Impact of Communication Media on Igbo Choral Art Music:1930-2000

Abstract

From records of history, the experimentation of Igbo choral Art music began in 1930s and it has over the years developed to a world class art. From the time of experimentation of Igbo choral Art music through its developmental stages, various communication media available at each point in time played vital roles in composition, transmission, dissemination, preservation and performance. However, some Igbo scholars have done much work on Igbo choral Art music but there seems to be a lacuna in the area of the roles played by various communication outlets in shaping Igbo art music practices. This research therefore, examines the impact of various communication media on Igbo Art music practices from 1930s to 1990s. The study is hinged on media ecology theory as propounded by Marshall McLuhan in 1960. Data for this research was collected through library sources, oral interviews and observation. This work concludes that the advancements in communication technology positively shaped Igbo choral Art music practices.