28th MUSON Festival kicks off

The Music Society of Nigeria is set to host the 28th Muson Festival, themed, ‘Revival’, which signifies the anticipation of the revitalisation of MUSON despite the adverse trends in Nigeria’s economy.
The festival will begin on Sunday, October 13, 2024, and end on October 27, at the Muson Center in Onikan, Lagos.
At a press briefing during the week, the Chairman of MUSON, Louis Mbanefo, spoke on how the body began in 1983 when he and a group of friends, including Akintola Williams, Ayo Rosiji, Francesca Emanuel and Rasheed Gbadamosi (all deceased), decided to come together to promote good and enjoyable music and has been sustained since then.
He said, “We 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. Second, we have developed two schools of music – the basic school which provides musical education in the theory and performance of musical instruments for Nigerians of all ages, and the diploma school.”
Reeling out the lineup of events for the festival, Mbanefo said, “The highlight of the MUSON annual calendar has become the festival. This year’s edition promises to be as exciting as ever.  It will follow the usual pattern– art exhibition, musical brunch, drama, MUSON Day concert (celebrating MUSON’s anniversary), Jazz Night, and Musiquest children competition.  There will be two different operatic productions and the final gala concert will feature a full performance of the oratorio, ‘The Creation’ by Joseph Haydn with the MUSON Choir and Orchestra conducted by Maestro Emeka Nwokedi.”
Sponsors of the festival include Seplat, Total Energies, Bode Emmanuel and Chevron.