April is the busiest month in the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts, which means you have more opportunities to sample the great music, theater, dance and art of our very talented students.
The School of Theatre and Dance features the premiere of Alexander Perez’s Booked and Blessed…OR BUST! (April 5-7 and 11-13) and the ever-popular Spring Dance Concert (April 25-28)
In the School of Art and Design you can check out the Annual Juried Blick Art Materials Ars Nova Exhibition (April 1 – 18) and see the work of our graduating class of Bachelor of Fine Arts majors (April 19-May 6.)
And, the NIU Art Museum’s current exhibition is “Making Our History – Artists Render Lincoln’s Legacies,” (through May 11.)
In the School of Music, there are 18 concerts and more than 50 recitals this month.
Concerts feature some of our most popular ensembles. NIU Opera Theatre is presenting Die Fledermaus with the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra (April 5 and 7). The World Music Festival features five different concerts (April 8-13). The NIU Jazz Ensemble is performing April 23 and the NIU Jazz Orchestra’s concert, April 18, is a special event that marks the retirement of Reggie Thomas as director. Thomas’ farewell recital will be held two nights earlier, April 16.
The 2023-2024 season of NIU’s International Guitar Series concludes, April 5 with South Korean guitarist Bokung Byun. That concert is free of charge.
NIU’s Percussion Ensemble is debuting a piece by Russell Hartenberger, April 14, who will be in residence the week of the concert.
The NIU Chamber Choir will perform the works of Los Angeles-based Filipino composer Saunder Choi and Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, accompanied by NIU Professor Marianne Kim, April 19.
The world-famous NIU Steelband’s spring concert, April 21, features a number of special guests.
On April 28, the NIU Philharmonic will perform with the Chamber Choir and University Chorus.
The Avalon String Quartet, artists-in-residence in the School of Music will have a performance April 26. And check out performances by the NIU Wind Symphony (April 17), NIU Wind Ensemble (April 25), Banda NIU and Mariachi (April 27), and more.
View the full calendar of arts events at NIU.
Tickets for theater performances and music concerts can be purchased online at go.niu.edu/arts-tickets. Art exhibitions and many recitals are not ticketed. Check the calendar for details.
