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The air at the MUSON Centre in Lagos is set to hum with rhythm, harmony, and passion as the 29th edition of the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Festival takes center stage.
Scheduled to run from October 12 to 26, 2025, this year’s celebration of music, themed “In the Flow,” promises two electrifying weeks of concerts, operas, symposia, and performances that bridge classical sophistication with contemporary creativity.
At a press briefing in Lagos, the Chairperson of the MUSON Festival Planning Committee, Mrs. Sade Doherty, revealed that the 2025 edition is designed to mirror a new chapter in MUSON’s inspiring journey. After weathering global and economic turbulence, the festival now reflects renewal and vibrant continuity. “After COVID-19 and the economic downturn, we had themes centred on resurgence, resilience, and revival. Now, we are ‘in the flow’ of what our founding fathers envisioned, promoting the understanding, enjoyment, and performance of classical and contemporary music,” she explained.
Among the festival’s most anticipated highlights is the Jazz Party on October 17, an evening that promises to be both nostalgic and innovative. The concert will feature jazz virtuosos Imoleayo Balogun, Isaac Olatunde, and OB Nelson in a dynamic fusion of smooth, swing, and traditional jazz styles. For jazz lovers, it is more than a performance, it’s a celebration of improvisation, creativity, and musical freedom. “MUSON is one of the households of jazz in Nigeria. For over 20 years, we’ve never missed a night of jazz. This year will be remarkable, we’re blending fusion, swing, and traditional jazz in one thrilling evening,” Balogun said.
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The festival kicks off on October 12 with a Musical Brunch, setting the tone for two weeks of rich artistic expression. The MUSON Day Concert on October 14 will follow, honouring the institution’s founding and celebrating distinguished alumni from the MUSON Diploma School. This year’s event will include a special tribute to the late Marion Akpata, the pioneering Director of the MUSON School of Music.
As the festival progresses, audiences will be treated to a variety of engaging performances. The Chevron-sponsored Musical Drama on October 18 will blend theatre and music in a story that captures Nigeria’s cultural diversity. Operatic performances on October 19 and 25 will reaffirm MUSON’s dedication to excellence in classical music, while a Symposium on Music and Technology themed “Collabo” on October 21 will explore how music interacts with innovation in a digital world. On October 23, the spotlight turns to young performers at the Young Talents Concert, showcasing Nigeria’s rising stars in music.
The two-week festival will culminate on October 26 with the Grand Gala Concert, featuring the MUSON Choir under the baton of Emeka Nwokedi and the MUSON Symphony Orchestra conducted by German maestro Walter-Michael Vollhardt. The evening’s climax will be a performance of Carl Orff’s monumental cantata, “Carmina Burana,” a fitting finale to a season of sonic brilliance.
A unique addition to this year’s festival is the inclusion of a special musical sheet of the Nigerian National Anthem in the festival brochure, a symbolic gesture celebrating unity as Nigeria marks its 65th Independence anniversary. “We deliberately included the anthem to celebrate Nigeria at 65 and to highlight music as a unifying force,” Mrs. Doherty said. The brochure also features a message from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), reaffirming music’s role in fostering unity: “At the National Orientation Agency, we believe that music and values are both languages of unity. Just as melodies flow together in harmony, so must our people flow together in brotherhood and shared purpose.”
For MUSON Chairman, Louis Mbanefo (SAN), the 2025 edition signifies continuity and purpose. Reflecting on the society’s enduring legacy since its founding in 1983 by Akintola Williams, Ayo Rosiji, Francesca Emanuel, Rasheed Gbadamosi, and himself, Mbanefo described MUSON’s growth as “a flow beyond the dreams of our founding fathers.” He emphasized that the organization remains a beacon of excellence in Nigeria’s music education and performance landscape.
Since establishing its School of Music in 2008, supported by the MTN Foundation, MUSON has produced over 500 diploma graduates who now perform and teach across Nigeria and internationally. The school also runs a Basic and a Diploma programme, with scholarships for 45 advanced students each year. “Most of our alumni have attained international recognition and contribute significantly to the development of musical life in Nigeria and beyond,” Mbanefo said proudly.
As the festival prepares to open, the anticipation is palpable, not just for the music, but for the unity and creativity it represents. In a time when Nigeria seeks renewed hope and cultural pride, MUSON’s 2025 Festival embodies the very essence of its theme: “In the Flow” , a seamless blend of past excellence, present innovation, and future promise.
