The Northern Illinois University Steelband program presents its spring 2024 concert on Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. (CST).
The event will be held at Boutell Memorial Concert Hallin NIU’s Music Building and will feature the world renowned NIU Steelband (Liam Teague, director), All-University Steelband (Jalen Charles and K-Lee Blackwell, directors), Community School of the Arts (CSA) Steelband (Yuko Asada, director), and the NIU Steelpan Studio.
The steelbands will collaborate a phenomenal group of guest artists.
The fantastic duo of Reggie and Mardra Thomas (vocalist) will once again grace the steelband audience with their brilliance. Professor Reggie Thomas is the current coordinator of the internationally recognized NIU Jazz Studies program and director of the acclaimed NIU Jazz Orchestra. Reggie is retiring at the end of the spring academic semester.
Sixteen-year-old DeKalb High School (DHS) student Jaden Teague-Núñez recently won the 2024 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artists Concerto Competition on the steelpan, and will make his NIU Steelband debut as guest piano soloist on George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. 2024 commemorates the 100th anniversary of this brilliant composition, and the NIU Steelband will premiere steelpan alum Avery Attzs’ arrangement of it with Thomas Bough, professor of music, conductor of NIU’s Wind Ensemble and director of athletic bands, at the helm.
Under the direction of Miranda Cordes, Dimensions Dance Academy, one of DeKalb’s premiere dance companies, will make their return to the NIU Steelband concert, as will the DeKalb High School Steelband led by Steve Lundin, DHS director of bands.
Tickets for the NIU Steelband Spring Concert are available for purchase online in advance.
NIU Steelband Concert
Featuring NIU Steelband, All-University Steelband, CSA Steelband and NIU Steelpan Studio
Guest artists include: Reggie Thomas, Mardra Thomas, Jaden Teague-Núñez, Dimensions Dance Academy, Thomas Bough and DeKalb High School Steelband
Sunday, April 21, 3 p.m.
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, NIU Music Building
Tickets: go.niu.edu/arts-tickets
