My association with piano/organ playing and music composition spans a little over 3 decades. I was born and nurtured from an Anglican family by my parents, who are now late but were lovers of church and African music. They ensured that all their children joined the choir and learned at least one musical instruments
What then started as a compulsion, later developed into a passion for me. The motivating factor for me was our former organist, Mr John Tunde Braimoh who identify potential in me at that tender age and followed up with all encouragement till I Got to the peak in the then choir. Having identified this God- given ability, I also did not relent but forged ahead and took up music reading, piano and organ playing as my daily routing. My appointment as the choirmaster /organist of the choir of The Chapel of Transfiguration in April 2015, honestly is still a puzzle has not been unraveled to me.
I took up the challenge by first identify the strengths and weakness of the choir on assumption of duty and came up with the following which I imagined could be couched into a vision statement for the cot choir and young talented musician:
-A high standard of music excellence
-A high commitment to a service
-Opportunities to learn and grow through choral music
As the choirmaster, organist and conductor of the chapel choir, Abiodun Falode led the choir to the following performances both locally and internationally such as:
-Handel Messiah (Oratorio) performed at musical society in Nigeria(Muson) 2021
-20TH Anniversary Church organ projects in Nigeria(Chopin)2022
-Nigeria 57th independence at State house Abuja, Nigeria
-Annual choral festival of the Harmonium chorale, Accra, Ghana west African
-Ikoyi club 1934sannual Christmas carol of nine lesson, Lagos Nigeria
-Diocesan annual carols OF NINE LESSONS Diocese of Lagos mainland, Nigeria, 2021
Abiodun Falode’s dexterity on the organ also exposed him to performance during Annual conference of Hymns society of Great Britain and Ireland held in Lincoln, UK 2023
As a choirmaster /organist of the chapel, Abiodun Falode have organized, conducted and accompanied the following
-Annual choir Festival 2015 till date, -Easter cantata 2016 till date, Christmas carols 2016-till date
Moreover, Abiodun Faolde’s dedication to nurturing musical talent extends beyond his own performances. In 2020, he established a self-owned music school with a global vision, aiming to raise a generation of music literates who can appreciate and contribute to the world. His role as a music educator and choirmaster further exemplified by his role as piano/organ teacher at the diocese Anglican church in Nigeria. Through his teaching, he imparts not only technical skills but also a profound understanding of the emotional and cultural dimensions of music
The choir’s numerical strength as at date is under his tutelage are forty-five, comprising students (who form about 70 percent, men and women in the working class and a few retirees. I am proud to say that the level of the Camaraderie that exists in the choir justifies the first value highlighted above.
Continuity of membership, which had hitherto snapped, has been reconnected. Church members are now encouraged to bring in their sons and daughter to join the happy choir of the Chapel of Transfiguration under my leadership as the director of music and this has been yielding results.
Our weekly choir practices start at 6:30 pm on Tuesday and Friday, but you find choristers coming in from 3;30 pm and by 6.pm more than 60 percent of the choristers are already seated for the practice. When asked to put in extra hours or even days for practice, especially on Sundays after the 7:30 am service, attendance and punctuality have remained commendable.
I must at this point commend the efforts of the past choirmasters/organist without whom the choir would not have risen to this enviable level, opportunities have been created for the choir to learn and grow through choral music.
In addition, Abiodun Falode have organized piano/organ recital in the chapel, The audience were thrills with his dexterity on the organ.
Under my tutelage, I have trained so many young talented members of the COT choir taking part in the musical exam such as: ABRSM, Trinty college exam, Musical society on Nigeria (MUSON) graded exam.
The enumerated techniques under my tutelage have no doubt made our choir attain the standard of musical excellence that can be compared to none in the whole Anglican church in Nigeria and west African at large.
The choir can now, during one practice, go through all the anthem on their own through the knowledge of sight reading under my tutelage.
The choir is also supported by a team of seasoned organists, who play the organ to a reasonably high level of proficiency. They also assist me not only in the teaching music, but also in the area of voice training, usually before the start of the choir practice.
There is no gain-saying the fact that the choir has grown under my tutelage in its quality of performance, especially as it relates to classical church and African music. I now see a choir that can be compared favourably with the choirs of st Paul’s Cathedral, London; Cambridge choirs of King’s college also in London. I see the choir under Abiodun Falode keeps on improving on its standards in leaps and bounds, because of its teachable spirit and level of commitment and comportment.
Chapel of Transfiguration awards and recognition under Abiodun Falode includes:
-Best choir Diocesan annual competition, 2017
-African recognitions as the best choir in choral works (Standard category) 2019 The chapel of Transfiguration is affiliated to Royal Church music England
Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland
As this talented pianist/organist, choir director continues to make waves on the local and international music scenes, his journey serves as a testament to the power of music to transcend borders and unite hearts. As we eagerly await Abiodun’s next performance, one thing remains certain: his music and leadership skills as the choirmaster, pianist/organist, educator and recitalist will continue to enchant, inspire, and bridge realms he carved for himself Internationally and the world at large.