For many composers, the classical music traditions of Western Europe serve as an entry point or foundation for general knowledge about the genre. But for some, those traditions begin as something completely foreign, leaving room for discovery, appreciation, and eventually, implementation. Hello – I’m Loki Karuna, and for this edition of Noteworthy I’m showcasing a composer whose curiosity about European musical traditions served as a springboard for a really successful career: the late Fela Sowande.
Olufela Obafunmilayo Sowande, or “Fela”, as most remember him, was born near Lagos in the country of Nigeria. While the traditional music of West Africa was very prominent where he grew up, church music quickly became his primary interest, which in turn led him to diving deeper into Western European music, more broadly. After moving to London to formally study Western classical, he quickly picked up the skills to write in the style, which he beautifully fused with traditional Nigerian melodies, as heard in this orchestral work of his called Akinla.
Following his time in London, Fela moved back to Nigeria where he became a leading classical scholar, eventually moving here to the US where he taught at Howard University and the University of Pittsburgh. He spent the final years of his life and career at Kent State University in Ohio, and passed away there in 1987. Considered among many the father of Nigerian art music, Fela Sowande’s legacy shines brightly in Africa, in Western Europe, and in the United States, making him one of history’s most noteworthy composers.
Noteworthy is a production of WDAV classical public radio.