The visiting American Classical Pianist, Pauline Yang, has urged people to explore the beauty of classical music as a foundation for most music around the world.
Yang stated this on March 20, 2022 while performing in Ibadan, showcasing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, on flute.
Hear him: “I feel that there are lots of misunderstandings about classical music unfortunately.
“For example, some people think that classical music may be boring, some think that classical music in concert arts is considered a dead form of arts, I would like to beg otherwise.
“I believe that classical music is a foundation for a lot of music, which most people all over the world do love but they don’t realise that a lot of it comes from the foundation of western classical music.
“And there is so much beauty to be explored and there is an endless infinite amount of repertoire, that’s so greatly written by some wonderful composers for the past centuries and we are so lucky to have their works.
“I am seeing and hearing a lot of excitement and energy among the youths in the arts and culture scenes.
“I feel like the Nigerian youths are also very excited and enthusiastic to showcase their culture abroad and so I feel that would be really important moving forward.
“This is because there is a lot of great work in arts and culture scenes that I have already seen and heard myself within my short time here so far.
“So I certainly hope that everyone will continue to share these with the world,” Yang said.
Also, Jennifer Foltz, Deputy Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate Lagos, said that the concert was to share the best of US arts with Nigerian audience.
Fortz said: “We take Nigerians to the United States for professional, cultural and educational exchanges, we also bring Americans to Nigeria.
“And among those we bring are artists, sometimes visual artists, sometimes we bring sports players and this time we decided to bring a classical pianist so she can engage with different audiences.
“We have had these concerts in Abuja and Lagos and Ibadan now. She also engages with young people through masterclasses and she is doing a lot of radio interviews to talk about her experience here in Nigeria,” Foltz said.
“And so bringing an American classical pianist here allows her to engage with Nigerians and musicians and talk about her life and experience.
“She is inspiring and motivating the musicians she’s meeting to pursue careers in music as well,” Foltz said.
At the end of the concert, the President, Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development (IACD), Dr .Kolade Mosuro, presented the two artists with talking drums in appreciation of their performance.
