Made Kuti, Afrobeat multi-instrumentalist and grandson of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, will showcase a different side of his artistry when he performs a classical music piece at the 2026 MUSON Festival of the Arts in Lagos.
Made will take the stage on Tuesday, November 3, at 10:30 a.m. at “Collabo: Music Meets Technology”, one of the highlights of this year’s festival. The event will hold at the Shell-Zenith Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
Conceived and first curated by Sade Doherty in 2023, “Collabo” is part of MUSON’s efforts to foster conversations around the intersection of music and emerging technologies.
The 2026 MUSON Festival will run from October 23 to November 8, 2026, with ten major concerts, operatic performances, jazz, theatre, exhibitions and youth programmes lined up. This year’s edition is significant — it marks four milestones: 43 years of MUSON Centre, 37 years of the MUSON Basic School of Music, 30 years of the MUSON Festival, and 20 years of the MUSON School of Music Diploma Programme sponsored by MTN Foundation. This year’s festival theme is “Music Sustained”.
Music, Tech and the Future of Sound
“Collabo” is a FREE event. It begins with a prelude — a new episode screening of Music Expressions by MUSON, the Centre’s podcast series — from 10:30 a.m., followed by the main symposium from 11:00 a.m.
The symposium will feature Obi Asika, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), as keynote speaker. He is expected to speak on building Nigeria’s domestic music economy and the role of innovation in strengthening the creative industries.
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According to Sade Doherty, Chairperson of the 2026 MUSON Festival Planning Committee, the first three editions of Collabo explored artificial intelligence, creativity emerging from machines, and how AI is redefining music.
“Automation in every sphere of life is progressing at breakneck speed, and music is no exception,” Doherty said. She noted that the 2026 edition will spotlight automation, AI and collaboration — three forces reshaping how music is created, performed and experienced.
The programme will also feature a masterclass titled “AI in 2026: From Adoption to Collaboration”, designed to move beyond theory to practical applications for musicians.
Korede Omopeloye, Deputy Director, MUSON School of Music, said the masterclass will demonstrate non-generative AI tools that solve operational challenges for musicians — including real-time stem isolation, instant chord extraction, smart metronomes and precision tempo control.
“Where art meets innovation, the future of sound takes centre stage,” Omopeloye said, describing Collabo 2026 as a gathering for performers, educators, students and creative visionaries.
The day will include interactive networking, musical preludes cutting across classical and contemporary traditions, including musical theatre selections and classical piano works, and showcase performances by students of the MUSON School of Music.
“At MUSON, we nurture creativity and raw talent, which we now juxtapose with innovative technologies, thereby creating a vibrant contemporary and cultural space,” Doherty added.
The event will close with further performances and structured networking over refreshments. Through “Collabo: Music Meets Technology”, MUSON aims to contribute to the conversation on the future of music and technology, while creating a platform to explore opportunities and challenges at the intersection of human creativity and intelligent technologies.
