The Brief About Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi Musical Life
Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi Musical Life
Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi is a Nigerian organist and composer considered to be a master of the organ console. Sunday Ajayi is a professional musician in terms of training and practice. He was born on the 9th day of December in Ilesha, the famous city in Ijesha land.
Sunday’s parents are Ven. and Lady Evang. P. B. A. Ajayi and his father is a church priest in African Church. Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi was named Sunday because he was born on the first day of the week, Sunday.
Journey into Music And Education
Sunday Ajayi started his musicianship journey as a choir boy at his home church, Jehovah Nissi African Church Cathedral, Araromi, Ilesha, and was part of soprano singer at that time. Sunday’s passion for music was raised to the level that he cannot do without music and started music rudiment and piano train under the tutelage of his organist then.
Being a son of a priest, in the African Church, he was able to gather real-time experiences in church music, and he developed an interest in studying music to a higher and professional level.
He attended Jehova Nissi African Primary school, Ilesa, Osun state for his primary school education and later raised the pitch to Victory College, Ikare Akoko, Ondo State for his senior secondary school education.
Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi holds O.N.D in music technology, (organ performance) from The Polytechnic Ibadan, Nigeria, and bagged his degree in Music (piano performance), from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Sunday had the extraordinary privilege to study music with distinguished scholars and performers.
Specifically, he studied organ and piano with Dr. Christopher Ayodele, a senior lecturer at Music Department, The Polytechnic Ibadan, and also passed through Dr. O. M. A. Daramola and Mr. Seun Owoaje on piano at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife. Besides, he understudied Dotun Olayemi (versatile composer, pianist, and organist) and learned under his mentorship.
Moreover, he has studied several works of many renowned composers, both Western and African. The likes of J.S Bach, G. F Handel, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johann Brahams, Frederick Chopin, Claude Debussy, FelaSowande, Ayo Bankole, Akin Euba, Joshua Uzoigwe, Ayo Oluranti, etc.
As An Organist/Pianist
Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi has served in different churches as an organist. He was the Organist at Ebenezer African Church Cathedral, Ikare Akoko Ondo State, and Emmanuel Anglican Church Edo, Ikare Akoko, Ondo State.
Also, at St Barnabas Anglican Church Felele, Ibadan, and Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity Lokoja, where he served as Master of music and Organist. ASSAO, as popularly called, was also the Music Director at Diocese of Lokoja, Lokoja, Kogi state.
Also, he was the organist of the famous Wesley Methodist Cathedral, Elekuro, Ibadan. And at present the organist of great St James Cathedral, Oke bola in Ibadan, Nigeria. ASSAO musicianship has made him a guest organist at St Luke’s Ang. Church, Molete, Ibadan, Sacred Heart Catholic Catholics Cathedral, Akure, Ondo State to mention a few.
ASSAOis one of the accompanist organists/pianists of the famous choral group “The Ressurection Voices”, a choral group based in Ibadan city and led by Mr. Dotun Olayemi. In addition, ASSAO is currently the Technical Director of Nightingale International. The choral group was founded by Rev. Yemi Akinpelu and is one of the best in Ibadan.
Performance
Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi was one of the performing organists at 12 hymns, 5 Organists, and 1 congregational choir, a live musical event by Ibadan Music Society in 2014. Also, he was the pianist at the Joy of music a musical concert organized by Seun Owoaje in 2014 at ogba, Lagos.
Again, Sunday Ajayi was among the organists that performed at April 2020 Special Organ Music Series. The virtual concert was held at the Chapel of The Resurrection, University of Ibadan, and make available online for the audience.
Sunday Ajayi As A Composer
Sunday Anuoluwapo Ajayi is a man of music and his work do speak for him. ASSAO is a talented, trained, and polished Pianist/Organist, vibrant conductor, and an influential composer.
He has been able to compose and arrange several Choruses, Solos, and Duets performed on both sacred and secular occasions. His artistic approach to his composition gives him an edge in fussing Yoruba tonal dialect to the western style of music.
Some of his works are Were lo ba mi se, Omo to de Baba ni, and We Need You Lord. Also, he composed Eru o bami, Se ‘fe tire, and Alasepe. Among others, works of Sunday are Oluwa Ku Ise (in F-sharp Minor for piano), and Oluronbi (in G-Major for piano).
Sunday’s view about music is that music is life because it nourishes our spirits, souls, and bodies. Also, he believes further that virtually all living and nonliving things make and cause to make a sound every day and any sound can be converted to music depending on how well we listen.
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