International Journal of Music and Performing Arts

Contemporary Nigeria Church Music: A Search for True Identity and Cultural Relevance
Chinedum N. Osigwe (Ph.D.)

Abstract
Nigeria Church music has over the years since independence, been misrepresented following the actions and inactions of some trained art musicians in Nigeria who still are under the great influences of Western musical idioms. This paper, however, tries to advocate for a concerted effort in building a defined identity for church music in Nigeria, more so, as there have been laid down principles and practical examples by founding fathers of Nigerian art/ church music in the past. The study is descriptive, making use of historical method of analysis whereby the development of the musical genre (both from the Western and Nigeria scenarios) is traced. The primary datum ‘Church music ‘emanated from a reported outcome of a musical concert organised by RSCM (Royal School of Church Music) Nigeria in 2015, while the secondary data were sourced from existing literatures. In the final analysis, different personalities and musical contributions of art/ church musicians in Nigeria, from past to present, were succinctly presented in this paper. The requisite musical components or contents that best describes the age long Nigerian Church music were equally posited pragmatically for the purposes of cultural relevance, international recognition and globalisation.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijmpa.v4n2a6