The Contextual Sources of Laz Ekwueme’s Music Compositions: Enhancing Creative Expressions

Abstract

Every musical work is reflective of the composer’s uniqueness or imitation of another’s. As a result, composers’ individuality reflects in the nature and quality of their compositions. This paper focuses on the contextual sources of the music compositions of Laz Ekwueme, a foremost Nigerian art music composer and notable scholar. It categorizes the composer’s works and examines how contextual sources shape and enhance his creative expressions. These sources contribute to his numerous and eclectic musical works. Anchor of the paper is on the theory of creative ethnomusicology. The study relies on in-depth interviews held with the composer, collection of his compositions, and relevant literature. It reveals Ekwueme’s contextual sources through, cultural influence of folklife during childhood and personal life experience of dreams or flashes. By listening to other composer’s works, exposure to different musical styles is achieved and explored. He even draws inspiration from a song title, tune or melody of another’s musical work. In addition is his desire for an African expression of a foreign musical piece heard, sometimes in his own language. Ekwueme’s religion, biblical stories and emotions such as Passion time are worthy of note. Environment, natural sceneries, atmospheric conditions, political occurrence such as the Nigerian civil war are inclusive of the contextual sources. Special requests made for specified compositions through relationships had with people, also influences his mode of inspiration. The study concludes that a composer’s alertness and attentiveness to diverse situations, play significant roles in activating and enhancing the nature and quality of their compositions.