School of Music at Illinois State University

05/09/2026

🤩😍Congratulations to our SPRING 2026 GRADUATES!!!! We are so proud of all that you have accomplished and can't wait to see what the future holds for each of you. Enjoy this special day!! 🥳🎶
(Thanks as always to Dr. Marinello and our Commencement Band for making it a festive ceremony, and thanks to Kennedy Carico for beautifully leading the University Hymn and National Anthem!)

04/21/2026

We're thrilled to have alum Useon Choi back on campus this week!! Come see him and everyone in the ISU Wind Symphony tomorrow night!🤩

Dr. Useon Choi, M.M. ’25, will return to campus to guest conduct the Illinois State Wind Symphony on Wednesday, April 22, for a piece he reimagined as a School of Music graduate student.

04/20/2026

It was great to connect with some alumni at yesterday's FANTASTIC orchestra concert! Our next "Catching up with cookies" event is Wednesday evening's Wind Symphony concert (April 22 @ 7:00 pm), followed by choral concerts on Sunday April 26 (3pm and 6pm). The cookies from Grove Street Bakery are delicious!

Illinois State University School of Music alumni are warmly invited back to campus for Catching Up with Cookies, a casual pre-concert gathering held before select final spring ensemble concerts.

04/20/2026

🤩Congrats to piano student Mo Abdelrahman who is featured in this news story as a "Graduating Redbird!" Mo is completing his master's degree in Piano Performance this semester. 🎹🎵He has been a fantastic Group Piano instructor and has collaborated with many students and ensembles. Thank you, Mo, for everything you have contributed to the School of Music - we wish you the best in your next endeavors!

When Mohammad “Mo” Abdelrahman first sat down at a piano at age 18, he had no idea his life was about to change. Now he's preparing to graduate with a master's degree in music performance.

04/16/2026

13 of our School of Music students have their Senior Recitals coming up over the next few weeks! Show them some support in the comments!

04/02/2026

🎶 Music alumni—come back to campus and catch up with us this spring!
We’d love to see you at one of our final Wind Symphony, Orchestra, or Choral concerts, and to welcome you beforehand for Catching Up With Cookies—a casual pre‑concert gathering for alumni.
🍪 Please RSVP so we know to expect you.
🎟️ The first 20 alumni to RSVP for each concert receive a free ticket!
👉 Learn more and RSVP at the link below.

Illinois State University School of Music alumni are warmly invited back to campus for Catching Up with Cookies, a casual pre-concert gathering held before select final spring ensemble concerts.

03/18/2026

🎶We are excited to share a feature story about this spring's concerto competition winners! Kahauri Brown-Givens (cello), Alex Adrowski (flute), and Nicole Schmidt (clarinet) will perform with the ISU Orchestra and Wind Symphony in April.

The School of Music has announced the winners of its annual Student Concerto Competitions, recognizing three outstanding student musicians who will perform as featured soloists with Illinois State University ensembles this spring.

03/04/2026

🎺🎵In case you missed it: here is a great feature story on music major Judah Crowder that was published by ISU News in February! We're very proud of all that Judah has accomplished!

Judah Crowder made history at Illinois Sate University in 2025 when she was named the first Black, female drum major to conduct the Big Red Marching Machine.

02/27/2026

The end of an era! And the beginning of a new one....

02/27/2026

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Redbird music community for supporting our students and programs during Birds Give Back-- you are CHAMPIONS!
https://birdsgiveback.illinoisstate.edu/pages/school-of-music