Bel-Canto Chorale Hosts 2019 Music Concert

 By John Tega

Bel-Canto Chorale has successfully hosted the 2019 edition of her annual music concert.

The event which took place at Abraka Town Hall in Abraka Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State yesterday, was tagged: ‘A Concert of Hymns,’ as several popular hymns were beautifully rendered by the group to an audience that listened and watched with rapt attention and often gave an applause.

Some of the hymns rendered include: ‘Praise my Soul the King of Heaven,’ ‘Soul of my Saviour,’ ‘Blessed Assurance,’ ‘Tis so sweet to Trust in Jesus,’ ‘Jesu My Lord,’ ‘Amazing Grace’ and many more.

A violin presentation from Osas Otamare and Simeon Gabriel and then Providence O., a pianist with his music interlude and others also spiced up the event.

During an exclusive chat with Oasis Magazine (OM), the Founder and Music Director of the group, Afamefune Okezie, a graduate of Technical Education, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, and presently serving as a corper in Benin City, Edo State, said that this year, they decided to do hymns because many persons easily connect to God through hymns.

Mr. & Mrs. Augustine Okezie and their son, Afamefune Okezie, Founder and Music Director, Bel-Canto Chorale (m).

According to him, he hopes that the chorale groups starts getting branches in different places.

He added: “That is why I started with students as members of the group so that when they start going to different places like Lagos and Abuja, they can have a branch there.”

He said: “Classical music and hymns are dying in Nigeria, even though the group is not restricted to doing only classical music, but also does contemporary music too. This group will continue and last.”

He called on the government of Delta State to acknowledge the group and partner with them.

Speaking further, he said: “This music concert is an annual event and next year we hope to blow down Abraka. It is not just going to be hymns, but we would come up with good contemporary music also.”

On his part, the father of the organizer, Mr. Augustine Okezie, thanked God for the success of the programme, saying that he never knew that his son had gotten to this level.

He prayed for the group to continue to go from strength to strength.

To his son, he said: “Continue to give the glory to God and do not deviate from this path that you have found,” saying he is in support of him pursuing his passion.

While in school, Afamefune Okezie was the choirmaster of Ascension Catholic Church, Abraka.

He is a pianist, a choir coordinator and also a lover of music.