How Having Passion for Learning Instruments, Led Abiodun Falode to Become Renowned Pianist

As a shy, quiet kindergartner sitting in a class meant for older Children at his teacher’s house, Abiodun Falode, was thoroughly intrigued and excited to learn musical instruments. He tried to soak up as much as he could and after a few weeks, it was his turn to begin.

This all started when he was nearly six years old, a family friend had recommended a piano teacher, after he had been insisting on beginning an instrument learning for some time.

Over the years, what started as a mere intrigue and child fantasy has become a path for a journey of three decades and still counting.

Popularly known as Abbey organ, the journey started over 3 decades ago and he has been playing piano — a versatile, dynamic, and beautiful instrument.

Simply put, when recently interviewed “my journey has been a wonderful ride so far.”

For him, this single decision provided the opportunity to be trained under the tutelage of renowned musicians, composers and educators like Edna Shoyanwo, James Adekunle, Maria Assiva, Mario Akpata.

Explaining how he began to lay the foundation for his career which has blossomed, Abbey organ said he purchased all the beginner-level materials needed.

According to him, “Hour with the master Volume 1, and note-taking sheets. My teacher gave my dad and me an overview of what a typical lesson would consist of once I grew more advanced: warming up with scales and a short piece learned solely over the week, playing a scale (major or minor, and keys that gradually grow in complexity), and then focusing on repertoire for the rest of the time.

“But, that material would come in a few months. I first needed to learn the foundations of music, of piano. Of learning to control, coordinate, and play with two hands. Of taking apart melodies and harmonies and analyzing them. Of applying technique to make music much more than regurgitating notes and motions written on pieces of paper.

“I still vividly remember playing with colored, laminated cards with all the notes of an octave and understanding their placement on a staff. Together, my teacher would watch as I placed cards in order on the carpeted floor and hummed them back to her to create the tunes she played on the piano. Over and over again for weeks, she gradually helped me train to rely on my ears rather than just my eyes and hands to reproduce them.”

It was after his Grade 1 exam in piano at Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON), he really started taking his piano lessons seriously, vowing to graduate every year and play difficult pieces.

He stated that “I didn’t want to make my journey as easy as possible, but rather learn as much as I could along the way. I began practicing, with my father’s consistent help, on a set schedule. I raced through my weekly practice books, which had turned from Hour with the master to John Thompson for Beginners on the Pianoforte, a book of a hundred short pieces and the first of a series.

“This was probably the most exciting part of each lesson, because I loved learning new pieces every week and exposing myself to various types of classical music instead of just sticking to the same things week after week.I became more confident in my abilities and stepped outside my shell.”

He adds that “As I matured, I began taking full responsibility of my practice time. All the techniques that had been ingrained and developed over the years — a tall and relaxed wrist, tonal variation, phrasing and dynamics, interpretation, pedaling and structure, rhythms, and so much more — helped me read and learn music on my own very quickly. I became more independent, from choosing which pieces to learn.

“I increased my pace of learning music and was blowing through books by a vast array of composers: Czerny, Burgmüller, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, among several others. At this point, the motivation was coming from within as I did what I could to grow into a better pianist. I had a strong love for the music I was learning, which truly made a significant difference in my performances and practice sessions.”

As the levels progressed, Abbey organ began to realize that he was somewhat of a role model for the younger children, which further increased his drive.

“All my years of hard work exposed me to important and the roles of playing the piano.
My dexterity and flexibility on the piano playing earned me roles in operas,oratorios and works by world famous composers like Handel,Mozart,Bach,Puccini, Beethoven and contemporary composers.”

As he continued to master his childhood dream, his artistry has kept him on the stage regularly at concerts and functions organized by churches,private and corporate bodies around the country and beyond.

As a pianist, Abbey organ has numerous awards, qualifications and recognitions with MUSON Onikan, Church Organ Projects in Nigeria (CHOPIN), Hymn society of Great Britain and Ireland (HSGBI)

As a pianist, he had had the opportunity to perform both locally and internationally.

Some example includes, Pianist during 2022 & 2033 conferences of Hymn society Great Britain and Ireland; Guest accompanist, Advent carol held in Holy Trinity Tottenham UK 2022; Guest Accompanist, RCCG Jesus House, UK, 2022; Guest organist/pianist, Church of the Ascension, Plumstead, UK 2023; 20th Anniversary Concert Church organ projects in Nigeria at Muson 2021.

Some of the works performed include
Messiah by G.F Handel, Elijah-Felix Mendelssohn, Magic flute, Mozart, Creature-Joseph Haydn,St.John passion,St.Luke passion -Bach.

In addition, he has performed in 32 states out of 36 in Nigeria.

Commending on his journey so far, Abbey organ said that, “Piano has been more than just an instrument or achievement to me. It has been something that guides my life, morals, and skills, and it has evolved to become a significant part of who I am. My trophies aren’t what I’ve worked for; they commemorate the process of learning and the countless hours of effort I’ve put in to complete each level. Below, I’ve shared some life lessons I’ve learned along the way.”

On his message for the upcoming pianist he said that, “discipline and concentration for longer periods of time. Piano has taught me to pay attention to detail and focus on the little things that collectively form an end product. Memorization skills. The small lessons matter, too. Anything from memorizing rhetorical devices and vocab words to cramming for a test, my memory has notably improved

“A gift for life. With piano, I’ve found something I can always go back to. I’ll never forget how to make music. Sure, I’ll be rough around the edges and playing well again would take lots of hard practice after losing some technique over the years, but I will always have something to provide unmitigated joy.I’m never leaving piano, and piano is never leaving me. I will always have an insurmountable love for this instrument.”