Khadija Nagi, a DeKalb native, and now a proud graduate of the NIU School of Music is the subject of the fall 2025...
Music Archives
In Passing: Ron Modell and more
by Antonio Garcia Jazz education lost a giant in the field with the passing on June 10 of my friend and colleague Ron...
An open window led Zachary Good to the clarinet and to NIU
A familiarity with the school and a desire to teach music at a state university made NIU the perfect place for new...
Follow the live stream of the NIU Concert Band Festival, Feb. 23
The Northern Illinois University Concert Band Festival hosted by the Phantom Regiment Friday, February 23 in the Music Building at NIU. A live stream of the event is available at niu.edu/music/performances. Performances begin at 9 a.m. Phantom Regiment has hosted a...
Theatre and Dance hosts Ukrainian Play Reading project for third straight year
For the third year, the NIU School of Theatre and Dance is participating in the Ukrainian Play Reading Project. On Saturday, February 24 they will host a live reading of "Bad Roads" by Natal'ya Vorozhbit, in the O'Connell Theatre in NIU's Stevens Building from noon to...
Music’s Christopher Scanlon appearing in Chicago Shakespeare’s new musical “Illinoise”
Christopher Scanlon, assistant professor of trumpet and brass area coordinator in the NIU School of Music is performing in Illinoise, a musical opening at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre January 28 and running through February 18. Music and lyrics for the show were...
Just Dream It: Randiss “Wonder” Hopkins, ’17, inspires Nike’s global design community
Randiss "Wonder" Hopkins, '17, experienced a dream in his youth that propelled him to do backflips—literally. The dream and the events immediately following have led Hopkins to live and work with the mindset, "If you can dream it, you can do it." Hopkins recounts the...
World-renowned duo Christian Lindberg and Roland Pöntinen to perform at NIU, Jan. 16
For more than 40 years the world renowned duo of trombonist Christian Lindberg and pianist Roland Pöntinen have performed around the world and recorded more than 20 albums together. On Tuesday, January 16 they will perform in concert at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall...
NIU Jazztet featured on this year’s NIU Foundation Holiday Card
The Northern Illinois University Foundation's annual holiday e-card featured four special guests this year. The NIU Jazztet, made up of jazz studies majors Ryan Bills, Isiah Jones Jr. Sid Smith IV and Nat Lin appeared in the video message playing "Let It Snow" on the...
Commencement profile: Sid Smith IV, School of Music
Sid Smith IV, who earned his Master of Music in jazz studies from the NIU School of Music in December was featured with a video during the Graduate Commencement Ceremony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVtclDtUjy0 Congratulations to Sid and to all of the fall 2023...
Avalon String Quartet and NIU School of Music announce return of Graduate String Quartet in Residence
The Avalon String Quartet and the Northern Illinois University School of Music are excited to relaunch the Graduate String Quartet in Residence, a fully-funded opportunity for graduate study at NIU. Quartet members may pursue the MM degree or a Performers Certificate,...
Four NIU alumni marched in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
NIU alumni Michael Embrey, Jake Walker, Annette Hackbarth and Bernard "BJ" Long Jr. marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, November 23. They were part of the 408-member Band Directors Marching Band which features band directors from all 50...