Saturday, April 28, 2012

Akin Euba, Nigerian Composer, Ethnomusicologist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh, is 77 Today

[Akin Euba]


Akin Euba was born in Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 1935. His life and works are honored on the Akin Euba page at AfriClassical.com, which features a Works List and Bibliography by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com. Prof. Euba's retirement celebration took place on March 15, 2011. Phil Thomson of the University of Pittsburgh posted a blog tribute on April 18, 2011. Here is an excerpt:

“Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Music Akin Euba will retire at the end of the 2011 spring semester, so on March 15 colleagues, students, alumni, and family gathered together to celebrate and share good wishes as he enters the next phase in his career.
Akin Euba’s retirement celebration reflected all the elements of his storied career as a scholar, composer, and performer. During his 18 years with the Department of Music, he has fostered the field of creative musicology, led the Centre for Intercultural Musicology at Churchill College (Cambridge University) and mentored ethnomusicology students who have gone on to lead the field in their own rights.”


Akin Euba's intercultural activities have continued beyond his retirement from the University of Pittsburgh. Joyce Adewumi organized “Dialogue: Africa Meets North America in Harlem, October 30 – November 3, 2011, New York” with the authorization and participation of Prof. Euba. A recent example of his legacy of African culture and studies is the formation of the Fela Sowande Singers at the University of Pittsburgh. The group's Founder is Dr. Oyebade Dosunmu, who took part in Prof. Euba's retirement celebration and was recently profiled on AfriClassical.


Comment by email:
Dear Mr. Zick, Thank you very much for marking my birthday. I very much appreciate it and wish your web site every success.  Akin Euba.

1 comment:

Chris Foley said...

I still have fond memories of playing Akin Euba's The Wanderer for cello and piano with Sue Round (and coaching it with Gyimah Labi) at a Vancouver New Music Concert 12 years ago. Such a richly textured work - I hope I get another chance to perform it one of these days.