Introduction:
I am Awolusi Stephen Ajibade, aka Stephen Sax. I am from Epe Opin in Kwara state in Nigeria, I am a musicologist, musician, composer and a music teacher.
When did you start learning Saxophone ( at what age) and what was your motivation?
II started learning the saxophone in November 2014 at age 22, though I play other instruments and I’m also a Organist. What motivated me to learn the saxophone was the sound of the saxophone, there is this kind of joy and excitement within me whenever the saxophone is been played.
In what way or ways did the church environment influenced your performance?
The Church environment has really contributed greatly to my performance by opening me to a platform to serve God with my talent, because every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord.
Who are your regular clients?
My regular clients are Churches, Organisations, birthday surprise and events.
Does practice make perfect in your profession?
To me practice does not make perfect but it leads me to perfection. The more I rehearse, the more new knowledge and skills I gain and I am being encouraged to face the challenges ahead of me.
What does it take to get trained in your art?
It requires consistency, determination, focus, research and feeding well, even though the rest of the attributes and the food part is missing, you won’t be motivated to rehears because you need to feed well enough to replenish what you have given out.
Do you believe in collaboration or stand alone?
An adage says, one tree cannot make a forest. I believed in collaboration and at some point you have to stand alone to bring out the uniqueness in you.
What is your driving force and your future aspiration?
My driving force is reaching out to the world with good and acceptable music through the uniqueness that God has given me, while my future aspiration is to be a Music Minister to the whole world.
What’s your take about trends in music and your area of focus? Do you subscribe to following trends and giving up your original purpose and creativity?
My area of focus in music is gospel music. I don’t subscribe to following trends here and there and, giving up on my creativity will be the last thing I would ever do. I have learnt not to give up even when it seems things are not working.
What is your advice to starters or instrumentalists in the church corridors on how to balance chasing after money and working for God?
My advice to starters or instrumentalists in the Church corridors is to have the fear and the love of God in them and to honour God with their talents, for God is the giver of the gifts and talents to given to them and to know that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
About The Author
