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David Ijaduola - Music is my Life

by Robbie Joseph

David Ijaduola

David Ijaduola

‘One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.’ 

David ijaduola is an all-round musician from being a performer to an arranger and composer. His musical interest started at the tender age of 3 when he began to play his mother’s pots and pans using spoons as his sticks to imitate drums.  

David IjaduolaA year later his mother bought him his first drum kit. By age of 10 he was the main drummer at his church. David then went on to play the piano achieving sound knowledge foundation of music. He began playing the steelpan in secondary school at the age of eleven and his musical thirst saw him advanced immensely, developing a real passion for the instrument 

By the age of 15 he began to tutor and arrange for his peers and formed a small band. Within that time David went on to join a number of steelbands in the North London area. His victory at the Pan Clash Competition in 2011 brought out his true colours as a soloist. He also went on to win the same competition in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

As an arranger his achievements began in 2006 when he won his first "Pan Explosion" with Pantasia Steelband. His glory continued when he repeated his achievement in 2009. In 2013, he entered his first BAS/CAPCA Junior Steelband Panorama" competition with the Ebony Juniors Steelband and was victorious. He went on to retain the Junior Steel Band Panorama competition the following year.

In 2015, his musical progress continued when he was given the opportunity to be the musical arranger for the Croydon Steel Orchestra in the UK National Steelband Panorama competition at the age of 25. David found the experience very exciting with a well arranged rendition of "Machel Montano's 'Like ah Boss." He is very much looking forward to working with CSO again for Panorama 2016.
 

David Ijaduola
David Ijaduola

Currently he is working on a new generation of players with Eclipse Steel Orchestra as well as the Ebony Juniors Steelband. Away from the pan world David is an accomplished session drummer, songwriter and producer. He has worked with artists such as Rudimental, JP Cooper, Imaani and Shakka to name a few and recently performed alongside Andy Narrell at his recent concert in the Tabernacle.

David undying musical thirst continues to drive him to expand and push his inbred talents further and to have a very successful musical career in the future. He also has plans to produce his first album using the steelpan as his chosen instrument.

David Ijaduola
David Ijaduola

‘Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good, just, and beautiful, of which it is the invisible, but nevertheless dazzling, passionate, and eternal form.’ This describes David’s musical drive and determination and also his love for mankind by sharing his music globally.

All photos by Robbie Joseph

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