One of the most iconic programs at Northern Illinois University is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The School of Music boasts one of the most diverse, comprehensive and accomplished world music programs in the nation, and a week long celebration kicks off exactly 50 years to the day of the first world music concert in NIU’s history.
The first-ever concert, April 8, 1975, was an ambitious undertaking featuring Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Indian, Yugoslavian, African, North American, Caribbean and other musical cultures. Before playing, musicians briefly discussed the origin, social function and learning method of their instruments. It was a completely new experience for the students and audience, as many of the instruments and musical styles had never been seen or heard by them before. The crowd responded enthusiastically, setting the tone for the success of world music concerts to follow.
Kuo-Huang Han, a native of China who was raised in Taiwan was the driving force behind the creation of the world music program at NIU and the founder of its first group, The Asian Music Ensemble which debuted in 1975. Han, who was professor of music at NIU for more than 30 years, said that the audience for the first-ever world music concert was larger than expected. Some of it was likely due to the curiosity of students and area residents in hearing music from around the world. But Han suspected that a typo in that week’s DeKalb Daily-Chronicle didn’t hurt the turnout.
In an interview with NIU Professor of Music Jui-Ching Wang, the current head of the world music program, Han explained that he enlisted the help of music composition student Jeff Abell to help create interest in the concert by coming up with a name. Because of the varied nature of musical styles and cultures they settled on Musica Exotica. They were delighted that the DeKalb Daily-Chronicle wrote an article about the concert, and amused by the one little mistake in the text.
“The Northern Illinois University Department of Music will present a unique recital, believed to be the first of its kind in Illinois, April 8, 8:30 p.m. in the new Music Building Recital Hall. ‘Musica Erotica’ is an informal recital of world music.”
Oh what a difference a letter makes.
“No wonder it was a full house,” Han said.
Musica Exotica continued in that format for a decade before adopting the title “A Concert of World Music” in 1984, and has grown into the World Music Festival that continues on to this day. Crowd sizes continued to grow and the concerts eventually had to be moved from the Recital Hall to the much larger Boutell Memorial Concert Hall next door.
NIU currently boasts seven world music ensembles that include the Chinese Music Ensemble, Thai Ensemble, Middle Eastern Ensemble, Gamelan, Korean Drumming, Banda NIU and Mariachi NIU.
The 50th anniversary will be celebrated with a week’s worth of concerts, plus a four-day World Music Symposium focused on providing “perspective and reflection on teaching world music in the 21st century.”
All 2025 NIU World Music Festival performances are free and open to the public.
Friday, April 11 Noon, Lawn Area Between NIU Music and Visual Arts Buildings Closing Concert
The World Music Symposium is sponsored by the Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago, and a number of NIU entities including the School of Music, Latino Resource Center, School of Art and Design, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Asian American Studies Certificate Program, Division of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Founders Memorial Library and Friends of NIU Libraries.
The concert will feature the NIU Steelband under the direction of Liam Teague and assisted by Yuko Asada, the All-University Steelband co-directed by Joshua Bedeau and Jalen Charles and the CSA Steelband directed by Asada.
Performing with the steelbands are the DeKalb High School Steelband directed by Steve Lundin, the NIU Jazz Orchestra directed by Reggie Thomas and the NIU Steelband 50th Anniversary Choir conducted by Mary Lynn Doherty.
The NIU Steelband was founded in 1973 by Al O’Connor, former associate dean of Music, and head of percussion studies. He was at the forefront of the development of the steelband art form in North America, and his pioneering work influenced the formation of steelband orchestras at educational institutions throughout the USA and Asia.
The NIU Steelband was the first actively performing steelband at an American university. Under the direction of O’Connor and the late Clifford Alexis—whom Al convinced to join the staff at NIU—the band made many significant and memorable appearances including its performances at Yankee Stadium; PASIC (Percussive Arts Society International Convention), where they were the first steelband to perform at the convention; World of Drumming Festival in Seoul (2002), and two tours of Taiwan.
In the early 1990s, together with Clifford Alexis, O’Connor was able to convince Lester Trilla, CEO of the Trilla Drum Company in Chicago, to implement a scholarship fund which would assist students primarily from the Caribbean to pursue music studies at NIU. Trilla agreed to do so, and through his philanthropy, a great number of students have been able to attain music degrees and go on to have successful careers in their respective homelands.
Liam Teague is Professor of Music and Director of Steelpan Studies at Northern Illinois University (NIU), where he also leads the renowned NIU Steelband. Teague is the recipient of an NIU Board of Trustees Professorship Award (2022) and a Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor Award (2018).
Hailed as the “Paganini of the Steelpan”, his commitment to demonstrating the great musical possibilities of the steelpan has taken him to throughout the world, and he has received many awards from his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, including the Hummingbird National Award (Silver) and the Ansa McAl Caribbean Award for Excellence. In 2022, The San Fernando City Council honored Teague with the Keys to the City of San Fernando, his hometown in Trinidad and Tobago.
Yuko Asada is a musical instrument technician and director of the NIU Community School of the Arts Steelband at Northern Illinois University. Yuko was first introduced to steelpan tuning by Ellie Mannette while studying for her Bachelor’s degree at West Virginia University. She further honed her skills and passion for steelpan by completing a Master of Music degree and a Performer’s Certificate specializing in steelpan construction from NIU, where she had the opportunity to work closely with Clifford Alexis.
The program includes a performance of “Still Here” dedicated to O’Connor, Alexis and Trilla.
Special guest performers include Permanent Representative of Belize to the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Lynn Young and His Worship Junia Regrello, Mayor of the City of San Fernando, in Trinidad and Tobago. Other guest performers include Davon Roberts (drum set), Todd Donnelly (steelpan), Paul G. Ross (drum set), Ella Barribeau, Dzana Bogalijevik, Logan Bryant, KaLilah Chears, Naomi Dutton, Nat Garbe, Ethan Gonzalez, MJ Harr, Caroline Menzer, Emily Montelongo, Alexia Quinn, Korbyn Ringer, Clare Steffes, Michael Tuskey, Emma Vaughn, Olivia Wells, Josanne Francis, Evon Sams (saxophone), Khan Cordice (double second steelpans), Rich Holly, Greg Beyer, Ben Wahlund, Jean Christophe Leroy, Phil Beale, Mardra Thomas, Sean O’Connor, Chih-I Hsaio (erhu), Cornelius Johnson, Kenneth Joseph, Nicole Riordan and Nicolas Barrios.
Program
Brute Force
Arr. G. Allan O’Connor
Still Here
Evan Jacobson
Performance dedicated to G. Allan O’Connor, Dr. Clifford Alexis, and Les Trilla
NIU 50th Anniversary Choir
Mary Lynn Doherty, conductor
Sean O’Connor, narration
You Can Call Me Al
Paul Simon
Arr. Zahra Lake
Josanne Francis, soloist
DeKalb High School Steelband; Steve Lundin, director
Song to the Chiricahua
Clifford Alexis
Matthew Kiser, lead pan
Evon Sams, saxophone
Khan Cordice, double second steelpans
Address; Paul Kassel, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts
Community School of the Arts (CSA) Steelband
Pan 2000 (prelude) – Funky Town
Cliff Alexis, Steven Greenburg
arr. Yuko Asada
NIU Steelband
Wood’n Steel
Robert Chappell
-Intermission-
Lovely Day
Bill Withers/ Skip Scarborough
Arr. Christian Melhado
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Oh what a difference a letter makes.
The School of Art and Design at Northern Illinois University is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the opening of Jack Arends Hall (the visual arts building on the NIU main campus) with exhibitions featuring former NIU School of Art students and faculty. Venues for the exhibitions include three spaces in Jack Arends Hall and the NIU Art Gallery on Altgeld Hall’s first floor. Receptions are being held in both locations, Thursday, September 20 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
