Lagos Chorale serves Nigeria’s sacred music in Germany

Lagos City Chorale (LCC), Nigeria’s multi-international award winning Choir, has again endeared itself and Nigeria to international audience in the just concluded Musica Sacra International Festival in Marktoberdorf, Germany.

The choir was specially invited by the Confederation of the German Choral Associations to present Nigeria/African sacred music in the 13th Musica Sacra International Festival, which ends today. The only African choir on parade, the invitation came in recognition of City Chorale’s past records and significant contribution to the growing world of Choral music that preaches peace and unity of all peoples of the world.

It was indeed another great experience for LCC and another avenue to uplift Nigeria, showcase her culture and positive abilities to the world. The choir, which left Nigeria on May 11on Lufthansa, through Frankfurt and arrived Munich, from where they travelled by bus to Marktoberdorf in Bavaria, south of Germany, got a warm welcome from the Musica Sacra International team led by one of the Artistic Directors, Professor Jurgen Budday.

Lagos City Chorale recorded its first performance on Friday, May 13, to a sizable audience in Sparkasse (Bank), in the Marktplatz (Market place), in the city centre. From there they moved to a cinema hall to inspire the minds of a group of high school students through Nigerian sacred choral music prior to which they were educated on the need for tolerance of different cultures and religions.

The official opening ceremony of the festival took place the same evening at the Bayerische Musikakademie (Music Academy), Marktoberdorf. The importance attached to the festival was manifest by high profile personalities in attendance. Aside Lagos City Chorale, other choirs on parade are Nordic Voices (Norway), Shantala Subramanyan and ensemble Bhakti (India), Gyosan-Ryu Tendai Shomyo (Japan) and Mariam Akhondy and Banu (Iran).

On Saturday, May 14, the Lagos City Chorale was programmed to present Nigerian/African Choral Music in two concerts. An open air concert at the Marktplatz and later at 8:00 pm a formal concert at Saint Martin’s Catholic Church, Marktoberdorf. Continuing the festival on Monday 16 May, called the Whit Monday and also a German holiday, LCC presented Nigerian Sacred Music at the Ecuminical service held at Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Holy Trinity Church), Caufbeuren. The combined service of Lutheran and Catholic Church was full beyond capacity with the congregation standing on the staircase and outside the church.

The finale of Musica Sacra International Marktoberdorf was held at Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Holy Trinity Church) Caufbeuren on Tuesday, 17 May with all ensembles from different countries taking turn on the stage to do a ten-minute presentation of sacred music from their culture. The Lagos City Chorale’s performance was spectacular and greeted with a long loud ovation. The concert ended with all choirs singing We Shall Overcome, an adaptation from Martin Luther King (Jnr) speech.

The aim of this festival is to foster peace and unity among diverse cultures and religions of the world through their respective sacred music that preaches peace and unity.