Artist bio

Mr. Andrew Chukwuka Egbuchiem came into limelight as an artist in residence for the Singers of United Land Project between December 2013 and June 2014 touring through the east half of the United States, Kenya, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, and Latvia. Andrew made his opera debut with the Brooklyn Opera Works in 2016 under the tutelage of Lina Tetriani performing as the Sorceress in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and participated in the Amherst Early Music Festival’s Erismena by Cavalli in 2017. Andrew has been a regular soloist with the Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus’ performing Bernstein’s The Lark, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb in 2018, Pergolesi’s Magnificat and Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit pour Noel in 2019. Amongst Andrew awards is a third prize at the New York Classical Music Artists International Voice Competition 2019 and an audience prize for the 2020 World Bach Competition by the Boulder Bach Festival. Andrew most recent performance includes Chicago Summer Opera’s production of Handel’s opera Silla (as Silla) in August 2021. Andrew Chukwuka Egbuchiem performed at Alter Echo Chamber Opera’s production of Alcina Revamped (as Oberto) in September 2021.

Title

Ekpere (Prayer)

Medium/Genre

Alternative / Indie

Artist Statement

Classical music is my first love, the key to the secret garden of my heart, my looking glass, my most powerful magic wand, my life. I see music performance as way to reach out to another soul using sounds in a way to reach out to another soul in away mere words alone can never express. As I perform, it reveals so much about the human emotions – what I feel of love, dreams, fears and life.
Singing started it all. From childhood, singing has struck with me like magic. And over the years that magical process has had its way with me, leading me from simple childhood singing fantasies into huge world of Classical Music and opera. Music fills me with a sense of accomplishment and integrity and has proven to be the most amendable vehicle for translating inner emotions and visions to outer reality.
In my performances, I aspire to create a connection between the music and the listener on both intellectual and emotional levels. I achieve this by focusing on the context of the text, the musical idea and making the performances as organically as possible as though everything is happening at the moment. I endeavor to create a theatrical journey where the audience can see the great drama in the music that is being performed. I endeavor to sing with conviction and always from my heart.

Embodying the lyrics was more important and capturing the composer's intention of this beautifully written piece was very important. This Cantata begins with a Recitativo which is like a short speech music. This Cantata consist of 4 different sections capturing different and telling the story in Igbo language was the most beautiful

How it fits into contest

The Entire text of the Ephesian 6: 10- 20 was set to music to produce a cantata which is a short musical work for Piano and voice.

Credits

Innocent Okechukwu - Composer
Vyacheslav Gryaznov - Pianist and Video

Music / Sound Sources

Innocent okechukwu

Transcript / Lyrics

Nke foduru, me nu onwe unuka, unu dike, n'ime onye nwe anyi
(Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power)


Yi kwasinu iheagha, n'ile nke Chineke
(Put on the full armor of God)



ka unu wepu, igu zogide ihe n'ile Ekwensu ne zuputa.
(so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes)

N'ihi na, ibanba anyi abughi imegide anu aru n'obara kama,
o bu, imegide ibu ndi si n'ile; N'ihi kea, chilienu ihe'agha. chilienu
i he'a gha nke Chineke.
(For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world
and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.)

Guzonu, mgbe unu were si ri eziokwu ke n'ukwu unu
were kwa iheagha nke obi yikwasi, nke bu'ezi omume
Nara kwanu okpu agha nke nzoputa.
(Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.)


Site kwanu n'ekpere n'aririo nile ekpere,
ekpere n'oge nile n'ime muo nso, nke bu'okwu Chineke.
(In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.)

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