Roxanna Conner, director of the NIU Theatre and Dance, and Paul Kassel, former dean of the NIU College of Visual and...
xFeatured Archives
Jazz combo to perform at Olson Gallery’s “The Risk Worth Taking” exhibition reception, Oct. 15
A jazz combo from the NIU School of Music will perform at the exhibition reception for Kevin Cole's (NIU '84)...
Huskie Spotlight: Kijuana Duplessis, ’28, Music Education
Kijuana Duplessis is a music education major and member of the NIU Steelband from Antigua and Barbuda, who says, "I...
A message from Chief Diversity Officer Vernese Edghill-Walden
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff, Something is happening in our world. The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled…the cry is always the same: ‘We want to be free.’ These are words spoken by Martin Luther King Jr. more than five decades ago....
Grad Profiles – Andrew Brimm
The spring class of 2020 hasn’t had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we’ll be profiling some of them. Andrew Brimm Degree earned: Bachelors in Music Education with a focus on instrumental...
Provost sends message to students on fall course delivery modalities
NIU Executive Vice President and Provost Beth Ingram communicated to current and incoming students about the ways the university will be delivering courses for fall semester 2020. Dear Undergraduate and Graduate Students, I hope you are enjoying your summer. Here at...
School of Art and Design presents online BFA/MFA Show
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the annual NIU School of Art and Design Bachelor of Fine Arts/Master of Fine Arts show could not be exhibited in the galleries of Jack Arends Hall. But a virtual version of the exhibition exists online for everyone to enjoy at...
Art From Home – Jay Ryan
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. This video includes Jay Ryan's art, a bonus artwork by his daughter and a song from his band Dianogah. See all of the Art From Home...
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Shannon Perkinson
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well. Shannon Perkinson, BFA in Visual CommunicationsPerkinsondesign.com “Graphic design and art has been a part of my...
Huskie Marching Band alumni present the virtual fight song
Under the direction of Tom Bough, director of athletic bands, and wind symphony conductor, nearly 60 alumni members of the NIU Huskie Marching Band present the NIU Fight Song.
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Jenna Cavin
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well.Jenna Cavin, BFA in Illustrationhttps://jennacavinstudio.wixsite.com/illustration Artist Statement“Growing up in a...
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Katelyn Phillips
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well. Katelyn Phillips, BFA in Time Arts Katelyn-phillips.jimdosite.com Artist Statement “Working in organic elements...
Music Building sidewalk to be site of memorial walk, June 11
"Say Their Names" a memorial walk to honor the memory of unarmed victims of police violence will be held, Saturday, June 13 on the sidewalk on the east side of the NIU Music Building at 550 Lucinda Avenue. The walk has been organized by a number of students from the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. Beginning Illustration Class (Part Three)
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Anjela Cabalong
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well.Anjela Cabalong BFA in Visual CommunicationsBeing raised on the island of Guam by a single Filipino mother for most...
Grad Profiles – Kristin Brandt
The spring class of 2020 hasn’t had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we’ll be profiling some of them. Kristin Brandt Degree earned – Master of Music in Music Education Hometown - Freeport, Ill....
Grad Profiles – Sarah Castro
Recent NIU graduates haven’t had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we’ll be profiling some of them. Sarah Castro Degree Earned: Bachelor of Music in Music Education with an emphasis in Voice...
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Brooke Kanas
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well.Graduating Senior Spotlight: Brooke Kanas, BFA in Drawing“Nature is a powerful force that merges the body and soul,...
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Olivia Zubko
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well. Graduating Senior Spotlight: Olivia Zubko, BFA in Sculpture “In an effort to make some sense of where I stand as...
Grad Profiles – Paul Perrilles
The spring class of 2020 hasn't had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we'll be profiling some of them. Paul Perrilles Degree Earned: Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies Hometown: Peoria High...
Art From Home – Indian Miniature
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. See all of the Art From Home videos.
Art and Design Senior Spotlight – Sarah Navigato
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well.Sarah NavigatoBFA in Illustration “My life-long passion for animals inspires me to create. Sparking interest in...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Beginning Illustration Class (Part Two)
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Art and Design Senior Student Spotlight: Alexis Gruber
The School of Art and Design is spotlighting recently graduated students and their work on Facebook, and we'll be sharing them here on the blog, as well. Alexis GruberBS Ed in Art and Design Education "Congratulations to Alexis for making it through student teaching...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Beginning Illustration class (Part One)
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Grad profiles – Jorge Brito
The spring class of 2020 hasn't had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we'll be profiling some of them. Jorge Brito Degree earned - Bachelor of Music, Emphasis in Music Education Minor in Spanish...
Grad Profiles – Ricardo Quiñonez
The spring class of 2020 hasn't had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we'll be profiling some of them. Ricardo Quiñonez Degree earned - Double Major in Music Education and Music Performance...
Art From Home – William Walmsley
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. See all of the Art From Home videos.
Grad Profiles – Robyn Clarke
The spring class of 2020 hasn't had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we'll be profiling some of them. Robyn Clarke Bachelor of Music, Music Education Hometown - Joliet, IL Transfer from: Joliet...
Grad Profiles – Chelsea Cwiklik
The spring class of 2020 hasn't had a traditional conclusion to their studies, but they do have a lot of great stories. Over the summer months we'll be profiling some of them. Chelsea Cwiklik MSEd with K-12 Licensure and endorsement in Art Hometown: Batavia, IL...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Music Education Alumni Connections
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Art From Home – Barry E. Wilson
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. See all of the Art From Home videos.
Online Auditions for CSA Youth Sinfonia scheduled for May 30
High school musicians ages 14 - 20 are invited to audition online for CSA Sinfonia on Saturday May 30. Auditions begin at 11 a.m. and must be scheduled in advance. Brass and woodwind musicians, string instrument players and percussionists are encouraged to audition....
World Music Showcase goes virtual
NIU School of Music graduate students in the Analytical Techniques in World Music course were set to present pieces as part of NIU's annual World Music Festival. But with all concerts postponed due stay at home restrictions caused by the coronavirus, their...
NIU Huskies Never Stop Drumming – Percussion Studies Video Project
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Art From Home: Chizuko Yoshida
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. See all of the Art From Home videos.
School of Music’s Mary Lynn Doherty wins Outstanding Mentor Award
Mary Lynn Doherty, associate professor of music and coordinator of music education in the NIU School of Music has been selected as an Outstanding Mentor by the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. The award recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional...
Pomp and Virtual Circumstance: NIU launches online graduation resources
While commencement ceremonies have to be delayed at this time, there’s no need for the class of 2020 to wait to start celebrating. NIU is offering creative ways to share graduation excitement virtually. The Huskie Grad Virtual Celebration includes resources to help...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Thai Music Ensembles from NIU and UCLA perform together
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Huskie Spotlight – Kelly Langenberg, School of Music
Kelly Langenberg Applied Artist in the School of Music What year did you start working at NIU? 2016. Where is your hometown? Where do you live now? I grew up in an idyllic rural community near New Philadelphia, Ohio. I currently live in Elgin. Where did you attend...
Huskie Spotlight – Jui-Ching Wang, School of Music
Jui-Ching Wang Associate Professor of World Music What year did you start working at NIU? I started working at NIU in 2004 when I was still an ABD (all but dissertation). Where is your hometown? Where do you live now? I grew up in a small town nearby Hsinchu City in...
Art From Home: Karl Blossfeldt
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. This installment is on work from Karl Blossfeldt. See all of the Art From Home videos.
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Patrick Gallagher, Gallagher & Associates
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Community School of the Arts Offers Online Music Lessons This Summer
The NIU Community School of the Arts offers online private music lessons on a wide variety of instruments beginning in June. NIU music students and faculty teach private online lessons, as well as experienced community-based artists and music educators. Teachers...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Choreography students get back to nature
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Danielle Koenig
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Art students take part in College of Engineering and Engineering Technology’s Virtual Senior Design Demonstration Day
Every year, engineering students at NIU take part in a senior design showcase to demonstrate innovative work they've done. This year will be no different. Well, it will be a little different. First off, because of Illinois' stay-at-home order the event will be held...
Art From Home: Ayomi Yoshida
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. This installment is on work of Ayomi Yoshida.
Registration is open for NIU Online Theatre Summer Camps
NIU offers a new and exciting online summer camp experience for middle school and high school students who enjoy theatre arts! For more than 30 years Northern Illinois University has offered fine arts residential summer camps. This summer, Online Theatre Arts campers...
ART 655 Virtual Spring Exhibition – “Where You Live. What You Eat: The Foundations of Wellness in DeKalb,” NIU Art Museum
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – ARTD 313 “This Is Our New Reality” photo project
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
World renowned printmaker Michael Barnes selected as Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor
Michael Barnes, Northern Illinois University Professor in the School of Art and Design, has been selected as a Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor. The award was created in 1982 to recognize faculty excellence in teaching, research, scholarship,...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Sculpture students in ARTS 361 create table top galleries
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Yuko Asada’s trip to Thailand
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
A brief reflection on art during the Holocaust Days of Remembrance
Written by: Martina Berger, senior dance performance major, NIU School of Theatre and Dance There has been a huge wave of articles that have been published in recent weeks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is simply one more that will crash onto your screen,...
School of Art and Design’s Daniel Ortiz wins Drinkling Moving Image Award
Daniel Ortiz, a senior illustration major from Aurora has won a $1,000 Drinkling Moving Image Award and been accepted into the 2020 Society of Illustrators Student Competition. Kimberly Masters, professor of illustration at NIU said that Ortiz is one of only 23 to win...
Art From Home: Gabor Peterdi
In this ongoing series, Peter Olson, assistant director of the NIU Art Museum will discuss pieces in his personal art collection. In this edition he discusses Gabor Peterdi's "Wistaria."
All Dressed Up With No One To Show – An informal walking tour of the art in Jack Arends Hall
This spring the School of Art and Design prepared for its regular accreditation visit, but it was postponed due to travel restrictions and stay at home orders caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But, that doesn't mean you can't see the student art that was displayed in...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Thai Music Ensemble
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Denise Bellezzo
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Liam Teague and special guests
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Bobbi Meier
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Bobby Broom “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Register Now for Summer and Fall
Registration is underway for both Summer and Fall terms at NIU. Refer to the registration page on the NIU main website for technical assistance, learn how to register, look for courses and schedules, see information on account holds and the Huskie Installment Plan.
Art and Design’s Bethany Nicoli artwork featured on cover of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Public Policy publication
Bethany Nicoli, a graduating senior soon to earn her bachelor of science in art, has artwork featured on the cover of the current edition of Harvard University's Kennedy School Journal of Hispanic Policy. The JHP is the oldest student-run academic journal at the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Anna-Marie Zurlinden
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – David Reninger
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Chris Scanlon, Rio Brass
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU launches Student Emergency Fund to help those facing challenges
In an effort to provide grants and resources to degree-seeking students in need, NIU has created a Student Emergency Fund. Developed in partnership with the NIU Foundation, the fund will launch Monday, April 6. Students will be encouraged to fill out a simple form...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Olivia Zubko
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Kaisa Holmstrom
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Veronica Storc
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Troy Nussbaum
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
Huskie Spotlight – Mark Macaranas, School of Theatre and Dance
Marc Macaranas Assistant Professor of Dance Where is your hometown, and where do you reside now? I'm from a little farm town in California called the Delano, in central California just outside of Bakersfield. I did my undergrad in Southern California at UC Irvine. I...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Paolo Colombo
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Rick LoPresto
School of Music alumnus Rick LoPresto, who teaches instrumental music at Bernotas Middle School in Crystal Lake, Ill. and directs the Seventh Grade Band, Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble, is part of a group of music educators who have created a virtual jazz ensemble to...
Huskies. Never. Quit.
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Beginning Sculpture classes build in-home forts
How do you continue to study sculpture when you can't leave your homes? School of Art and Design associate professor Michael Rea and Nate Gilchrist, MFA candidate and instructor, started the remote learning portion of the semester for ARTS 361 with the seemingly...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Reggie Thomas, Shelter in Place Concert
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Art Museum puts School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial exhibition online
The NIU Art Museum has put a virtual exhibition of artwork in the recent School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition online. The exhibition was scheduled to run from January 14 - March 18, but closed a few days early because of the coronavirus Covid-19 public...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Bobby Broom “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Breeanna Maze
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn’t stopped, it’s simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Lisa Frost
NIU School of Art and Design alumna Lisa Frost created the short animation "Stay Home." Nationally recognized artist Lisa Frost's mission is to spread cheer throughout the land. With her colorful artwork nationally distributed and her sunny disposition through her...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Cass Bermijo, Time Arts
As NIU and the world around us deals with a global pandemic, artists continue to find ways to express themselves. In the College of Visual and Performing arts the learning and teaching hasn't stopped, it's simply evolved to meet the needs and limitations of the...
NIU Artists. Never. Quit. – Reggie Thomas, head of jazz studies
Reginald "Reggie" Thomas is Coordinator of the internationally recognized Northern Illinois University School of Music's Jazz Studies program. Thomas came to NIU from the Michigan State University College of Music, where he served as Professor of Jazz Piano. Prior to...
Essential item pick up for CVPA students
Today, Gov. Pritzker announced a Stay-At-Home order beginning 5 p.m. Saturday through April 7. The order advises all Illinois residents to stay at home to the greatest extent possible except for essential activities; closes non-essential retail businesses; and reminds...
Message to students about discontinuation of face-to-face learning for the semester
Dear Students, By now you’ve been made aware by President Freeman that the university will discontinue face-to-face classes for the remainder of the semester. It’s a decision made in the midst of a rapidly evolving situation to best provide for the health and safety...
NIU arts events status updates
As part of the university’s response to the rapid spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) world-wide, cancelations, postponements and modifications to scheduled arts events at NIU are being made. We appreciate your interest and support and decisions are being made with the...
Musician Marquis Hill, ’09, Recognized for Alumni Achievement in the Arts
When it comes to music, Marquis Hill is the best of the proverbial best. An experienced trumpeter and music teacher, he has performed alongside today’s top artists in jazz festivals and competitions. He has been honored with many prestigious awards and scholarships,...
Todd Buck among NIU faculty to participate in Congressional poster session in Washington DC
As part of the ongoing celebration of NIU's 125th anniversary, a group of faculty will join NIU President Lisa Freeman as part of a delegation traveling to Washington, DC to celebrate the university's story and present on research and artistry programs.The event will...
Chris Scanlon to join NIU School of Music faculty
Chris Scanlon, a dynamic performer and educator with a diverse performing career in New York City, will join the NIU School of Music faculty as assistant professor of trumpet, beginning fall semester 2020. Scanlon has appeared with orchestras and chamber ensembles in...
Trombonist Timothy Riordan joins School of Music faculty
Timothy Riordan, an accomplished trombonist and educator will join the faculty at the NIU School of Music beginning fall semester 2020. In addition to his new role in the brass studio at NIU, Riordan has taught an acclaimed pre-college trombone studio at the Merit...
Eric Johnson to receive the Harold Decker Award from the American Choral Directors Association
Eric Johnson, director of choral activities at the NIU School of Music and founding artistic director of Cor Cantiamo, will be honored as the recipient the 2020 Harold Decker Award from the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. The award is...
School of Art and Design’s Angie Redmond wins first place at Museum of Science and Industry’s Black Creativity exhibition
Angie Redmond, a second year MFA student in painting and museum studies at the NIU School of Art and Design from Maywood, Ill. won first place at the prestigious national juried art exhibition "Black Creativity" at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago....
School of Music’s Frederick McClure awarded Forward, Together Forward Scholarship
Frederick McClure, a music education music performance double major in the NIU School of Music is one of five recipients of the 2020 NIU Forward, Together Forward Scholarship. Honorees are chosen through a competitive process which seeks to find individuals whose...
School of Music’s Kelly Langenberg featured on WGN-TV with Chicago Horn Consort
Kelly Langenberg, applied artist in the School of Music teaching brass techniques and horn, was recently featured on the WGN-TV News. Chicago Horn Consort, a group Langenberg founded in 2010 is releasing its first album, Catch Fire, and will celebrate with a special...
Marquis Hill to be honored for Alumni Achievement in the Arts
Marquis Hill, a 2009 graduate of the NIU School of Music will be honored by the NIU Alumni Association as this year's recipient of the Alumni Achivement in the Arts Award. The NIU Alumni Association annually recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni, with...
Joan Allen reflects on her Huskie worth ethic
In case you cannot tell by looking at her pages-long resume of Broadway stage productions, television programs and award-winning films, actress Joan Allen has a thing about work ethic. After four decades of stage and screen acting, she has not forgotten what she...
NIU Art History lecture series presents a talk on “Decolonizing Design History”
"Decolonizing Art History" is the topic for the next talk in NIU's Elizabeth Allen Visiting Lectures in Art History series. Megha Rajguru, senior lecturer, History of Art and Design, University of Brighton, United Kingdom, and Daniel Huppatz, associate professor,...
NIU removes use of standardized test scores for 2021 applicants
NIU Student Government Association President Naomi Bolden knows what it’s like to stress over standardized tests. The Chicago native, graduating in December of 2020 with a double major of political science and journalism, said she suffers from test anxiety. “I am one...
Andrew Glendening Faculty Trombone Recital features world premiere
Andrew Glendening, director of the NIU School of Music will perform a world premiere as part of his Faculty Trombone Recital, Thursday, January 23 at 8 p.m. in the NIU Music Building Recital Hall. "Der Heroszupfer" composed by Joseph Klein was written in 2019 and will...
CVPA presents Fourth Annual Winter Arts Convocation
All students in the schools that make up the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts: the School of Art and Design, School of Music and School of Theatre and Dance, are invited to the Fourth Annual Winter Arts Convocation, Monday, January 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Boutell...
Winning 2019 holiday cards designed by Art and Design students
NIU President Lisa Freeman has selected student artwork to showcase the incredible talent that NIU students possess. Of the entries submitted for consideration, three were selected and the artists received scholarships for their winning designs. Their work will be...
NIU Art Museum opens School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial exhibition Jan. 14
The NIU Art Museum’s School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial exhibition opens Tuesday, January 14 with a public reception on Thursday, January 23 from 5-7 p.m. Shown every two years, this invitational exhibit features recent artwork and scholarship by current...
Ina Murphy’s long, interesting route from Moldova to the School of Art and Design
For Ina Murphy, a summer job in the Wisconsin Dells changed the course of her life in many unexpected and exciting ways. Ina grew up in Moldova, in eastern Europe, where her love of animation got an unlikely start. Part of the legacy of the years her native country...
Yuko Asada featured in Trinidad and Tobago news for Steelpan trip to Thailand
The School of Music's Yuko Asada was featured in the November 28 edition of the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, for her upcoming trip to Thailand. Asada is musical instrument technician at NIU where she directs the NIU Community School of the Arts Steelband and...
Theatre and Dance alumna Mary Holland to voice a droid on Disney’s new Star Wars series
Mary Holland, a 2007 graduate of the BFA Acting program in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will star in a new Star Wars television show on Disney+ beginning in 2020. Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge is a game show set in a galaxy far, far away, will test young...
NIU School of Music faculty, staff, alumni and students nominated for Grammy Awards
The nominations are out for the the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, and the list includes current NIU School of Music faculty, staff, alumni and students! The ceremony will be held Sunday, January 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Dan Nichols, Head of Recording Services...
Avalon String Quartet to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th with six concerts
The Avalon String Quartet will present the complete Beethoven Quartet cycle over six concerts, beginning December 6, 2019, at NIU and running through December 2020, in celebration of Beethoven’s 250th year. In many ways, the Beethoven cycle is the ultimate goal for...
School of Music’s Gregory Beyer to receive Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award
Gregory Beyer and Sean Farrell have been selected as the recipients of the 2019 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award. Established in 2015, the award recognizes outstanding graduate faculty members for their scholarly achievements and exceptional contributions to...
Sculpture, found percussion, and composition meet in The Himmelfarb Project
Earlier this fall, a group of School of Music faculty and students traveled to Spring Green, Wisc. to experience an exciting collaboration between percussion performers, composers, and the celebrated American visual artist John Himmelfarb. The students and faculty...
Join us for School of Music holiday concerts
Celebrate the holidays with the NIU School of Music at a pair of annual holiday musical celebrations this December. First up is the NIU Jazz Orchestra's Swingin' in the Holidays, Sunday, December 1 at 3 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the NIU Music Building...
Students invited to participate in annual contest to design the official NIU holiday card
NIU President Lisa C. Freeman invites all students to participate in the 2019 #HuskiePride Holiday Card Contest. Take advantage of the opportunity to be one of three artists who have their work featured on the official NIU president’s electronic holiday card....
NIU dance students present “Your Excellency” in the NIU Art Museum galleries
In conjunction with the NIU Art Museum exhibition, Exploring Aspects of War In and Through the Visual Arts, NIU School of Theatre and Dance students perform Your Excellency, at the NIU Art Museum, Sunday, November 10 at 1 p.m., Tuesday, November 12 at 12:30 p.m. and...
MFA first year graduate exhibition runs through November 7
"Prologue" an exhibition of first-year Master in Fine Arts students from the NIU School of Art and Design runs through Thursday, November 7 in Gallery 215 located at 215 North Fourth Street in DeKalb. There is an opening reception, Thursday, October 31 form 5 p.m. to...
For one night, the NIU Jazz Orchestra turns the Altgeld Hall auditorium into a swing jazz dance club
For one night only, the iconic Altgeld Hall Auditorium on the NIU Campus will be transformed into a jazz dance club as the NIU Jazz Orchestra presents a Swing Dance, Sunday, November 10 at 6 p.m. Everyone's invited to join the Jazz Orchestra for a one-of-a-kind...
Art and Design Education hosts lecturer Ami Kantawala on Reframing the Past: The Writing of History
The School of Art and Design's Art and Design Education program presents a lecture on historical inquiry in art education by author and scholar Ami Kantawala, Monday, November 4 at 5 p.m. in Jack Arends Hall room 110. The lecture is open to the public and free of...
Cor Cantiamo’s 10th anniversary season opens with a world premiere
Concert features world premiere of a piece composed by Libby Larsen, and accompanying art exhibition by Heriberto Ponce Cor Cantiamo, the choral Ensemble-in-Residence at Northern Illinois University opens its 10th anniversary concert season with a world premiere of...
NIU hosts eighth NIU New Music Festival Nov. 5-8
The NIU School of Music presents the eighth NIU New Music Festival, November 5-8, featuring five concerts over four nights. The event brings together NIU students and faculty performers along with renowned performers like: Libby Larsen, one of America's most prolific...
Huskie Pledge: For eligible freshmen, new aid program would help fully cover 2020-21 tuition, fees
Illinois high school students who graduate this coming spring with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or above might now be able to reap the benefits of a generous financial aid program at Northern Illinois University. The new Huskie Pledge aims to make NIU more affordable for...
Fall NIU Steelband concert is a tribute to Al O’Connor
The NIU Steelband presents its fall 2019 concert Sunday, November 17, at 3 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building on Northern Illinois University's main campus in DeKalb. The program will also feature the NIU...
Buy your music and theater tickets through the NIU app
Purchasing tickets to events in the College of Visual and Performing Arts has never been hard, but now it's even easier. In addition to buying them online or at the box office, you can now purchase tickets to School of Music concerts and performances in the School of...
Theatre and Dance presents Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida
The School of Theatre and Dance presents William Shakespeare's Toilus and Cressida, October 25-27 and 31, and November 1-2 in the O'Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building on NIU's main campus. The Trojans and Greeks are at war following the abduction of Helen, the...
NIU School of Music recording arts students go on to very big things
When you think of the NIU School of Music, you no doubt think of the talented musicians and music educators the school has been showcasing for decades. There is another group of equally talented students studying in the school who are going on to do great things in...
Students, staff invited to attend a private tour of the historic Starline Factory Building in Harvard
On Friday, October 25, starting at 4:30 PM, NIU students and staff are invited to join NIU Alum Philip Sassano (BFA 1992) for a private tour of the historic Starline Factory Building in Harvard, Ill. that has been transformed into one of the Midwest’s premier art and...
Arcomusical’s album “Spinning in the Wheel” selected for Grammy consideration
Projeto Arcomusical, a percussion sextet playing Afro-Brazilian berimbau musical bows, has been selected for Grammy consideration in the category Best World Music Album for their second album, "Spinning in the Wheel" released earlier this year. The group's artistic...
Community School offers Suzuki Workshop November 2
At the annual Community School of the Arts Suzuki Workshop on Saturday November 2, guest Suzuki teachers from Virginia, California and Arizona will visit the NIU Music Building to work with Suzuki Strings violin students and guest students representing Suzuki programs...
Exploring Aspects of War In and Through the Visual Arts at the NIU Art Museum open through November 13
Visitors can now enjoy an extended opportunity to view the NIU Art Museum’s exhibition Exploring Aspects of War In and Through the Visual Arts through November 13. Artworks on display were created by both military veteran and civilian artists during and after...
With roles on “The Middle” and “General Hospital,” Jen Ray, ’92, is a star
What started as a three-line part turned into a nine-year recurring role for NIU School of Theatre and Dance alumna Jen Ray ('92). When Jen was growing up in Darien, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, she would often go with her mother who was helping backstage at local high...
Theatre and Dance professor Gibson Cima on protest theater and his research in South Africa
Gibson Cima is assistant professor of theater history and head of theatre studies in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. For several years he has traveled to South Africa to study and research South African Theatre. Cima is presenting the lecture, Future Nostalgias"...
NIU alumni create theater company in Kane County
If you're ever wondering what happened to the 2019 MFA Acting class at Northern Illinois University, you can find many of them, and a host of other School of Theatre and Dance alumni in St. Charles, Ill. these days. A talented group of recent alums have established...
NIU to present a panel discussion on the impact of stereotypes and caricature in the black community on media and pop culture
Northern Illinois University presents: "Modern Day Minstel: The History of Stereotype and Caricature in the Black Community and the Effect on Current Media and Pop Culture," a moderated panel discussion, Wednesday, September 25 from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. in the Stevens...
NIU School of Music welcomes the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America in concert Oct. 7
The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America Concert Band will hold a performance, Monday, October 7 at the NIU School of Music. The concert is free of charge and will be held in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at 8 p.m. in the NIU Music Building. The United States...
Apply by October 21 to audition for CSA Sinfonia Concerto Competition 2019
The Community School of the Arts at Northern Illinois University invites musicians eighteen years old and younger to audition in the annual CSA Sinfonia Concerto Competition. Audition applications must be received by October 21. Auditions are scheduled in the...
“The Destruction of Memory” film first up in the Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History Series
The Destruction of Memory, an 85-minute documentary on the increase in the destruction of culture and artifacts, kicks off the 2019-2020 Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History Series. The film will be shown, free of charge and open to the public, Tuesday,...
Tips on how to successfully photograph the first Friday the 13th full moon in 19 years
A rare confluence of events will occur this week when not only will we see the first Friday the 13th full moon in the Central Time Zone since 2000, it's also what's known as a "harvest moon" because it's the full moon closest to the September 23rd autumnal equinox....
Theatre and Dance’s Studio Series begins with Something, Like Happiness
The 2019-2020 NIU School of Theatre and Dance's Studio Series kicks off, Thursday, September 13, with a new, developmental production. It is a new and moving work by playwright Caridad Svich titled, Something, Like Happiness. The description of the work on The New...
NIU honors world-renowned cellist and former faculty member Raya Garbousova, Sept. 25
On what would have been her 110th birthday, the Northern Illinois University Libraries and the Friends of the NIU Libraries are hosting an event to celebrate and honor the life of world-renowned cellist and former NIU faculty member, Raya Garbousova, and her...
NIU’s Anthony Devroye and Notre Dame’s Daniel Schlosberg present “Viola Century” at NIU, Sept. 24
Anthony Devroye, professor of viola at the NIU School of Music, and guest pianist Daniel Schlosberg, from the University of Notre Dame, present a recital titled “Viola Century,” Tuesday, September 24, at 8 p.m. in the NIU Recital Hall. The program features three...
‘Our Lives in Letters’ brings letters from World War II, and their writers, to life
Northern Illinois University will be the home for a one-night performance of an original work created using actual letters between soldiers and loved ones during World War II. Our Lives in Letters: A World War II Perspective will be performed in the Carl Sandburg...
NIU alumnus dances his way to principal acting role and cast album
James Monroe Števko, Chicago native and graduate of NIU's School of Theatre and Dance, is a featured principal on the upcoming original cast album of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. He originated the role of Mendl, under the direction of Tony, Oscar and Golden Globe...
CVPA welcomes students, faculty and staff back with Sundaes on Saturday
Summer is winding down, and there's no surer sign of it than the announcement of Sundaes on Saturday, the fourth annual welcome back event in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Join fellow CVPA students, faculty and staff for free ice cream, music, prizes and...
Book published to commemorate alumni exhibition to celebrate Jack Arends Hall’s 50th
A book is for sale to commemorate the alumni and faculty art exhibition held last fall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jack Arends Hall, home to the NIU School of Art and Design. The 376 page book can be purchased in hardcover, softcover or electronic formats,...
Arcomusical’s “Spinning in the Wheel” receives critical praise
Projeto Arcomusical, a percussion sextet playing Afro-Brazilian berimbau musical bows, has received critical acclaim for their album, "Spinning in the Wheel" which was released in March. The group's artistic director is Gregory Beyer, Director of Percussion Studies in...
In the news: Married School of Art and Design alums open new gallery space in Rockford
NIU alumni Iga Puchalska, and her husband Jason Judd recently opened New Genres Art Space in Rockford. They met in graduate school at NIU's School of Art and Design. Puchalska earned her MFA in Time Arts, and Judd in Fine/Studio Arts. The couple says the mission of...
Cor Cantiamo to receive $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
Cor Cantiamo, Northern Illinois University Ensemble in Residence will receive a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. NEA Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major...
Kerry Freedman, professor of art education wins national Ziegfeld Award
Kerry Freedman, professor and past division head of art and design education in NIU's School of Art and Design is the 2019 recipient of the United States Society for Education Through Art’s (USSEA) Ziegfield Award. The award is named in honor of Edwin Ziegfeld, a...
Memorial and music celebration set for former Associate Dean Al O’Connor
Al O'Connor, a longtime professor of music, and the founder of the world-famous NIU Steelband, passed away June 9 in DeKalb at the age of 75. A memorial visitation will be held Friday, August 2, at First Lutheran Church in DeKalb from 4-6 p.m., and a musical...
For two decades Cheryl Porter has been teaching kids in Italy to sing in English
Cheryl Porter, a Chicago native who studied opera in the NIU School of Music from 1990-1995, went to Italy in 1996 to "further [her] studies in music and opera." She tells Public Radio International's Carol Hills that she had no idea there was "so much love for...
Art and Design’s Mike Rea’s work on exhibit in Philadelphia
Mike Rea, associate professor of sculpture in the School of Art and Design is part of an exhibition titled, "Reveries: Monsters & Melodies" at Globe Dye Works in Philadelphia. He is co-exhibiting with Roger Allan Cleaves, an artist based in Memphis, Tenn. View a...
Long-time Art and Design grad student assistant has an interesting retirement plan
For many, retirement is the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Some people take that concept more literally than others. Joan Smola, office support specialist in the College of Education, will retire from NIU at the end of June after 15 years. Her...
Alumni spotlight: Korkut Akacik, illustrator, animator, and educator
Korkut Akacik earned his Master of Fine Arts in animation from the NIU School of Art and Design in 2018. He is currently the creative director at Econ Illinois, a non-profit organization through NIU that has been developing interesting and interactive...
Renowned jazz guitarist Bobby Broom joins School of Music faculty
Renowned jazz guitarist Bobby Broom has been appointed assistant professor of music in the Northern Illinois University School of Music. He will teach jazz guitar and improvisation in the school’s Jazz Studies Program. Born on New York City's Upper West Side, Broom...
NIU Percussion Camp Returns This Summer
Registration is open for NIU Percussion Camp, as part of our annual Summer in the Arts at Northern series. The College of Visual and Performing Arts invites middle and high school students to explore the amazing world of percussion this summer. Hands-on camp...
Unleash a Huskie – Tyrique McNeal, music performance major
Music performance major Tyrique McNeal describes the happiness he feels being able to study music at NIU.
Thank you for supporting the Day of Giving
Thank you for your support of NIU's first-ever Day of Giving. NIU raised more than $750,000 in 1895 minutes (to honor the founding of the university nearly 125 years ago), and the College of Visual and Performing Arts totaled the second most gifts of any college in...
Oona Holtane uses “illustration to tell stories and evoke emotion” and it’s led to a dream summer
Oona Holtane says her love of art and illustration goes back as long as she can remember, when as a three-year old she was watching Disney's The Aristocats while, "holding a pudding spoon in one hand and a crayon in the other." The junior illustration major from...
Andrew Glendening selected as new director of the School of Music
Andrew Glendening, currently the dean of the School of Music and professor of music at University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif., has been selected as the next director of the School of Music at Northern Illinois University. Glendening will begin his new post on...
NIU and DeKalb’s annual art celebration ARTigras returns May 4
ARTigras is an annual event developed by the NIU School of Art and Design in partnership with the City of DeKalb to create a fun and creative celebration of the arts – something new for the area to bring our community together. The first inaugural ARTigras took place...
NIU Day of Giving: 1895 Minutes to ‘Unleash a Huskie’ begins May 7
Huskies. Never. Quit. You just have to unleash them. For 1,895 minutes on Tuesday, May 7- Wednesday, May 8, NIU will host its first-ever Day of Giving. Day of Giving events have grown in popularity over the past several years, and among colleges and universities in...
NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts to present Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín and related art exhibition and theater performance
The NIU School of Music presents, Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín in concert Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in NIU’s Music Building. The signature concert of The Defiant Requiem Foundation, Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín,...
Alumni Speakers in Art History series presents talk on the impact of The Black Arts Movement on diversity in Art History
The final lecture of this year's Elizabeth Allen Visiting Alumni Speakers in Art History Lecture Series features Freida High Wasikhongo Tesfagiorgis' talk: A Sankofa Moment in 2019: The Impact of The Black Arts Movement On Diversity in Art History and Museums in the...
Expressions of Defiance art exhibition at NIU in conjunction with Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin
In conjunction with Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, the Jewish Artists Collective-Chicago (JACC) will exhibit thematically related painting, printmaking, fiber art, sculpture and installation in the Reynolds Whitney Gallery, adjacent to Boutell Memorial...
Art History Professor Sinclair Bell lead presenter in Smithsonian Channel’s “Rome’s Chariot Superstar”
Sinclair Bell, associate professor of art history in the School of Art and Design is featured as the lead presenter in the upcoming Smithsonian Channel program, "Rome's Chariot Superstar" which premieres on the network Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m. Central Daylight Time....
Maestro Murry Sidlin, the man behind The Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín
On Sunday, April 28, the NIU School of Music will mount a production of The Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, featuring the NIU Concert Choir, the NIU Philharmonic, Cor Cantiamo, Voices in Harmony, and the McHenry County College Chamber Choir. The performance will be...
What Art and Design alumna Laura Fenwick has learned by throwing herself into the deep end
Laura Fenwick is a 2012 graduate of NIU. She founded Fenwick Photo Arts in Nashville, Tenn. in 2013, "on the belief that art is the universal language of understanding, storytelling, mystery, and love. And, that each of those elements is paramount to a good day....
Organic Theater Company’s production “Melancholy Play” is Jeff Recommended
The Organic Theatre Company's current production Melancholy Play: A Contemporary Farce has earned Jeff Recommended status. The production features many NIU alumni and faculty, and continues its run at The Greenhouse Theatre, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, through...
DATA Exhibition Suite opens at NIU Art Museum, March 28
The Northern Illinois University Art Museum’s spring DATA Exhibition Suite delves into the array of manner in which data surrounds us, impacts us and is interpreted. Four exhibitions open on March 28 with a public opening reception from 5 – 8 p.m. with informal artist...
NIU Opera Presents: The Pirates of Penzance, March 29 and 31
Northern Illinois University Opera presents Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, Friday, March 29, at 8 p.m, and Sunday, March 31 at 3 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building on the main campus. Tickets are available online or at the...
So, you want to take pictures of the Super Moon
If you like your moons big, 2019 has started off with a bang for you. March 21 brings us the third month in a row when we've had a chance to see a "Super Moon." To put it simply, a Super Moon is when the moon is full and at the closest point to the Earth in its...
Arlene Turner-Crawford named NIU Alumni Association Award Winner
Arlene Turner-Crawford, School of Art and Design class of 1971 has been chosen to receive an award from the NIU Alumni Association for her achievements in the arts. In total, seven Huskies will be honored. "This is among the most impressive groups of award recipients...
School of Music to present Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, April 28
The Northern Illinois University School of Music will present Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín in concert, Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, in the Music Building on the main campus. Tickets are on sale online now at $10 for adults and $5...
Wide-ranging student talent highlights third Arts Convocation
The third annual NIU Arts Convocation showcased student talent in three schools and two locations all in one night. The event, designed as a way to expose students and community members to the great work and talent of students in the Schools of Art and...
Projeto Arcomusical announces three concerts to back release of new album
Projeto Arcomusical, a percussion sextet playing Afro-Brazilian berimbau musical bows, is celebrating the release of their second album "Spinning in the Wheel" with three concerts in March. Arcomusical will perform the new album in its entirety March 7 at the...
Two music education majors among five Forward, Together, Forward Scholars for 2019
School of Music students Emily Schaumberg of Streator, Ill. and Keelan Wright of Glenwood, Ill,, are among five recipients this year of NIU's prestigious Forward, Together, Forward Scholarships for 2019. The other recipients are Ainsley Galvez of Hoffman Estates,...
NIU Philharmonic features Concerto Competition winners in concert
The NIU Philharmonic will feature winners of the most recent Concerto Competition in concert, Wednesday, February 20 at 8 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building on NIU's main campus. The following concerto winners will be playing with the...
Video: NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts – Where Creativity Thrives
NIU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is comprised of three schools, each with award-winning educational programs, exciting performances and exhibits, and outstanding art studios, theatres, practice spaces and concert halls. Students have the opportunity...
Spring 2019 College of Visual and Performing Arts Schedule of Performances and Exhibitions
Check out the 2019 spring schedule of performances and exhibitions at the Northern Illinois University College of Visual and Performing Arts. Every year, the Schools of Art and Design, Music, and Theatre and Dance put on nearly 300 open to the...
Third annual CVPA Convocation set for February 18
Once again this winter, the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Northern Illinois University is hosting an NIU Arts Convocation to celebrate the great work of students in the schools, Monday, February 18. The evening showcases performances by students in the...
Art and Design hosts Community College Art Faculty and Juried Student Exhibition
Northern Illinois University’s School of Art and Design is hosting the Community College Art Faculty and Juried Student Exhibition now through February 15. Student and faculty work form more than a dozen Illinois community colleges is on display. A closing reception...
Cliff Alexis, co-founder of NIU’s Steelband program passes at 82
Cliff Alexis, co-founder of NIU's world-renowned steelpan studies program has passed away at 82. He was an invaluable part of the School of Music for more than 30 years even after his retirement from NIU in 2017. A Memorial Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to...
Art History alumnus to lecture on an architectural history of television
Sam Dodd, a 2007 graduate of NIU's Art History program will deliver the lecture, "All Eyes on Space: An architectural history of television," Monday, February 4, at 5 p.m. in room 100 of Jack Arends Hall, as part of the Elizabeth Allen Visiting Alumni Scholars in Art...
Art and Design alumnae Christine Woywod to lecture at NIU on transformative partnerships with community artists
Christine Woywod Veettill, chair of the Department of Art and Design at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is returning to her alma mater, Tuesday, February 19 for the lecture, "Art That Makes Communities Strong: Transformative Partnerships with Community Artists...
School of Theatre and Dance presents The Revolutionists, Feb. 6-10
The School of Theatre and Dance at NIU presents, The Revolutionists, with performances nightly from Wednesday, February 6 through Saturday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. and with matinees at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9 and Sunday, February 10 in the O'Connell...
School of Music’s Bough presenting at state music education association events around the nation
Dr. Thomas Bough, Professor of Music, Director of Bands, and Wind Symphony Conductor at Northern Illinois University is presenting six different sessions at state music education association events around the country early this year. Bough presented "Adulting 201:...
Upcoming events at the NIU Art Museum
Upcoming on campus lectures and presentations through the NIU Art Museum. January 25 “Visions from Another World: Forgotten Treasures in the Burma Art Collection at NIU” Noon-1 p.m., Altgeld Hall 125 CSEAS Friday Lecture with Dr. Catherine Raymond, Northern Illinois...
Season’s Greetings from the College of Visual and Performing Arts
Season's greetings from everyone in the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts, including the School of Art and Design, School of Music, School of Theatre and Dance, Community School of the Arts and the NIU Art Museum. https://youtu.be/a3-POyLS1PM You can make a...
Congratulations to the 2018 Student Holiday Card Contest winners
Three students from the School of Art and Design were the finalists in this year's Student Holiday Card Contest. The winners were selected by NIU President Lisa Freeman to "showcase the incredible talent that NIU students possess." The artists behind the winning...
Art and Design’s Sinclair Bell to lecture at Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago
Sinclair Bell, Assistant Professor of Art History will present the lecture, "Spectacles of Death: Gladiatorial Combats and Naval Battles in the Roman Arena," at the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, Tuesday, January 8 at 6 p.m. The lecture is open to the public...
School of Music’s Tom Bough to present at the world’s largest band and orchestra clinic
NIU School of Music faculty member Tom Bough has been chosen to present at the 72nd annual Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago. It is the largest band and orchestra clinic in the world. Bough is the director of athletic bands...
New album featuring the Avalon String Quartet released December 7
A new album featuring NIU's artists in residence, the Avalon String Quartet, was released December 7. "Matthew Quayle, String Quartets Nos. 1-3" is available on Naxos Records. “I am delighted to share the Avalon Quartet’s powerful rendition of my three string...
Value of versatile design skills a key message at 2018 Seek Conference
Advice, inspiration and humor were in large supply as a group of about 190, including 45 current NIU School of Art and Design students and a large number of young alumni attended the 2018 Seek Conference, November 12 at Morningstar in Chicago. Attendees were treated...
From NIU to Hollywood: Music alumnus and film composer Jermaine Stegall
How do you compose a theme for a Star Wars project and make it "sound like Star Wars" without using any of John Williams' iconic score? That's a challenge NIU School of Music alumnus Jermaine Stegall took head on when charged with creating music for Lucasfilm's...
Theatre and Dance presents “The Marriage of Bette and Boo”
The School of Theatre and Dance at NIU presents The Marriage of Bette and Boo with performances nightly at 7:30 p.m. from Wednesday, November 28 through Saturday, December 1, and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, December 1 and Sunday, December 2. The Marriage of Bette and...
School of Music hosts Orchestra Conducting Workshop, Dec. 3-5
Join NIU School of Music Director of Orchestra and Opera Danko Drusko and ten conductors from around the United States and other countries as they work with the members of the NIU Philharmonic in a two day Orchestra Conducting Workshop, December 3-5. There are two...
NIU students to perform Kennedy Center number at this fall’s dance concert, Nov. 15-18
Dance students at NIU will be performing the number that took them all the way to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. This year's Fall Dance Concert features “ENUF,” the award-winning original dance created by professor Paula Frasz that the School of Theatre and...
NIU School of Music Faculty present a ‘musical evening with commentary’
The School of Music is presenting a unique night of music and history with the faculty recital "Doves, Love, Sorrow and Destiny: A musical evening with commentary." This is a program of works originally for voice or clarinet with orchestra that will be performed on...
NIU Opera Theatre presents An Evening of Opera Scenes
Opera Theatre at Northern Illinois University will be presenting an evening of scenes from famous operas on both Tuesday, November 13 and Thursday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall in the Music Building. Performances include: Wolfgang Mozart The Marriage...
NIU Philharmonic presents works of Bernstein, Haydn, Berlioz and more, Nov. 14
Join the NIU Philharmonic in concert, Wednesday, November 14 at 8 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students and are available online or at the door. The Philharmonic will present: Joseph Haydn, Armida Overture Hector Berlioz,...
Winter Horn Fest 2019 coming up on February 8
High school horn players are invited to Winter Horn Fest 2019, Friday, February 8 at the NIU School of Music. This day-long event offers programming focused on high school horn players and will address challenges, issues, and concerns that are specific to intermediate...
Art and Design faculty Jessica Labatte solo show open at Western Exhibitions
NIU School of Art and Design instructor of photography Jessica Labatte’s second solo exhibition at Western Exhibitions, Shade Garden is open now through December 22. Western Exhibitions is located at 1709 West Chicago Avenue in Chicago. Her show is in Galleries One...
NIU Visual Communication hosts SEEK Design Conference in Chicago, Nov. 12
The Northern Illinois University School of Art and Design's Visual Communication program is hosting SEEK Conference 2018, November 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Morningstar Auditorium in Chicago.The day-long conference features TED Talk style presentations by a...
NIU Center for Burma studies hosts symposium and exhibition on Asian reverse glass painting traditions
Northern Illinois University's Center for Burma Studies is hosting an international symposium, November 16 titled, "Looking Through the Glass: Asian Reverse Glass Painting Traditions." Experts from around the world will present on the history behind and importance of...
Road trips from NIU to Chicago museums opened a world of art to Elaine King
For Elaine King, her path to becoming an art historian and educator took form during Saturday road trips from NIU to Chicago when she was a pre-law undergraduate student. King was back on campus recently as part of the Elizabeth Allen Alumni Scholars in Art History...
Kassel: In my city — A trip to After School Matters
Paul Kassel, Dean, NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts What do glass blowing, drum lines, poetry slams and jazz band have in common? They are all programs in After School Matters, a Chicago Public School initiative that has been around since 2000. Originally...
Richard Jenkins tells Theatre and Dance students to believe you are enough
"Be yourself. There's nobody else like you. If you try to act like somebody else you can't be yourself." If there was an over-arching theme in a 90 minute question and answer session between Oscar nominated actor Richard Jenkins and a crowd of more than 120 students...
School of Theatre and Dance to host Q and A with award-winning actor Richard Jenkins
Richard Jenkins, a DeKalb native and Emmy Award winning, and Oscar nominated actor, will be at NIU on Tuesday, October 30 at 2 p.m. for a Q and A with students in the Stevens Building's O'Connell Theatre. Jenkins won the 2015 Emmy Award for Lead Actor in a Limited...
Steelband fall concert features Faye Seeman on harp, tributes to Ellie Mannette and Ken ‘Professor’ Philmore
The NIU Steelband presents its fall 2018 concert Sunday, November 11 at 3 p.m. at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building. The event will be dedicated to the memories of steelband legends, Dr. Ellie Mannette and Ken “Professor” Philmore, both of whom...
Opera Theatre open auditions December 4 and 6
The NIU School of Music has announced an open call for auditions, casting all roles in NIU Opera Theatre's spring 2019 production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance." Auditions will be held December 4 and 6 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. in Music Building Room...
NIU Percussion Ensemble to perform at PASIC in Indianapolis
The NIU Percussion Ensemble has been invited to perform at PASIC 2018 (Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in Indianapolis, Ind. Saturday, Nov. 17, the NIU Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Gregory Beyer and Ben Wahlund will present the 2018...
NIU Art History alumni Thomas Russo to lecture on sculpture in the Romanesque Church
Thomas Russo, associate dean of international programs and professor of art history at Drury University in Springfield, Mo., will speak on "Defining Sacred Spaces: Sculpture in the Romanesque Church," Wednesday, October 17 as part of NIU's 2018-2019 Elizabeth Allen...
NIU Jazz Orchestra presents a Swing Dance!
For one night only, the iconic Altgeld Hall Auditorium on the NIU Campus will be transformed into a jazz dance club as the NIU Jazz Orchestra presents a Swing Dance, Sunday, October 21 at 6 p.m. Everyone's invited to join the Jazz Orchestra for a one-of-a-kind evening...
Cor Cantiamo announces dates for fall concert “Catalyst”
Cor Cantiamo, a professional chamber choir in residence at NIU School of Music, will present their fall concert "Catalyst” in three Illinois locations over the next few weeks. The concert provides a fusion of art and ideas to connect with the DeKalb community and the...
NIU drawing alum Chris Peuler of Scientific Games to present October 11
The Drawing Area in the School of Art and Design is sponsoring a presentation by NIU alum Chris Peuler. Peuler is the Core Artist at Scientific Games in Chicago, and a 2010 BFA graduate of the NIU School of Art and Design in Drawing. Some of his original artwork can...
NIU Student Composers and Friends present “Hasty Measures”
Time is of the essence in a unique event coming up in the NIU School of Music. The newly formed Student Composer Association in the Composition Area of the School of Music is going to put themselves to the ultimate test of speedy composing in an event they have aptly...
NIU Philharmonic Season Opening Concert October 10
Join the NIU Philharmonic for their season opening concert, Wednesday, October 10 at 8 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall. The program includes: Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus (Solo Harp and Strings), Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 5, Franz Schubert Italian...
Brand-new black box theatre opens with “The Flick” Oct 3-7
The brand-new black box theatre in the newly renovated NIU Stevens Building opens October 3 with The Flick, the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Written by Annie Baker, The Flick is an honest look at human life and the outside world as seen through three...
School of Music’s Cliff Alexis to receive Trinidad and Tobago’s highest honor
Cliff Alexis, recently retired from the NIU School of Music, has been selected to receive the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago's highest honor. The Hummingbird Medal Of The Order Of The Trinity is "awarded for loyal and devoted service beneficial to the state in any...
NIU’s Carmin Berchiolly to be honored as Best Graduate Student of the Year by Illinois Association of Museums
NIU's Carmin Berchiolly, who recently graduated with her Master of Arts in art history will be honored by the Illinois Association of Museums with the 2018 award for "Best Graduate Student" at this year's IAM awards program, October 4 at the Kidzeum of Health and...
2018-2019 College of Visual and Performing Arts Performance Schedule
Check out the 2018-2019 Arts Events Schedule from the Northern Illinois University College of Visual and Performing Arts. Every year, the Schools of Art and Design, Music, and Theatre and Dance put on nearly 300 open to the public performances,...
Jack Arends Hall 50th Anniversary celebrated with exhibition receptions, Sept. 20
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...
School of Music celebrates 100 years of Bernstein
The celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of famed American composer Leonard Bernstein a number of NIU School of Music groups will be incorporating his work into some of their fall concerts. The NIU Concert Choir and University Chorus will perform Chicester...
NIU School of Art and Design hosts “Bridges” an exhibition of digital graphics and augmented reality
The NIU School of Art and Design is hosting "Bridges" an exhibition of digital graphics and augmented reality by three art faculty members from Poland's University of Silesia, at Gallery 215, located at 215 Fourth Street in DeKalb. The exhibition opens with a...
Alumni: Joan Allen stars in new Broadway play
Tony Award winning, Oscar nominated actress, and NIU School of Theatre and Dance graduate Joan Allen is starring in a brand new Broadway play written by Oscar winner Kenneth Lonergan. The Waverly Gallery opens October 25, with previews beginning September 25. From...
Backspace Gallery presents: All Sheets to the Wind – Works on Paper featuring alumni, faculty, retirees and visiting artists
As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of NIU's Jack Arends Hall, home to the School of Art and Design, the Backspace Gallery presents "All Sheets to the Wind - Works on Paper" an exhibition featuring work from NIU alumni, faculty, retirees and visiting...
Visiting Scholars in Art History series begins with Elaine King on how art market legitimatizes cultural products
Elaine King, professor emerita of the School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University, and an alumnus of the NIU School of Art and Design, kicks off the 2018-2019 Elizabeth Allen Visiting Speakers in Art History Alumni Series, Monday, September 17, with "A Cultural...
The secrets behind the biggest Huskie Marching Band in years
When you think of college football, inevitably you picture a crisp fall day full of changing leaves and bright sunshine, tailgating fans and players running onto the field with glistening helmets. But it's not just what you picture, it's what you hear. College...
Stevens Building ready for its close-up after $23.7 million renovation
The Stevens Building at Northern Illinois University, home to the School of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Anthropology have raised the curtain for Monday’s start of the fall semester after an extensive renovation project. The $23.7 million state...
School of Music’s Greg Beyer joins Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition’s brand new Grossman Ensemble
Greg Beyer, NIU Professor and Director of Percussion Studies has been selected as a member of the newly formed Grossman Ensemble, part of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition (CCCC) at the University of Chicago. The CCCC was founded just last year, and in...
Theatre and Dance’s Tracy Nunnally honored by the Illinois Theatre Association
Tracy Nunnally, Technical Director/Head of Design and Technology for the NIU School of Theatre and Dance has been honored by the Illinois Theatre Association with the 2018 Award of Excellence for College and University Theatre. Nunnally is one of nine winners of ITA...
Alumni profile: First generation college graduate John Siblik
1988 School of Art and Design graduate John Siblik was a first-generation college student, and he went on to start a successful art practice, have a more than 20 year long career in arts higher education and is currently the director of the school he graduated from....
Special events offered for Illinois Institute of Art students looking to transfer to NIU
The NIU School of Art and Design's streamlined process for accepting transfer students is just one of the perks that separates us from other institutions. Transfers have the opportunity to join other dynamic artists at NIU and become a vital part of a world-class...
Artifacts – the alumni newsletter for the School of Art and Design returns
After an absence of more than a decade and a half, Artifacts, the School of Art and Design alumni newsletter has returned in electronic form. The newsletter, which features alumni profiles, upcoming events and opportunities for alums to share their news was e-mailed...
Garden in the Sky at the Illinois State Museum in Lockport Gallery
John Siblik, Director of the NIU School of Art and Design was commissioned by The Gaylord Building, a holding of the National Historic Trust. The Project received grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Garden in the Sky project is also supported...
School of Art and Design kicks off 50th Anniversary celebrations
Call for entries for two exhibitions The 2018 fall semester kicks off the 50th Anniversary of Jack Arends Hall, home of the NIU School of Art and Design. First up are a pair of exhibitions: "Golden" Jack Arends Hall 50th Anniversary Juried Alumni Show, an All-Alumni...
NIU dancers have arrived in Washington DC
Eleven students from NIU's dance program have arrived in Washington DC to perform in the National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center for the Arts this weekend. The dancers qualified for NCDF with their performance of "ENUF," an...
Sycamore Depot Light Show features work from NIU School of Art and Design students
The Sycamore Depot Light Show is back, featuring the artwork of NIU School of Art and Design students. Starting at dusk (approximately 8:45 p.m.) Saturday, May 19 the outer walls of the historic Sycamore Train Depot will be lit with artwork depicting the 25 year...
VPA’s Melanie Parks is headed west after 28 years at NIU
Melanie Parks, who has been a part of the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts for 28 years, is leaving the university at the end of June for sunny California. Parks started her NIU career as Costume Director in the School of Theatre and Dance, and taught all of...
School of Art and Design’s Kerry Freedman wins Lowenfeld Award
Kerry Freedman, Professor of Art Education in the School of Art and Design at NIU was named the winner of the 2018 Lowenfeld Award, granted annually by the National Art Education Association and considered the most significant award in the industry. As well as...
New exhibition at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art features works from School of Art and Design’s Jessica Labatte
The exhibition "Picture Fiction: Kenneth Josephson and Contemporary Photography" opens this week at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, and it features two works from NIU School of Art and Design Instructor of Photography Jessica Labatte. The exhibition is a survey...
Check out the NIU Graphic Design Show at NIU Chicago Center
Works from four NIU School of Art and Design students are on display at the NIU Graphic Design Show, April 23-May 11 at the NIU Chicago Center. Check out artwork from Leslie Latimer, Ping, Ben Lawson and Simon Saxsma at the Chicago Center Gallery, 105 W. Madison...
Art and Design presents the visual communication Senior Show 2018 on April 25
The School of Art and Design presents the visual communication Senior Show 2018, Wednesday, April 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Space 1858, 1858 West Grand Avenue in Chicago. The Visual Communication program provides an intellectually based, professional design...
NIU’s Jui-Ching Wang and the value of children’s singing games
A series of coincidences led NIU Associate Professor of Music Jui-Ching Wang to Indonesia to witness firsthand the value of traditional children's singing games. At the beginning of her tenure in NIU's School of Music, Wang found herself directing the school's...
School of Music’s Liam Teague to receive NIU Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor honor
Liam Teague, Northern Illinois University Professor of Music and Chair of Steelpan Studies has been selected as a Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor. The award was created in 1982 to recognize faculty excellence in teaching, research,...
The story behind the dance that sent NIU to the Kennedy Center
Students from the NIU Dance program performed at the Central Conference of the American College Dance Association (ACDA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on March 17-18. Their performance was of such high quality that they earned the top honor...
NIU Steelband spring concert features steelpan virtuoso Victor Provost
The world-famous NIU Steelband's 2018 Spring Concert is Sunday, April 22, at 3 p.m., featuring an eclectic blend of music styles, and a special guest artist. The NIU Steelband, under the direction of NIU Professor of Music and Director of Steelpan Studies Liam Teague,...
April showers bring lots of concerts
During the academic year there are always lots of School of Music concerts, but April is always the busiest month, and this year is no exception. Check out all of the great music you can hear, in person or via webcast over the next few weeks. Boutell Memorial Concert...
NIU Jazz Orchestra Concert featuring Fareed Haque, April 12
Join the NIU Jazz Orchestra for its Spring Concert, Thursday, April 12 at 8 p.m. at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building on NIU's main campus in DeKalb. The Jazz Orchestra is directed by Reggie Thomas, and they will be joined by modern guitar virtuoso,...
NIU is where Joe Minoso learned to learn, and how to follow his calling
Brooklyn born actor Joe Minoso has played firefighter Joe Cruz on NBC's hit series Chicago Fire for the past six seasons. He credits his career success to a fateful decision to come to DeKalb to earn his Master of Fine Arts in Acting. "NIU is almost single-handedly...
Expert on Roman monuments shares insights with NIU Art History students
Dr. John Osborne, one of the foremost experts on Roman architecture and monuments was at NIU March 21 and 22 as part of the Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History series. Osborne presented the lecture, "The Monuments of Ancient Rome in the Medieval...
All We are Breaking are Stones opens April 6 at the NIU Art Museum
The Northern Illinois University Art Museum opens All We are Breaking are Stones, an exhibition of work by Chicago artist Shaurya Kumar who reflects on loss, destruction, iconoclasm and marginalization. The raw materiality of his installations combined with the...
Steelpan in The Last Jedi influenced by NIU’s Liam Teague
A distinctive part of the soundtrack for Star Wars: The Last Jedi was the steel drum on the music that played during the movie's scenes on the planet of Canto Bight. That influence, it turns out, can be traced back directly to NIU's Liam Teague, Professor of Music...
Art History professor Sinclair Bell to lecture at ISU
School of Art and Design Professor Sinclair Bell is lecturing this spring as part of Illinois State University's Speaker Series. Race and representation in the Roman Empire Sinclair Bell Classical archaeologist and art historian “Race and Representation in the Roman...
Reclaimed Baggage at the NIU Art Museum Navigates Cultural Identity and Migration — On View March 27
The Northern Illinois University Art Museum opens Reclaimed Baggage, a group exhibition of seven South Asian American women artists that reveals layered, complex and powerful expressions of the self and their world. Their work addresses displacement, identity and...
Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History concludes with John Osborne on monuments of ancient Rome
The NIU School of Art and Design's annual Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History series concludes, Wednesday, March 21 at 5 p.m., with John Osborne, emeritus faculty of Carleton University's lecture "The Monuments of Ancient Rome in the Medieval...
NIU’s Avalon String Quartet to perform at Lakeside Arts Park, March 11
NIU's award-winning Avalon String Quartet is performing at Lakeside Arts Park at the Dole, March 11 at 3 p.m. The concert is part of the NIU School of Music Showcase and Guest Performance Series, a series of concerts by NIU groups at Lakeside Arts Park. Tickets for...
NIU Concert Band Festival, March 2-3
The world famous Phantom Regiment, the Rockford, Ill. based drum corps, presents the annual NIU Concert Band Festival, March 2-3 on the NIU campus at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building. High school and middle school concert bands from all around the...
School of Theatre and Dance collaborates with DeKalb Area Women’s Center for “Sisterhood Stories”
As part of Women's History Month, the NIU School of Theatre and Dance will be performing scenes titled "Sisterhood Stories: Strong Female Voices in Theatre" at the DeKalb Area's Women's Center, March 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. This is the second year that the School of...
NIU racks up recognition at Elmhurst College Jazz Festival
The NIU Jazztet and NIU Jazz Orchestra performed at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, February 24 and both groups received praise from adjudicators and several individual NIU students received outstanding recognition awards at the festival. For the NIU Jazztet...
School of Theatre and Dance presents Will Eno’s Middletown
The NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present Will Eno’s Middletown this February 28 through March 4. The play is directed by Kay Martinovich. Performances are at the Huntley Middle School Auditorium, 1515 S. Fourth St. in DeKalb. Performances will start at 7:30...
Happy Valentine’s Day
To all of you who support the arts at NIU in so many different, important ways, we wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day. -- Everyone at the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts Original artwork designed by current School of Art and Design student Luke...
For Dana Arnett, failure turned out to be the best teacher
For the last 30-plus years, Dana Arnett, a 1983 BFA graduate of NIU's School of Art and Design, has been a driving force behind one of the most successful creative agencies in the nation, VSA Partners. He returned to campus to be honored at the Second Annual College...
Watch: The 2018 NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts Convocation video
On Monday, January 22 more than 450 people attended the second annual NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts Convocation in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall. They saw performances students from NIU's School of Music, and School of Theatre and Dance and...
“Fading Expressions” a Electroacoustical and Video Faculty Recital, Feb. 6
The School of Music at NIU presents "Fading Expressions" an electroacoustic and video recital, Monday, February 6. The concert features pieces composed by NIU Composition Faculty Phillip Sink, D.M., and Brian Penkrot, PhD, and the concluding piece is an...
NIU hosts community college art exhibition Feb 9 – 23
Northern Illinois University’s School of Art and Design is presenting an exhibition of artwork by Illinois community college students. This show will run from February 9-23 and features the professional artwork of community college art faculty and a juried...
NIU’s Avalon String Quartet in concert Jan. 30
NIU’s world-class Avalon String Quartet will perform works of Shih-Hui Chen, Shostakovich and Beethoven, Tuesday, January 30 at 8 p.m. Admission is free of charge. The concert is the first of four this year for NIU’s quartet-in-residence, and will be held at the...
NIU 2018 Spring Arts Events
A look at the concerts, productions, lectures and exhibitions in the arts at NIU for spring 2018. A complete calendar of events is available. Most concerts in the School of Music are available via live webcast. Choral & Opera Series March 4 – Concert...
CVPA presents second annual Convocation, Monday, Jan. 22
Experience firsthand the talents of students in the Northern Illinois University College of Visual and Performing Arts at the second annual Convocation, January 22 at 4:30 p.m. The free event brings together student artists and performers from the NIU schools of art...
New Music Festival organizers receive kudos from Augusta Read Thomas
Augusta Read Thomas, Founder and Director of Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition at The University of Chicago was a guest of the Seventh Annual New Music Festival at NIU. Thomas is one of the most revered and honored composers of of this era. She gave a...
School of Art and Design alumna Barbara Lee Smith: “It started with a dream”
After 35 years away, renowned mixed media artist Barbara Lee Smith returned to the NIU campus last month to spend a day meeting students, talking with faculty and reflecting on her time completing her Master's in Fine Arts in 1979. She spoke of how grateful she was...
Business of Dance teaches students to make a living doing what they love
“It’s not about your art, or how you’re going to make your art,” said NIU Professor of Dance Paula Frasz. “It’s about making a living making your art and being an artist.” Twenty-five years ago, when Frasz first joined the faculty at NIU, she conceived of...
Jazz Ensemble packs a lifetime of experiences into 10 days in Mexico
Ten days, 10 students, seven performances in seven different venues, three master classes, leading a jam session at an international music festival and a lifetime of experiences. That's what the NIU Jazz Ensemble encountered on a whirlwind tour of Mexico...
Watch: School of Music’s Yuko Asada featured on Japanese TV show
Ever wonder what specific parts of NIU look like to the world? The TV show Gutto Chikyubin features stories that connect Japanese parents with children who live outside of Japan, and a recent episode features Yuko Asada, NIU Musical Instrument Technician, who, along...
Nov 19 NIU Steelband performance highlighted by book signing
For more than 40 years, Northern Illinois University has been home to the world-famous NIU Steelband, and they will perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 19 in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the NIU Music Building. Northern Illinois University Press has released a...
Music alum continues the legacy of “The Baker’s Dozen”
For School of Music alum Scott McCullagh, the decision to set up a scholarship was equal parts honoring his past and securing the future. McCullagh was part of a unique experiment in curriculum development at NIU when he arrived on campus in the fall of 1966. "I was...
NIU Art Museum’s biennial NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition opens Nov. 16
The Northern Illinois University Art Museum opens the biennial School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition on Thursday, November 16, 2017 with a public reception from 5 – 7 p.m. Presented every two years, this invitational show features recent artwork and scholarship...
Need-based scholarships available from NIU Community School of the Arts
The NIU Community School of the Arts offers need-based scholarships in fall and spring. Families with an adjusted gross income below $60,000 are encouraged to complete a scholarship application when registering for spring activities, before Friday, Jan. 19, 2018....
Why wait until December to carol?
The NIU School of Music's Concert Choir got everyone in the holiday spirit with a little caroling. The holiday was Halloween. Here they are paying a visit to Dean Paul Kassel's office in the Music Building. Pardon the shaky video, but enjoy the...
NIU adopts domestic tuition rate
Recent action taken by the NIU Board of Trustees will help NIU recruit more U.S. students from outside the borders of the Land of Lincoln. The NIU Board of Trustees approved a new domestic rate structure for tuition that will set out-of-state tuition for domestic...
Seventh NIU New Music Festival Nov. 1-3
Join the NIU School of Music for the Seventh NIU New Music Festival, Wednesday, November 1 through Friday November 3 in the Music Building on the campus of NIU. Wednesday, November 1 Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, 8 p.m. New Music at NIU Thursday, November 2 Boutell...
Arcomusical under consideration for 2018 Grammy Award
Arcomusical, a sextet of Afro-Brazilian berimbau musical bows, directed by NIU Professor and Head of Percussion Studies Gregory Beyer, is on the ballot for consideration for the 2018 Grammy Awards in the category of Best World Music Album. Arcomusical's album,...
2017-18 Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History lineup
The lineup for the 2017-2018 Elizabeth Allen Visiting Scholars in Art History series in the NIU College of Art and Design has been set. Join us in room 100 of the Art Building (Jack Ahrends Hall) on the main campus of NIU. All of these talks are free of charge and...
Community School of the Arts Sinfonia Concerto Competition applications due Oct. 23
The Community School of the Arts at Northern Illinois University invites musicians 18 years and younger to compete in the annual CSA Sinfonia Concerto Competition. The deadline for applications is October 23. Auditions are scheduled in the Recital Hall of the NIU...
Suzuki workshop offered at NIU, Nov. 4
At the annual NIU Suzuki Workshop on Saturday November 4, guest Suzuki teachers from Wisconsin, Iowa and Alabama will visit the NIU Music Building to work with NIU Suzuki Strings students, and with guest violin and cello students representing Suzuki programs...
School of Art and Design hosts Frankie Flood, Oct 11-12
SOAD will be hosting artist Frankie Flood on Wednesday, October 11, and Thursday October 12 for a number of lectures and demonstrations. All are open to any interested students. Frankie Flood is an Associate Professor of Art at Appalachian State University, and the...
Cor Cantiamo Presents: Vocal Tapestries, Oct. 22
Cor Cantiamo, an NIU Ensemble in Residence, will present their fall concert, Sunday, October 22 at 3 p.m. in the NIU Boutell Memorial Concert Hall. Cor Cantiamo is a professional 24-voice chamber choir that works to bring world class artistry to the DeKalb community...
NIU alum Jim Roberts tells percussion students the best instrument is ‘right between your ears’
More than 30 years after he graduated with a Master of Performance from the NIU School of Music, Jim Roberts was back on campus for a visit, interacting with NIU students and faculty and reflecting on how his time here guided his career. Roberts is an accomplished...
NIU welcomes Yale Whiffenpoofs, Oct. 9
For anyone anxiously awaiting the release of "Pitch Perfect 3" in December, the Yale Whiffenpoofs, the oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group will perform at NIU, Monday, October 9 at 8 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building. Admission...
Cor Cantiamo receives support from Wurlitzer Foundation and DeKalb County Community Foundation
Cor Cantiamo, ensemble in residence at the NIU School of Music, has recently received significant grants from three local organizations. Cor Cantiamo received $7,500 from the Wurlitzer Foundation, and $2,000 from the DeKalb County Community Foundation. These funds...
Avalon String Quartet opens season Oct. 3
NIU’s world-class Avalon String Quartet will perform works of Joseph Haydn, Dmitri Shostakovich and Franz Schubert, Thursday, October 3 at 8 p.m. Admission is free of charge. The concert is the first of four this year for NIU’s quartet-in-residence, and will be held...
Assistant Professor Michael Rea’s work featured at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
NIU Assistant Professor of Sculpture, Michael Rea's platform sculptures are a featured part of a current installation at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA). Choreographer Maria Gillespie presents "Tangible Space," a performance and movement installation,...
Geof Bradfield’s “Yes…and music for nine improvisers,” Thursday, Sept. 21
Composer, saxophonist, and Associate Professor of Jazz Studies for NIU's School of Music, Geof Bradfield will premiere a new commissioned work for nonet: “Yes, and...music for nine improvisers," Thursday, September 21 at 8 p.m. at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the...
In the news: NIU Steelband featured in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper
The NIU Steelband is literally world famous, and continued proof of that is a feature that ran in the Thursday, September 14 edition of The Guardian, a newspaper in Trinidad and Tobago. The article features Liam Teague, Professor of Music and Head of Steelpan Studies...
NIU Steelband headlines 30th Anniversary Chicago Sinfonietta
The NIU Steelband will kick off the 30th Anniversary season of Chicago Sinfonietta with concerts Saturday, September 16 and Monday, September 18. Take a trip to the Caribbean with NIU’s Steelband. Fall in love with the stunning athleticism of Chicago’s own Cerqua...
School of Art and Design hosts art crawl and Student Art Gallery naming, Sept. 14
The School of Art and Design offers a unique opportunity to see art exhibitions in four university gallery spaces in one evening, and attend the naming of the Student Art Gallery. The progressive art crawl begins at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, September 14 on the main...
Fareed Haque on Chicago Tonight
School of Music Professor Fareed Haque was on WTTW's Chicago Tonight Thursday in a wide-ranging interview on the ever evolving nature of music and how that influences his style of guitar playing. Haque appeared with fellow guitarist Goran Ivanovic for the discussion...
Theatre alumna Amber Sallis named ‘Hot new face of theater’ by Chicago Tribune
NIU School of Theatre and Dance alumna Amber Sallis, has been named a "Hot New Face of Theatre Class of 2017" by the Chicago Tribune. Sallis most recently appeared in a Steep Theatre production of "Earthquakes in London." She will next appear in "The Last Days of...
Building the NIU Huskie Marching Band
Friday, September 1 at Huskie Stadium against Boston College, two of the biggest teams on campus will open their seasons. Of course it’s the first game for NIU football, but also opening night for another 100+ member squad–the 118th edition of the NIU...
Stevens Building construction “flight”
Construction is well underway on the Stevens Building additions and remodel on the NIU main campus. The building is home to the College of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Anthropology. Many more updates will come in the weeks ahead, but let's start things...
Welcome (back) students
From Paul Kassel, Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts Welcome or welcome back! We’re glad you’re here and ready to take advantage of all the College, our Schools, and our great university has to offer! We have the rare privilege of being able to study, learn,...
Visiting Artist Lecture – Letha Wilson, August 28
NIU Photography and the NIU Art Museum, are presenting the exhibition Objectifying the Photograph, August 29 through October 20 at the Art Museum in Altgeld Hall. A visiting artist lecture with Letha Wilson will be held Monday, August 28 in Altgeld Hall 102 at 5:00...
Join the NIU Steelband
The NIU Steelband is dedicated to demonstrating the versatility and profundity of the steelpan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, and you can join them in three different ways. Join the World Steelband (NIU Steelband) by enrolling in MUSE 272/672,...
Sundaes on Saturday, August 26
Welcome, or welcome back, to campus! The College of Visual and Performing Arts invites all of our students to enjoy FREE ICE CREAM, Saturday, August 26 in the lobby of Boutell Auditorium, in the Music Building from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy your ice cream, meet and...