How Did Noel George Da Costa Influence Popular Culture

Noel George da Costa, the multitalented man of many cultures, was born in Lagos, Nigeria on December 24, 1929. Da Costa was born to two missionaries, from Kingston, Jamaica, that led a life travelling the world in service of others. He lived in Nigeria for his first three years before spending several years travelling between various West Indian countries. From Jamaica to Barbados, Antigua to Trinidad it is said that Da Costa enjoyed his time in the West Indies the most because he spent the longest time there. Da Costa was raised in the West Indies from the age of three to eleven. He was intrigued by not only the music from the islands but also the inflection of the language. He was very skilled at detecting the linguistic differences on each island as he became very sensitive to it. He attributes his success in composition, in his later days, to the development of this sensitivity to inflection while growing up in the West Indies.

He had the ability to explore possibilities within a structure all his own. Da Costa has created innovative and impactful works that displayed his skill, attention to detail, and respect for his culture. Although he was fortunate enough to receive musical training he believed that black music ought not be defined by Western technique or aesthetic but by what is expressed through the music. He once said that “at a certain point we have to leave it behind and…come up with an aesthetic which is closer to our heritage.” This statement reigned true as he was ever conscious of the way he incorporated Afro-American folk traditions, his Caribbean and African roots into his conceptual compositions. Noel Da Costa passed away on April 29, 2002, in Manhattan, one year after retiring from Rutgers University. He is remembered by those he has touched through his music directly and indirectly because of the indelible mark he left on the music