Lazarus Edward Nnanyelu Ekwueme//(listen) (born 28 January 1936) popularly known as Laz Ekwueme is a Nigerian musicologist, composer, scholar and actor.[1] He is one of the pioneer lecturers of music in Nigeria and also a prolific writer. He is a scholar who has written numerous articles and books on music especially the role of music in the lives of Africans and Africans in diaspora. He is the traditional ruler of Oko Town kingdom.[2]
While studying in Britain, he embraced the theatre and he was an actor in some African films produced by the African Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. He left Britain in 1964, and returned to Nigeria, where he took up a faculty position at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. As a lecturer of music composition, theory, history, singing and conducting, he was an important member in the pioneering Nigerian music department at Nsukka, which was the first to award music degrees in the country. He also gave considerable attention to choral music, organising the University of Nigeria Choral Society, a group of foreign and local students who performed regularly in Nsukka.[4]
In 1966, he went abroad to obtain a post graduate degree in music theory from Yale University. He also taught at the college and a few other colleges in America. While at Yale, he founded the New Haven International Chorus. In 1974, he returned to Nigeria, this time, he was given a faculty position by Jacob Ade Ajayi in the newly created department of music at the University of Lagos and also appointed as a research fellow in the Center for Cultural Studies. It was while in Lagos, he formed the Laz Ekwueme National Chorale that was a highly respected African choral group. Overtime with experience in musical experimentation, he became one of the few early Nigerian composers to produce successful musical syncretism of African choral works using western forms and techniques with the result generating wide appeal among Africans and little difficulties or distortion in conveying meaning of the words being song.[5] For his effort in music composition and conducting, he was made the coordinator of the Nigerian National Choir at the Black Arts Festival, Festac 77.[6]
As a music scholar, he explored distinctive indigenous African rhythm and melody in some songs of the New world and American music, a theme that was one of the vocal points of his research efforts. As a researcher, he spent time studying musical patterns of Africans, Caribbean and African Americans. He noticed the similarities in ways in which African Americans in Louisiana and Africans in Dahomey sing songs. Also, the importance and employment of music in cardinal events in the lives of Africans and those in diaspora is a theme prevalent in many of his research efforts.[7]
Personal life
Laz Ekwueme is the younger brother to the late former Nigerian Vice-president Alex Ekueme[1]
Works
Books and articles
Teasers: Poems, proverbs, and puns, 1993
Choir training and choral conducting for Africans. 1993
Essays on the Theory of African Music, 2004
Choral compositions
Missa Africana
A Night in Bethlehem (1963)
Piano Concerts in Re (1962)
Rhapsody Nigeriana
Hombe (Kenyan Folk Song) (1968)
Beware (Negro Spiritual)
Zidata Mo Nso nke Gi
Nwa n’akwa akwa (1972)
Elimeli (1979)
Nne n’eku nwa
Obi Dimkpa (1980)
Ote nkwu
References
^ ab"Former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, is dead | Premium Times Nigeria". 20 November 2017.
^"Dad could stay up all night composing music – Prof Laz Ekwueme's son". Punch Newspapers. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Adekunle, Edwina (13 February 2016). "Professor Lazarus EN Ekwueme". onlinenigeria. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^"Meet Prof. Lazarus Edward Nnanyelu Ekwueme. He is popularly known as Laz Ekwueme, a musicologist, composer, scholar and actor. – Leadership Scorecard". Retrieved 9 August 2022.
^Leslie R. Saunders; Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko, Conversation on African Music, Music Educators Journal, Vol. 71, No. 9, May, 1985
^Lazarus E. N. Ekwueme, African-Music Retentions in the New World, The Black Perspective in Music, Vol. 2, No. 2 Autumn,
January 06, 2023
lazarus, ekwueme, lazarus, edward, nnanyelu, ekwueme, listen, born, january, 1936, popularly, known, ekwueme, nigerian, musicologist, composer, scholar, actor, pioneer, lecturers, music, nigeria, also, prolific, writer, scholar, written, numerous, articles, bo. Lazarus Edward Nnanyelu Ekwueme listen born 28 January 1936 popularly known as Laz Ekwueme is a Nigerian musicologist composer scholar and actor 1 He is one of the pioneer lecturers of music in Nigeria and also a prolific writer He is a scholar who has written numerous articles and books on music especially the role of music in the lives of Africans and Africans in diaspora He is the traditional ruler of Oko Town kingdom 2 Lazarus EkwuemeBornLazarus Edward Nnanyelu Ekwueme 1936 01 28 28 January 1936 age 86 Oko Anambra State NigeriaOccupation s Academic actor and composerRelativesAlex EkuemeAcademic backgroundAlma materYale UniversityThesisIbo Choral Music Its Theory and Practice 1972 Academic workDisciplineMusicSub disciplineAfrican musicology Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Works 3 1 Books and articles 3 2 Choral compositions 4 ReferencesBiography EditLazarus Ekwueme was born in Oko Anambra State He attended Government College Umuahia for secondary education and the Royal College of Music London where he majored in composition and was under the direction of Gordon Jacob 3 In London he earned a total of 10 diplomas in music Speech and Drama and he also obtained a bachelor s degree from the University of Durham citation needed In 1962 he obtained the professional teaching diploma Licentiate of the Guildhall School of Music While studying in Britain he embraced the theatre and he was an actor in some African films produced by the African Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation He left Britain in 1964 and returned to Nigeria where he took up a faculty position at the University of Nigeria Nsukka As a lecturer of music composition theory history singing and conducting he was an important member in the pioneering Nigerian music department at Nsukka which was the first to award music degrees in the country He also gave considerable attention to choral music organising the University of Nigeria Choral Society a group of foreign and local students who performed regularly in Nsukka 4 In 1966 he went abroad to obtain a post graduate degree in music theory from Yale University He also taught at the college and a few other colleges in America While at Yale he founded the New Haven International Chorus In 1974 he returned to Nigeria this time he was given a faculty position by Jacob Ade Ajayi in the newly created department of music at the University of Lagos and also appointed as a research fellow in the Center for Cultural Studies It was while in Lagos he formed the Laz Ekwueme National Chorale that was a highly respected African choral group Overtime with experience in musical experimentation he became one of the few early Nigerian composers to produce successful musical syncretism of African choral works using western forms and techniques with the result generating wide appeal among Africans and little difficulties or distortion in conveying meaning of the words being song 5 For his effort in music composition and conducting he was made the coordinator of the Nigerian National Choir at the Black Arts Festival Festac 77 6 As a music scholar he explored distinctive indigenous African rhythm and melody in some songs of the New world and American music a theme that was one of the vocal points of his research efforts As a researcher he spent time studying musical patterns of Africans Caribbean and African Americans He noticed the similarities in ways in which African Americans in Louisiana and Africans in Dahomey sing songs Also the importance and employment of music in cardinal events in the lives of Africans and those in diaspora is a theme prevalent in many of his research efforts 7 Personal life EditLaz Ekwueme is the younger brother to the late former Nigerian Vice president Alex Ekueme 1 Works EditBooks and articles Edit Teasers Poems proverbs and puns 1993 Choir training and choral conducting for Africans 1993 Essays on the Theory of African Music 2004Choral compositions Edit Missa Africana A Night in Bethlehem 1963 Piano Concerts in Re 1962 Rhapsody Nigeriana Hombe Kenyan Folk Song 1968 Beware Negro Spiritual Zidata Mo Nso nke Gi Nwa n akwa akwa 1972 Elimeli 1979 Nne n eku nwa Obi Dimkpa 1980 Ote nkwuReferences Edit a b Former Vice President Alex Ekwueme is dead Premium Times Nigeria 20 November 2017 Dad could stay up all night composing music Prof Laz Ekwueme s son Punch Newspapers 23 February 2020 Retrieved 21 February 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Adekunle Edwina 13 February 2016 Professor Lazarus EN Ekwueme onlinenigeria Retrieved 29 May 2020 Meet Prof Lazarus Edward Nnanyelu Ekwueme He is popularly known as Laz Ekwueme a musicologist composer scholar and actor Leadership Scorecard Retrieved 9 August 2022 Leslie R Saunders Joy Nwosu Lo Bamijoko Conversation on African Music Music Educators Journal Vol 71 No 9 May 1985 Citation of Prof Ekwueme NNMA Lazarus E N Ekwueme African Music Retentions in the New World The Black Perspective in Music Vol 2 No 2 Autumn Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lazarus Ekwueme amp oldid 1128712253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
