CHATER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The importance of art and culture cannot be over emphasize because it contributes to the belief, value, attitude and expectation about appropriate ways to behave in a given society.
The development of traditional music depends on a particular culture i.e. culture dictates a specific music that belong to a particular society. Therefore, no developmental project of any given race, worthy of the name can ignore the essential characteristic of the natural and cultural values.
1.1 CULTURE AND SOCIETY
Culture in the anthropological sense is a shared belief, value, attitude and expectation about appropriate ways to behave in any society that are held by the member of a social group.
Culture and civilization are inseparable, to this end, if a culture is progressing, its leads to civilization, so that no development project of any given race can ignore the essential characteristics of the natural and cultural value.
Culture on the other hand is a powerful human tool for survival, but it is a fragile phenomenon. Culture consist of belief, behaviour, objectives and other characteristics common to the member of a particular group of society. Though, people and group define themselves, conform to society’s shared values, and contribute to society. Thus, culture include many societal aspect, such as language, custom, value, norms, morals, rules, tools, technologies and institutions.
The term society can also have a geographical meaning and refers to people who shared a common culture in a particular location. For instance, people living in artistic climates developed different cultures from those living in desert cultures. So therefore, culture and society are intricately related, culture consists of the objects of the society, while society consists of the people who shared a common culture.
1.2 THE ROLES OF ARTS AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (ACDC)
The Arts and Cultural Development Council (ACDC) is a community Arts organization encompassing culture and the arts, visual arts, performing arts, music and dance. Their vision is to enrich the arts and culture of the community. Also their mission is to be committed to the development and promotion of art and cultural activities and artists in the mid west region through empowering our members to improve the participation in art activities of all kinds by providing skills, information and opportunity. Some of the aims and objectives of Arts and Cultural Development Council (ACDC) are:
– Community management of Gallary, studio and annual arts programme
– Support members and assist local artists and arts and cultural organizations.
– Increase of funding opportunities and access to arts and cultural activities in the mid west.
– Engage community members in any of the societal activities/ programmes.
All the above mentioned are the aims and objectives of the Arts and Cultural Development Council (ACDC) which contributed to the development traditional music.
According to “Dejo Kehinde” In his book: (music made Eazy Volume 2) posted that, music is a multidisciplinary art. It has a very wide tentacle that embraces almost every subject of the academia, it is a science of sound because it tells us how some musical instrument are made. It is an aesthetic art because it is a science of beauty which also used in tracing the past with a view to understand the present. It equally deals with emotions (human psychology). It is a subject that soothes the mind and chart the graph in the progressive direction.
Structurally, music simply refers to judicious succession of notes, tones, sounding in a way that is agreeable to the ear as opposed to Noise, which irritates the listeners.
Linguistically, music is said to be language on its own and particularly as medium of communication that fosters peaceful co-habiting.
By scope, music is aperforming arts that closely related to the visual and creativity arts Hence, every human being, black or white benefits from the arts. The blind listened to and enjoyed the beautiful sounds of the voices, Drums, and other musical instruments. Even though, handicapped visualize the visual aspect of it, such as deaf but difficult to listening to the sounds. The physically handicapped e.g. the lame, through may have problems in dance or taken active part in the performance, but still benefits from the visuals and the audio.
Moreso, Music in European culture is a serious arts that is scored (annotated) and which has laid down forms, structures, section and movement. It could be vocal or instrumental or both.
According to “Historical Trends of Nigerian Indigenous and Contemporary Music by Prof. S.J. Timothy – Asobele, stated that music is the entertainment aspect of culture. In many parts soothing balm to listeners on different occasions such as in ceremonies like marriages, funerals, birthday, independence anniversaries e.t.c. Music I n the past has helped in re-oraganised the mental alertness of people. A vivid example of this could be drawn from the biblical “Saul” who was always thrilled and calmed by “David’s” harp and that during the King Saul fit of mental derangement.
Music in some society, country and other parts of the world is as important as food. For instance in Congo, America, and Britain from where one could say the most popular world musicians have emerged. Such as James Brown, Micheal Jackson, the late Jimmy Cliff and the Late Bob Marley of Jamaica, music is a prized national patrimony.
To come nearer home in Nigeria, Music has formed an integral part of our life and varies from one region to the other or from one state the other. But the most popular music of Nigeria could be said to be juju in the Yorubaland as well as Sakara, Apala, and Fuji music. Goge in the Northern part of the country, highlife in the Eastern part, funk, Afrobeat and Reggae. Music is a means of entertainment and of course a means by which people forge relationships. It is a branch of arts by which the people recreate and thus enhance the progress of humanity, but it requires understanding and appreciation for its aesthetics accomplishments. The background influences or inspirational of any music cannot be gained hence, it is even tentatively claimed that every music is a product of its circumstances. Thus, whatever is played into one’s ear is nothing but the actual going-on or reality in a place at any given time.
The word music is unarguably a phenomenon that people can hardly do away with because it is a food of love as someone has described it, and a binding force that weld people together, irrespective of their interpersonal relations. And it cannot be dissociated from the human social activities because African relations with music and what music (ask one of the cultural indices) is to them.
1.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN OUR SOCIETY
Arts and music are basic human functions. Humankind and Art cannot function without one another. We have the burning desire to create whatever it may be and however tiny or grand. The interaction with sound is unavoidable, either to make it or take pleasure in it. People have always find music to be very significant in their lives, whether for enjoyment in listening, the emotional response, performing or creating. This is no different for classical music or contemporary concert music. Both music’s have immense worth for our society, however, the problem we all know in this field is that this music is little known and hence under appreciated.
As a musician and artist, it is my responsibility that others can learn to enjoy the art for which I have uttered passion. The most common way one becomes involved with music is through listening or attending a musical events. Listening at home on a CD player or in the car, on the computer or on an Ipod can be a very personal and fulfilling experiences.
Music as we know, sets a mood and a vibe as we hear it is lounges, bars, parties or other social event like Traditional festival such as Egungun, Oro, Gelede, Sango, e.t.c Also by attending a concert is unique as it offers the excitement of hearing live musician while providing the sound as it is meant to be heard (if it is acoustic music that is). Where else one can sit with other people, listening and enjoying music in (relative) silence so that there’re are no distractions, besides the music itself.
Music can also stimulate the mind. There are many things in music to which one can listen and bring attention. One can be mindful of the melodies or themes, harmonies, the driving or relaxed rhythms, the colour of the sounds the activity of a piece, how the sounds are produced or how they all relate to one another. It is used for concert to please the ears and minds and also nurturing the soul. It has been long said that music gives one an emotional response. Characters of varying degree that are found in music, can affect one’s mood. Music can raise someone’s mood get them excited or make them calm and relaxed. Music also an important that allows us to feel nearly or possibly all emotional that we experience in our lives. The possibilities are endless.
One of the great things about music in general, concert music which open up a whole new world of experience that further enhances the mind, physical co-ordination, and expression.