The Initiative (E.S.M)
�?Every Student a Musician’ (E.S.M) is an initiative of �?the Visitor’, Dr. D.K. Olukoya, who is also the proprietor of MTU and the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. He is the convener of the initiative. As part of his agenda to make MTU unique amongst other universities, he introduced E.S.M programme as a general course of study for every student of the university. The E.S.M thereby becomes a scheme established in congruent with Entrepreneur studies which are also compulsory for students.
The Aim and Significance of E.S.M in Relation to Entrepreneur Scheme
The entrepreneur scheme of the school is targeted at equipping students with various skills on vocation in order to benefit themselves, the school and the society at large. In the same vein, the E.S.M is envisioned to impart students with skills and techniques in playing various musical instruments. The ultimate aim is to make impact in the society by producing more decent, morally cultured and veteran musicians that will solve the problem relating to scarcity of instrumentalists; this impact will reduce the rate of mischief by idle youths who are unemployed. This aim is not limited to the social benefit of the scheme to the university as a source of entertainment in chapel programmes, special occasions and ceremonies within the academic society. In this case, whatever genre of music is required by the school for entertainment or ministration in spiritual programmes can be provided by ESM instead of paying heavily to invite musicians outside the campus.
The initiative allows students who are musically talented but offer other courses to maintain their relevance as they play the musical instrument without impinging on their main course. It also provides a platform for non-musically oriented students to develop themselves with the skill and techniques of playing any musical instrument of their choices.
Scope of E.S.M Activities
The ESM operates within a confine of the approved Course Outline written by E.S.M Coordinator as guided by Professor Tunji Vidal (Former H.O.D Music Department MTU). The approach to implementing the scheme of work in E.S.M is from a pragmatic point of view rather than musicological approach in the music department.
The E.S.M is concerned with performance of students on the musical instrument with basic skills, techniques and general musicianship to aid their performances. As most students of the E.S.M are not music students in the music department, the scheme of work is simplified to avoid saddling the students with too much workload in addition to their commitment to other courses. Unlike other universities, the ESM involves every student participating in instrumental practice regardless of his or her course of study.
The scope of E.S.M covers four sections such as Orchestra instruments (strings, woodwind and brass) Guitar, Piano and Saxophones. Each category of musical instruments allows the assimilation of other exotic instruments related to its family to widen her horizon in the nearest future. Some of the instruments include Ukulele, Mandolin, Banjo, Sousaphone etc. The scope therefore elucidates the points of dichotomy in the operations of ESM and Music department.
- Music students in Music department offer music courses as full time while E.S.M is a zero unit course for all students and the training holds once a week for each level.
- Music students from Music department graduates with a degree in Music while E.S.M students only graduate with degree in their various courses of study, but still retaining expertise on their musical instruments.
- Lectures in Music department add more values to Music students to become musicologists, music composers, analysts and virtuosos in performance. However, E.S.M focuses more on performance rather than theory.
- Music Department operate with lecturers officially employed by the University while E.S.M has over sixty (60) instructors mobilised and specially assigned for the training; their salaries are footed directly by the �?Visitor’.
- Music students in Music department undergo CBT, theory and practical exams while the E.S.M exam holds as performances exam before the �?jury’ — the instructor.
- The E.S.M holds it semester performance exam a week before regular exam while Music students in Music department hold their exams with regular students in the university.
- The E.S.M training holds the same day with some other entrepreneur courses in different period, while music students hold their lectures different day of the week in the Organ House.
The following are the set objectives for E.S.M which the school management has absorbed and included in the school brochure.
To provide opportunity for all students in the University to learn skills on the musical instrument of their choice.
- To widen the scope of students’ specialisation beyond their field of study.
- To contribute additional knowledge to students within or outside their faculty.
- To enliven the soul and mind of students through musical practices (instrumental/vocal).
- To enable students identify their hidden potentials in music in order to engage their leisure time with useful adventures.
- To make the University, perhaps the first to establish the project �?Every Student a Musician’. (ESM)
- To make playing of musical instruments or singing a viable option to students who wish to proceed in that field or establish themselves as world class musicians in future.
- To create different musical set-ups competent in performance both locally and internationally.
- To train individual students on their major instruments towards excellent performance and achievement of desirable grades in music.
- To engage all �?student instrumentalists’ in various activities of the University that involve music; such as chapel programmes, special ceremonies, M.F.M PMCH and special invitations.
- To create a platform for discovering, developing and debut of star musicians who will be projected and sign up for Mountain Top Record Label (Studio).
- To create an ambience of sonority through combined musical performances and talent discovery programmes.
- Semester Mini-concert
- Matriculation Concert
- Chapel Ministration
- PMCH Ministration
- Music Ministration
- Graded Exams (Optional)
- Convocation Concert
- Intra-musical Competitions (Talent Hunt)
- Music Festivals
- Other special programmes.
Below are the rules and regulations for student of ESM which has also been absorbed by the school management.
It is obligatory for students to comply with the following regulations in order to foster their improvement on the instruments and as well maintain a balance with other courses in their academic programme.
- Period for music practice must not impinge on the official lecture hours for other courses. The academic programme is primary while musical instrument training is zero (0) unit but compulsory.
- As attendance on the musical training class is compulsory, students are encouraged to create a balance in their studies and ensure their cooperation to make the training productive.
- The musical training should not be an excuse or yardstick for disobeying the university rules. Students should adhere strictly to University regulations during their musical practices.
- The musical training will not Condone misbehaviour of students during the training or individual rehearsals; every misbehaviour is punishable by the school authority.
- Cooperation and loyalty to the instructions given by the instructors is one of the keys to foster student’s improvement on the instrument. Please comply.
- Occasionally, the instructors shall give progress reports to the school authority about the general assessment which includes students’ performance examinations, individual student’s comportment and activeness in the training class. Students should not constitute nuisance during the training.
- Students are obliged to give due respect to whoever is their instructor without considering age, gender, complexion, ethnicity, status or height. �?Respect them as you would love to be respected’.
- Every instructor possesses the instincts to arrange or rearrange his musical set-up towards achieving the goal of the University for the training; in such case, students should comply and support him or her.
- Every musical instrument is unique in its approach to learning and performance. Hence, students are advised to concentrate on one (major) musical instrument.
- All �?student instrumentalists’ are to focus on the same goal of the University for this training. Students should therefore avoid any form of sentiment, resentment, prejudice, envy and etcetera that may erupt later in the course of performances within or outside the campus.
- Sensitive issues in instrument classes can be resolved by immediate instructor, unit coordinators and musical training coordinator.
- Students are advised to practice whatever they are taught and master the instructional manual in order to encourage their instructors.
13. Each instrumental section (Orchestra, Guitar etc.) should delegate students who will ensure the maintenance and distribution of musical instrument before and after the training class.
14 Students who wish to practice during their free period can access the instruments by signing in and out. Note: the instrument should be presented intact to the officer(s) before signing out.
15. Instruments are not allowed to be taken outside the campus premises to prevent gradual reduction or untraceable losses.
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Code of Conduct was structured to guide the instructors in conjunction with the code of conduct for the MTU staff.
The reputation and integrity of individual instructor are important factors that can determine the success and continuity of this training. Hence, there is the need for self-discipline and compliance to the following rules in order to avoid students’ constituting nuisance during the training or instigate issues that can implicate the instructors.
- Instructors should endeavour to avoid casual dressing to the training as this will determine how they will be addressed by the students.
- Instructors should not transact any form of business with the students; especially collecting money from them to make photocopies of books or other training materials.
- The coordinators should ensure that the instructors in their units guide the students on the maintenance of the instruments in the cause of the training.
- Instructors in each unit can also assign duties to their students on maintenance and distribution of instruments for rehearsals.
- Instructors should not engage in dating or any sexual intimacy with opposite sex. Suspects’ among students or instructors should be reported by other instructors to the coordinator for necessary actions.
- Instructors should not engage in combat or strife with their students especially when they disobey their instructions. Rather they should notify the coordinators in order to report such students directly to the school authority.
- Instructors should take the attendance of their students serious. Records of the attendance of each unit including the list of instruments should be kept intact for inspection by the school authority.
- Unit coordinators are strictly in charge of the training in their units; hence all instructors should endeavour to cooperate.
9. Every rehearsal should start and end with prayers. On occasional basis, prayer meetings shall be organised for all instructors.