On January 10, 1990 the NIU Jazz Ensemble (now known as the NIU Jazz Orchestra) played a concert at the iconic Rialto...
Music Archives
Music’s Bobby Broom to host a new jazz program on WNIJ 89.5
Beginning in June 2024, NIU Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar and Jazz Studies Bobby Broom will host a new original...
Commencement profile: Chih-I Hsiao, Master of Music
The renowned World Music program at NIU is what drew Chih-I Hsaio to DeKalb after earning his degree in Music Theory...
Bobby Broom featured in DownBeat magazine’s annual reader’s poll
Bobby Broom, assistant professor of jazz guitar and jazz studies in the School of Music was featured, for the second time in five years, in DownBeat magazine's annual reader's poll edition. In the December 2020 issue, Broom was chosen as one of the top guitarists in...
Kelly Clarkson “Zoom crashes” NIU Music Education alumna’s online class
Amanda Brex-Castillo, the choral director at South Elgin High School and Kenyon Woods Middle School, received an unexpected visitor during one of her recent South Elgin online classes. Three-time Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson popped into the Zoom stream to...
University Chorus creates a ‘musical postcard’ for the campus
Singers in the NIU University Chorus, conducted by Mary Lynn Doherty, Assistant Director of the School of Music, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education, received a little extra assignment as they were learning the four part arrangement to the NIU Alma...
“Follow Us Home” Huskie Marching Band 2020 Homecoming performance
Homecoming at NIU was a little different this year, with COVID-19 restrictions in place and a MAC football season that doesn't start until November, but the Pride of the Midwest, the Huskie Marching Band put together a halftime show for everyone to enjoy in the...
Music to Her Ears: Scholarship helps Vieyra share the joy of music
Elizabeth Vieyra was little when she first noticed some of her peers did not have the same opportunities she did. Vieyra was always musically inclined, playing flute and violin. But she realized not everyone in her hometown of Aurora who wanted to take up an...
Geof Bradfield and this “temporary trio” featured on NPR’s Fresh Air
Geof Bradfield, professor of jazz saxophone and jazz studies in the NIU School of Music was part of a feature on NPR's "Fresh Air" about the release of his trio's new album "General Semantics." Fresh Air's jazz critic Kevin Whitehead described the new effort, "Reed...
Listen to some of our greatest hits as you run the Virtual Corn Classic
The relatively new tradition of hearing songs performed by members of the NIU School of Music as you run the course of the annual Corn Classic continues this year, even as the race has gone virtual. The Corn Classic, now in its 40th year, allows runners to choose...
Avalon String Quartet to live stream concert, Sept. 10
The award-winning Avalon String Quartet, artists-in-residence at the NIU School of Music will perform via live stream, Thursday, September 10 from the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at 7 p.m. A limited number of seats are available due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please...
Five faculty earn rank of full professor in School of Music
Five faculty members in the NIU School of Music have earned the rank of professor. JeongSoo Kim, Jui-Ching Wang and Marie Wang are the first females to earn promotion to full professor since Edna Williams became Professor of Voice in 1987. JeongSoo Kim is Professor of...