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CULTURALLY INFORMED PIANO INSTRUCTION IN NIGERIAN TERTIARY 

INSTITUTIONS: A COMPOSITION OF THREE PIANO ETUDES CELEBRATING LOCAL 

HERITAGE 

 

Emeka Egbonu  

&  

Umeojiaka, David Sopuluchukwu, Phd 

Department of Music Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka 

 

Abstract 

A look into the piano works used for piano studies in the Music Departments of Nigerian tertiary 

institutions shows a preponderance of Western piano works. These do not speak to the cultural 

background of the students. This has led to a growing concern by African music scholars on the 

imposition of western culture and musical norms through music education curriculum. It has also 

created a problem which is that students struggle with African piano pieces. Therefore, it is upon 

this background that the researchers carried out this study to compose piano etudes based on 

African music rhythms to help students overcome this challenge. It was based on collecting folk songs 

of the Igbo which were transcribed, and analyzed to extract the folk idioms for original compositions 

of piano pieces. The methodology employed in the study was research-composition technique. This is 

a compositional approach that involves in-depth ethnomusicological research of indigenous music. 

Three (3) original piano pieces were composed based on the collected folk songs and the folk music 

idioms extracted from them. These original compositions were analyzed based on chosen criteria. 

Recommendations were made one of which is that composers should base their compositions on 

elements drawn from the folk idioms of the people. 

 

Introduction 

Music is a part and parcel of any culture. The music of any society helps in defining the culture of 

that society. This idea was supported by Adeogun (2008:21) when he explained that “music is central 

to the cultural life, and monitors the mental advancement of a society from generation to generation.” 

Music is an expressive language of every culture including Nigeria. It therefore implies that the 

importance of music to the Nigerian society cannot be over emphasized. Buttressing this point, 

Obiesie and Nwamara  (2019:1) opined that: “Music in Nigerian societies is conceived as object of 

aesthetic contemplation as well as a sociocultural phenomenon that plays multi-dimensional roles in 

every aspect of culture.” Music is very important to the Nigerian society; therefore, music education 

is also important. Music education “refers to the teaching and learning of formal music making and 

listening.” (Obiesie & Nwamara, 2019). It is an important tool in molding, forming and shaping a learner 

(Ekwueme, Odunuga & Ogunrinade, 2013). In Nigeria, music is taught in primary, secondary and 

tertiary institutions. However, the focus of this study was on tertiary institutions, south east Nigeria. 

Music education in Nigerian tertiary institutions which started about five decades ago has evolved 

over the years. It has striven to improve with the view of meeting the current global standards. The 

Nigerian society looks to the departments of music of our tertiary institutions to provide graduates 

who possess many practical skills necessary for their success after graduation. This is why the 

national policy on education in Nigeria demands that tertiary education in Nigeria will provide 

graduates with many skills they can take into the job market, (FGN, 2004). Consequently, the 

curriculum for tertiary music education has been structured in a way that takes care of not only the 



 

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theoretical aspects of music. Consideration was also given to the practical aspect as well. Certain 

courses were provided to take care of the practical aspect of music learning. These courses include; 

keyboard studies, individual performance studies and ensemble studies. 

 

Keyboard studies is the teaching and learning of keyboard instruments. It is crucial for promoting 

rounded and extended musicianship among music students. The acquisition of keyboard skills is a 

major means of securing a musical employment (Adeogun, 2008). There are many keyboard 

instruments but this study focused on the piano.  

 

Although piano studies is an important part of the curriculum of Nigerian tertiary institutions, 

however, the piano works used in teaching the students are mostly the ones written by some western 

composers like Mozart, Handel and Bach. This has created a problem which is that “the students do 

well in western piano pieces but struggle with African piano pieces. Let us take for example the 

individual performance studies which involves both western voice pieces and African voice pieces. The 

researchers have observed that the piano accompanists to the singers usually do well in the Western 

voice pieces but do struggle with the African voice piece. This is mainly because they find it difficult 

to interpret African rhythms. This is also because they are not used to playing African rhythms 

because they use mainly western pieces for their studies. It is indeed very sad that a student will do 

well in western piano pieces but struggle with the African pieces which are our own. This is one of 

the reasons many Nigerian music scholars have stressed the need for balance in content and 

methodology of music education in the country (Onyeji, 2008). One of the scholars, Okafor (1992) 

wrote: 

An examination of music education in Nigeria presents the observer with immediate  and 

glaring anomaly. The focus of music education itself appears to be on western music, music 

transplanted or introduced into the culture of the indigenous Nigeria from an outside culture. 

The syllabus of the educational system, the curriculum content, and the philosophy and 

thrusts of the institutions which teach music place strong emphasis on Western music. The 

student and even the Nigerian teacher of this type of music will, therefore, have to grapple 

first with an understanding of the method of teaching it. (p. 89).  

 

His opinion is that the method of teaching music takes the students away from their culture. This is 

why Nzewi (1981) argued that the learner’s cultural background has been ignored in the approach to 

music education in Nigeria. In addition to this, Adedeji (2013) opined that “this has been one of the 

main reasons accountable for the underdevelopment of music education in Nigeria.”   This approach 

has affected piano studies in our tertiary institutions. 

 

Therefore, it is upon this background that the present researchers carried out this study with a view 

to composing three (3) piano etudes using musical idioms from Igbo folk songs from the researchers’ 

inspirations. These piano works which emphasize African rhythmic styles are intended to help the 

students with their interpretation of African rhythms. 

 

Statement of the Problem 

Music education in Nigerian tertiary institutions has been structured in a way that covers both the 

theoretical and practical aspects of music. The courses that are contributing to the practical aspect 

are; piano studies, individual performance studies and ensemble studies. However, a look into the 



 

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performance of students in these courses shows that they struggle to play the piano accompaniment 

for the African solo voice and chorus pieces. This struggle most times leads them to even vamping 

the pieces. These are the same students who do better in the western category. It is as a result of 

this that the researchers composed three piano etudes using musical idioms from Igbo folk songs to 

proffer solutions to the seemingly existing problem. 

 

Purpose of the Study  

The purpose of the study was to make a culture-based approach to piano playing in Nigerian tertiary 

institutions with special reference to the South East region. To this end, three (3) original piano 

pieces were composed based on the folk idioms extracted from Igbo folk songs. 

The study was guided by the following specific objectives: 

 To collect Igbo folk songs from the South East region of Nigeria. 

 To analyze collected Igbo folk songs with the view of getting musical idioms from them. 

 To use the musical idioms of the folk songs to compose piano etudes with emphasis on African 

rhythmic styles. 

 To analyze the composed piano pieces based on chosen criteria. 

  

Significance of the Study 

Music scholars in Nigeria have raised the need for an African best practice to enhance African-

sensitive music education (Onyeji, 2019). This study is intended to make a contribution towards that. 

The piano etudes which were composed using musical idioms from Igbo folk songs will contribute to 

the preservation of Igbo folk songs. These etudes which were composed with emphasis on African 

rhythmic styles will help students improve in their interpretation of African rhythms. It will provide 

teaching tools for piano teachers in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The piano works will also add to 

the repertoire of piano compositions in Nigeria and even globally. It will enhance piano studies in 

tertiary institutions of south east Nigeria by providing piano works which considers the cultural 

background of the students who are mainly Igbo students. 

 

Methodology 

The researchers employed research-composition technique in this study. This is a compositional 

approach that involves in-depth ethnomusicological research of indigenous music (Onyeji, 2019). This 

method was used to study some selected Igbo folk songs and some other selected Igbo art 

compositions. 

 

It should be noted that at the heart of every music composition is inspiration. Composition cannot 

take place without inspiration no matter one’s knowledge of music theory. The researchers have 

discovered from their years of experiences in the academia that the most important tool for 

composing piano works is the inspiration that comes from the composer’s mind. This inspiration can 

be stimulated through listening to music, studying other compositions and active musical engagements. 

 

Theoretical Framework 

This study is anchored on Research-Composition Technique. This term as explained by Onyeji (2019) 

is “ the compositional approach that gives a  background in-depth to ethnomusicological research of 

indigenous music.” (p. 276). In this approach, the composer is expected to study and analyze 

indigenous music with the view of deriving musical idioms for his compositions from them. 



 

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Piano Etudes  

This is a piano composition intended as a basis for the improvement of the performer’s technique. 

(Kennedy,2007). It is a short musical composition that a musician plays mainly for practice with the 

view of improving on certain musical skills. 

 

African Pianism 

African Pianism is one of the terms that came up as a result of efforts by Nigerian art music 

composers. It is, as explained by Boamah (2012) “ a style of piano music which employs techniques and 

styles used in the  performance of African traditional songs and African popular music.” (p.1). Boamah 

observed “the term African Pianism was coined by Akin- Euba, a renowned musicologist. In 

furtherance of his arguments, Akin- Euba in Boamah (2012) discovered: 

A possibility of evolution in the use of western pianoforte in combination with  African 

drums and other instruments of percussion. The piano already displays  certain affinity with 

African music and by creating a type of African Pianism to  blend with African instruments; it 

should be possible to achieve a successful  fusion (p. 1).  

Thus African Pianism could be likened to playing the African drum on the piano. 

African-Sensed Music Education  

There has been a growing concern by African music scholars of the imposition of western 

culture and musical norms through educational curricular for music (Onyeji, 2019). This has 

raised the need to develop music curricular that considers the cultural background of the 

students. This means that the focal point of music education in  Africa especially in Nigeria 

which was hinged on western music should be brought home meaning a  maneuver or insert of 

western culture into the culture of the Africans should be reconsidered to embrace  

Africanness in our education sector as exemplified below:   



 

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The piano piece “Ariri” is in rondo form. Rondo is a form of composition, usually instrumental, in which 

one section intermittently recurs. (Kennedy, 2007). Onwuekwe (2013) went further to explain that “a 

rondo contains sections or episodes which are smoothly joined when necessary by little linking or 

bridge passages.” (p. 31). The sections in a rondo are usually identified as ABACADA. The opening 

section A is the section that intermittently recurs.  

 

A closer look at this rondo piece shows that a piece of music material stated at the beginning of the 

piece from bars one to sixteen keeps recurring, alternating with the episodes. The first episode is 

found from bar seventeen to Thirty-Two. This episode is section B. The second episode is from bar 

Forty-Nine to Sixty-Four. This is section C. The piece ended with a coda from bar Eighty One-Eighty 

Four. 

 

Structural Analysis 

Form:               Rondo (ABACA) 

Medium:           Piano solo 

Length:              84 bars 

Tempo:              Moderato 

Meter:                Six-eight time signature 

Bars 1-16:           Section A 

Bars 17-32:         Section B 

Bars 33-48:          Section A again 

Bars 49-64:          Section C 

Bars 65-80:          Another section A 

Bars 81-84:          Coda or tail 

 

 

  



 

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The piece “Egwu Okereke” is in binary form. Onwuekwe (2013) explained the binary form as a “musical 

composition which consists of two parts, (AB) each usually repeated”(p .29). She went further to say 

that the two sections are usually related but differ in such important respects as key, mood, texture, 

tempo, thematic materials, time signature, or dynamic level (p. 29). Binary form simply means a musical 

composition in two sections, section A and section B. 

Structural Analysis 

Form:               Binary (AB) 

Medium:           Piano solo 

Length:              48 bars 

Tempo:              Allegro 

Meter:                Six-eight time signature from bars 1-22 and four-four time signature   

 

  



 

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The piece “ Ije Awele” is in “Through Composed Form.” This is a musical form of composition in which 

new musical ideas are presented throughout, with no repetitions of themes ( Onwuekwe, 2013). 

A closer look at the piece also shows call and response between bars five to ten. The right hand calls 

while the left hand responds. This is shown in the figure below. 

Fig 1 

 
A deeper analysis of this piece also shows that from bars forty six to fifty nine, the melody moves 

to the left hand while the right hand becomes an accompaniment for this left hand melody as shown 

in the figure below. 

Fig 2

 
 

Structural Analysis 

Form:               Through Composed 

Medium:           Piano solo 

Length:              64 bars 

Tempo:              Allegro 



 

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Meter:                Six-eight time signature 

 

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 

Music scholars in Nigeria have raised the need for an African best practice to improve African-

Sensitive music education (Onyeji, 2019). Unfortunately, a look into the piano works used for piano 

studies in the music departments of Nigerian tertiary institutions shows a preponderance of western 

piano works composed by western composers like Mozart, Handel and Chopin. These works do not 

speak to the cultural background of the students rather it takes the students away from their culture 

(Okafor, 1992). Consequently, students struggle with interpreting African piano works. 

 Therefore, the researchers are of the opinion that the composed  piano works that speak to the 

cultural background of the students as contained in this study be used in teaching  and learning of 

piano in our tertiary institutions.  This study also makes a case for more African piano works that are 

based on African rhythms hence the study is a move in that direction. It contains three (3) original 

piano etudes aimed at helping students improve on their interpretation of African rhythms. 

 

 Recommendations  

The need for music students to improve their interpretation of African rhythms cannot be over 

emphasized. Therefore, the researchers are of the opinion that there is need for more piano works 

that are based on African rhythmical patterns. Students will improve in their interpretation of 

African music when they practice with more African piano works. 

Finally, the researchers are urging piano instructors in our tertiary institutions to consider using 

more of African piano works in both their teachings and evaluation of students. 

 

References 

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Boamah, E. (2012). The concept of African  pianism. Legon Journal of the Humanities, 23,141-154. 

Ekwueme, L. U., Odunuga, A. F., & Ogunrinade, D. O. A. (2013). Promoting peace and culture in Nigerian 

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Eliot, T. S.(2010). Notes towards the definition of culture. Faber & Faber. 

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Okafor, R. C. (1992). Music in Nigeria education. African Music: Journal of the International Library 

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Okafor, R. C. (2017). A study of Igbo folk songs. Enugu: Academic Press. 

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in Africa(pp. 262-278). Routledge. 

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