NIU New Music Festival 2026 presents the music of Melinda Wagner, Concert 2

The NIU New Music Festival celebrates its fourteenth edition with two evenings of music October 26-27, 2026. This year’s festival will feature two special guests: Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Melinda Wagner (The Juilliard School), flutist Emma Hospelhorn (Ensemble Dal Niente). The festival will feature six world premieres by NIU student composers performed by the NIU New Music Ensemble, as well as Gregory Beyer performing the world premiere of Melinda Wagner’s “The Witness Tree” for solo marimba.

Monday:
NIU Concert Choir
NIU New Music Ensemble
six premieres by NIU student composers:
Kayla Bivin
Jack Watson (note spelling update!)
Julia Broome-Robinson
Matthew Ellis
Adrian Patino
Doris Le (note spelling update!)

Tuesday:
An evening of music by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Melinda Wagner
featuring performances by:

NIU Wind Ensemble
Avalon String Quartet
Gregory Beyer
NIU Philharmonic
with soloist, Emma Hospelhorn