The first steelpan player to ever win the 2024 Crain-Mailing Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artists Concerto Competition will take the stage with the world-famous NIU Steelband at their annual spring concert, Sunday, April 21 at 3 p.m. in the NIU Music Building’s Boutell Memorial Concert Hall.
Jaden Teague-Núñez, a sophomore at DeKalb High School and son of Board of Trustees Professor, Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor and Head of Steelpan Studies Liam Teague, won the competition in February performing selections from “A Visit to Hell” composed by his father and orchestrated by Jamie Whitmarsh.
Jaden performed selections from that piece with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra at their Halloween Concert last year.
Jaden was one of three finalists who performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as the final portion of the Young Artists Concerto Competition. All three finalists’ performances will be heard on WFMT-FM’s Introductions, Saturday, April 20 at 11 a.m.. You can also subscribe to Introductions as a podcast.
By winning the Young Artists Concerto Competition, Jaden will perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at a concert in their 2024-2025 season and have a solo recital aired on Introductions.
Jaden moved with his family to DeKalb from Panama when he was three-years-old, where his mother, Lorena Núñez was the principal viola of the Panama National Symphony. His father, Liam, in addition to his work at NIU, is a world-renowned steelpan performer and composer.
WGN-TV profiled Jaden after he won the competition.
NIU Steelband, Steelpan Studio, University Steelband and CSA Steelband Concert
Sunday, April 21, 3 p.m.
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
