Indigenous music, drama, opera to headline MUSON Festival 2026 – Organisers

The Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) has announced that its 2026 annual festival will run from 23 October to 8 November at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, the festival planning committee chairperson, Sade Doherty, said this year’s edition was themed “Music Sustained.” The 2025 festival was themed “In the Flow.”

Ms Doherty said MUSON chose the theme to highlight its longstanding commitment to music education, performance and cultural development in Nigeria.

She said the festival, which will mark the 30th edition of one of the country’s most prestigious cultural events, will celebrate the organisation’s ability to maintain its contribution to Nigeria’s music scene despite changing economic and sociopolitical conditions.

Ms Doherty added that MUSON had continued to promote different forms of music, particularly classical, contemporary and indigenous genres, throughout its more than 40-year history.

“Music Sustained, just those two words, is like a perfect tense of what we’ve done. It is a snapshot of what MUSON is. That is our audited report,” Ms Doherty said.

Milestones 

Ms Doherty said this year’s festival will celebrate four important milestones recorded by MUSON.

She listed them as the 43rd anniversary of the MUSON Centre, the 37th anniversary of the MUSON Basic School of Music, the 30th edition of the MUSON Festival and the 20th anniversary of the MUSON School of Music Diploma Programme funded by the MTN Foundation.

She explained that the anniversaries will allow the organisation to look back on its achievements and celebrate the many musicians and enthusiasts who have gone through its programmes.

Ms Doherty also highlighted the contribution of the Basic School, which she said had preceded the Diploma School and had provided music education to people of various ages. She identified Yinka Davies and Kaliné among its prominent former students.

Technology

Furthermore, Ms Doherty said the MUSON’s decision to incorporate technology into the festival also reflected the organisation’s willingness to adapt to emerging developments while maintaining its focus on classical music.

“At MUSON, we nurture creativity and raw talent, which we now juxtapose with innovative technologies, thereby creating a vibrant contemporary and cultural space,” she said.

Ms Doherty said MUSON made younger people a key focus of this year’s festival, particularly members of Generation Z. According to her, the organisation involved them in its publicity campaign so they could help shape how the festival’s activities were packaged and communicated to their generation.

She said the strategy would help show that classical music and opera were not restricted to a particular age group and could remain attractive to younger audiences.

Features

The festival will present a combination of musical, theatrical and cultural activities, ranging from classical and contemporary performances to indigenous music, orchestral concerts, drama and opera. The programme will also include exhibitions and symposiums.

Ms Doherty said the organisation combined familiar festival attractions with fresh initiatives to draw more people to the event.

She said a new Festival Village will provide space for selected exhibitors to showcase and sell items, including books, musical instruments, clothing, food and Nigerian-inspired merchandise.

She also said the festival will feature a cultural reception celebrating Nigerian traditions, alongside concerts, jazz, drama, opera, choral performances and orchestral music.

Ms Doherty said the drama programme will break new ground by staging two productions on the same day. The afternoon presentation will cater to a general audience, while the evening production will feature more mature themes.

She said the opera segment will include a student performance of “The Mikado” in English, alongside selections from operas previously presented at MUSON festivals.

The fourth edition of Collabo: Music Meets Technology will also return to the programme. Ms Doherty, who initiated the project, said it will examine the growing role of technology in the music industry.

According to her, this year’s discussion will focus on artificial intelligence and automation, and on how these technologies are changing music production, live performance, and the way audiences experience music.

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More features 

Ms Doherty said previous editions used the festival to examine the intersection of music and emerging technology, with discussions ranging from artificial intelligence to machine creativity. 

She said the 2026 edition will shift the focus towards the relationship between human imagination and intelligent machines, including the possibilities and concerns that could emerge from their coexistence.

She said the programme will begin with a podcast screening before the main event, where Obi Asika, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), will deliver the keynote speech.

According to her, Mr Asika’s background as a longtime music producer made him particularly suited to address the development of Nigeria’s domestic music economy.

The programme will also feature a youth variety concert, giving young talents who have performed successfully in different competitions an opportunity to showcase their abilities.

Ms Doherty said MUSON left out some of its regular programmes, such as “My Kind of Music”, from the 2026 schedule. She, however, disclosed that the organisation planned to restore the programme as a standalone event.