Abstract:
Music composition – whether folk, art or popular – has inestimably enhanced knowledge and immensely contributed positively to society building throughout the ages in scores of ways. It transfers history from generation to generation and has been a unifying element, a means of disseminating information and a medium of correcting bad conduct in the society. Ruminations over the conflict situation in Nigeria reveal the necessity of the continuum of music composition (and performance) as a medium of talking to a wide audience to enhance correction of mistakes and oversights in the nation. Composers such as Akin Euba, Christian Onyeji, Daniel Agu, Joshua Uzoigwe, Meki Nzewi, and the like have established compositional styles and genres (e.g. African vocalism, African pianism, drummistic piano styles, native-air styles, etc.) that project the continuum of African/Nigerian musical traditions. The researcher, through historical and descriptive approaches, seeks to discuss the strength and importance of art music compositions which draw from Nigerian/African traditional musical idioms, as alternative ways to the sustenance of history, good communication and correction of societal vices.
