Magdeburg, the capital of state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany was aglow with international music festival and competition from 5th – 12th July 2015. Over one hundred choirs drawn from 35 countries of the world participated actively at various levels of the festival , some in competitive categories while others took part in non-competitive programme.
The aim of the organizers of the world choir Olympics ‘’The Interkultur’’ among other things is to foster peace among the nations of the world through choral music as the world choirs sing together. Magdeburg from 5th-12th July was indeed a meeting point for various world cultures. About five thousand choir members from different countries and cultures co-habited in hostels, fed together at a central feeding point, had a very healthy contest in various categories of the competition, shared same stage in friendship concerts and cut friendship across borders and various cultures of the world in a very convivial atmosphere.
Nigeria was visibly represented in this global contest by a 30-man contingent of the Lagos City Chorale directed by Sir Emeka Nwokedi. The group arrived Magdeburg through Leipzig Airport on 4th July and was lodged in a four-star Maritim Hotel.
At the official opening ceremony which was held at Jonanniskirche, Magdeburg on Sunday, the 5th of July, Nigeria’s Lagos City Chorale representing Africa was among five choirs from different continents specially invited to perform for a select high profile audience which include Reiner Haseloff, the Governor of the State of Saxony-Anhalt; Lutz Trumper, the Lord Mayor of the City of Magdeburg and Gunter Titsch, the President of Interkultur. The performance was evidently outstanding by the reaction of the audience which gave a resounding ovation at the end of each song.
Competitions started in earnest on the 6th of July. Lagos City Chorale contested in three categories in the open Competition- Folklore, Chamber Choir, and Musica Contemporanea (Contemporary Music). Also, the Nigerian group, LCC performed in two friendship concerts.
In all the performances, Lagos City Chorale exhibited Nigerian rich culture embedded in her indigenous choral music, traditional music instruments, costume and unique dance to the admiration of a global community that constituted the audience.
At the award ceremonies which was held between 9th and 11th July, the Director of Lagos City Chorale was invited to the podium three times to receive a GOLDEN DIPLOMA AWARD for each of the 3 categories the choir contested in. In addition, Lagos City Chorale, Nigeria received a special DIPLOMA of HONOUR for continued contribution to the ideal of international understanding and peace initiative through music.
The event was rounded off with a very colourful Parade of Nations which started from Magdebuger Dom following the main street ‘’ Breiten Weg’’ to the market place ‘’ Alten Markt’’. This really was as outstanding display of different cultures of participating nations. Lagos City Chorale showcased Nigeria’s nation attire in a colorful green and white Adire fabric. They were the cynosure of all eyes with loud ovations as they paraded with other choirs along the streets of Magdeburg. As all the participating choirs gathered at ‘’Alten Markt’’ at the end of the parade, the Mayor of Magdeburg, Lutz Trumper, once more thanked all the choirs for attending the European Choir Olympics in Magdeburg and bade them farewell. The President of Interkultur, Gunter Titsch, in his congratulatory message to the choirs also invited them to the next World Choir Games in Sochi, Russia scheduled for July 2016.
Lagos City Chorale’s participation in various global cultural festivals and Choir Olympics has been a way of rebranding Nigeria and showcasing her positive abilities at international stages. It also represents Nigeria’s contribution to fostering peace and harmony in the world through harmonious choral music as Nigerian Choir sings in unison and in harmony with choirs from other nations of the world.
It would be recalled that Lagos City Chorale has over the years won Laurels (Gold and Silver) for Nigeria at various world’s largest Cultural Festivals/Choir Olympics. These laurels were won at Cincinnati, Ohio USA in 2012, Graz, Austria in 2013, Riga, Latvia in 2014 and in Magdeburg, Germany, 2015.
Complementing these achievements, Emeka Nwokedi has also led the Diploma School Choir of t7he Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) to win accolades at the 29th World Conference of the International Society for Music Education in Beijing, China in August 2010, and was invited again in October of the same year by Nigerian Embassy in China for a gala night to celebrate Nigeria’s Golden Jubilee with Ambassadors of different countries of the world in attendance.
In October 2014, the Choir contested in the 7th International Choir Festival and competition ‘’ Isola del Sole’’ in Grado, Italy and won one Gold and one silver medal in the two categories of the competition.
Recently, the MUSON School Diploma Choir under his direction got outstanding result ‘’ Distinction’’ in the Advanced Choral Music Exams conducted by Associated Board of the Royal College of Music (ABRSM, London)
Through these efforts, Nigerian music is gradually spreading to all nooks and crannies of the world with a trail of positive notion about Nigeria and her people.
Photos:
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| Rehearsal Time - Most Nigerian compositions have an accompanying dance pattern. No stone was left un-turned by the contingents. The group tried to remain flexible to swinging the waist for the dance steps. Even the conductor was not left out. |
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| This costume was for the Folklore Category. Songs performed in this category are: *Nativity Song - Okechukwu Ndubuisi *Fun mi ni beji - Ayo Bankole *Ote Ngwo - Emeka Nwokedi. The Folklore Category accepts only indigenous chorale music from participating countries. |
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| The patriotism, the love, the affection for the green-white-green never left members of the Lagos City Chorale throughout their stay in Germany. It also goes with them all around the world. The Lagos City Chorale represented Nigeria successfully. |
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| Dotting the I's and crossing the T's |
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Due to the outstanding performances of the Lagos City Chorale, the group was specially chosen to perform at the Allee Center, Magdeburg - one of the biggest shopping malls in the city. |
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| Director of the Lagos City Chorale,Sir Emeka Nwokedi Signing an autograph for a Brazilian lady. That's what gold medals attracts. |
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