Biography of nigerian art composers timeline
Igbo art!
Biography of nigerian art composers timeline of events
The Composers
Fela Sowande is recognised as the most distinguished and internationally successful African composer of classical music and often referred to as the ‘father’ of modern Nigerian Art Music.
He composed over 70 works for organ, piano, orchestra, ensembles, choir and solo voice.
Sowande was born on 29th May 1905, in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Like many African composers his early introduction to music was through the church.
His father, Emmanuel Sowande, was a priest and key figure in the development of ‘Nigerian church music’.
Fela Sowande’s schooling was in Lagos at CMS Grammar school and later Kings College.
Biography of nigerian art composers timeline
He was a choirboy at Christ Church Cathedral, Lagos where he studied organ under the choir’s director Thomas Ekundayo Phillips. Under Phillips he was exposed to the works of Bach, Rheinberger and other European Classical composers.
As Phillips also promoted indigenous Nigerian music and Yoruba experimental compositions Sowande’s early exposure to music was eclectic. He