Etim and Band; ‘Fall In Love’ by Isaac Gerald, rearranged by
Oretimehin; ‘If I Aint Got You’ by Alicia Keys was done by Perpie and Band;
Lastly, Beyonce’s ‘Xo’ was rearranged and performed by Phillip Uzor and band.
Newswatch Times noticed that guests were
made up of mostly the MUSON’s students, alumni, management, the society’s members,
guests from MTNF and few others. This kind of concert is rare to organise in
our clime so it is important for Nigerians to make out time and grace it next
year.
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