Alaba Ilesanmi
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Alaba (he/him) is a scholar-musician and the Artistic Director of Akojopo’s concert initiatives, directing its artistic and intellectual components. He is a McKnight Doctoral Fellow and candidate in musicology at Florida State University. As an inaugural fellow, he recently completed the new Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship (2023–24). His research focuses on music-making, musical traditions, and popular cultures in Africa and the Black diaspora, exploring themes such as cultural and identity politics, capitalism, globalization, and (post-)coloniality, delving into the ongoing dialogue among global Black cultures. Alaba’s work projects Africa and the Black diaspora as a unified global Black culture characterized by complex boundaries, fluid roots, diverse routes, and rich intercultural interactions. His work seeks to foster a new and culturally embedded approach to the musicological study and representation of African music.
Through Àkójopò’s Pan-African Art Music Commissioning Project (PAMCP), Alaba engages in public-facing musicological work and blurs the gap between artistic works, performance, and scholarship.
Alaba’s journey in music began formally at the prestigious Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) School of Music, Lagos. His talent was recognized early on when the MTN Foundation awarded him a full scholarship, and he graduated as the “Best Overall Student.” He further honed his skills, earning advanced certificates in music theory, percussion playing, and piano playing from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College of Music, London. His academic journey continued with a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Texas at Tyler and a master’s degree in musicology from Florida State University. Additionally, he is a certified EC-12 music educator in Texas.
He actively maintains his career as a composer, educator, music theorist, and researcher. In addition to academics, he enjoys traveling, kayaking, sightseeing, and volunteering.
Visit Alaba's website for more: www.alabailesanmi.com
