The 2025 NMU Jazz Festival will be held on the beautiful campus of Northern Michigan University on Thursday and Friday, March 19-20. High school and middle school jazz bands from throughout the region will participate in a variety of performances and clinics, and an exciting evening performance will showcase NMU students, faculty, and guest clinicians.
This year’s festival will feature The Westerlies, a New York-based brass quartet comprised of Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands on trumpet, and Andy Clausen and Addison Maye-Saxon on trombone. This cutting-edge ensemble is “an arty quartet…mixing ideas from jazz, new classical, and Appalachian folk” (New York Times). From Carnegie Hall to Coachella, The Westerlies navigate a wide array of venues and projects with the precision of a string quartet, the audacity of a rock band, and the charm of a family sing-along.
The Westerlies, “an arty quartet…mixing ideas from jazz, new classical, and Appalachian folk” (New York Times) are a New York-based brass quartet comprised of Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands on trumpet, and Andy Clausen and Addison Maye-Saxon on trombone.
We are very excited to host The Westerlies on the NMU campus as part of a collaboration with the NMU Jazz Festival. Their Thursday evening Siril Concert will also serve as the opening concert of the 2026 NMU Jazz Festival. The members of the ensemble will serve as clinicians for visiting high school and middle school bands attending the Festival, and they will also be featured individually as guest soloists with NMU Jazz Ensembles during the Friday evening Jazz Festival Concert!
Marquette-area piano students, teachers, parents, and NMU piano majors will present their annual concert of 4-hand and 8-hand piano pieces. All are welcome to attend this free concert starting at 11am, Saturday, February 14, in Reynolds Recital Hall!
Join us for a fun and free night of Jazz! This is the first Jazz Concert of the Winter 2026 semester featuring the NMU Jazz Band, NMU Jazz Combo, and the NMU Wildcat Combo. See you in Reynolds Recital Hall at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
NMU Music students take turns performing their repertoire throughout the semester! These recitals are open to friends, family, and the community and are a great opportunity for students to practice their performance skills.
NMU Piano students will share favorite pieces as you head into Finals Week. Choose a comfy auditorium seat, or bring a blanket to relax on the stage. Catch a piece or two, or stay for the entirety!
The Opera Theatre Workshop meets once a week to learn about opera! This semester, they will perform excerpts and scenes from Mozart's operas. Jacob Schmeltzer will accompany the solos, duets, and trios, and there will be a live string trio for ensemble pieces.
The operas featured include... "Così fan tutte" "The Magic Flute" "Marriage of Figaro"
See you on Tuesday, November 11 at 7:30 PM for a free evening of opera!
The NMU Orchestra (directed by Barbara Rhyneer) and the NMU Choirs (directed by Erin Colwtiz) present "Baroque to the Future" performing selections from the Baroque Era and works from the 21st century.
Special features of this concert include the Guitar Concerto in D Major by Vivaldi with Chirstopher Schoelen as soloist, Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus", and "Fields of Cloverland" (an anthem for U. P.) by Timothy DeMarte- arranged for choir and orchestra by Barbara Rhyneer.
The orchestra will also perform "Emerald Falcon" by Richard Meyer, a rock number "Lady Gaga Hit Mix", and a jazz bossa nova piece "From the Start" by Laufy and Spencer Steward, arranged by Michael Kamuf. Additional works by Handel include the British anthem "Zadok the Priest" and two movements from Concerto Grosso No. 4, Op. 3.
We look forward to seeing you at this exciting collaboration!
The Wildcat Winds are a new ensemble within the Department of Music, coordinated by NMU Director of Bands, Dr. Steven Riley. This ensemble provides a concert experience for instrumentalists in the Wildcat Marching Band and other students who may not be participating in Marching Band during the fall semester. Join us for their first concert on Monday, November 17th, in Reynolds Recital Hall at 7:30 PM!
Buzz Sessions at NMU are a platform for faculty and students to quickly present their research in three slides or five minutes. The event also provides a brief overview of the Office of Sponsored Programs and the College of Graduate Studies & Research. This event is designed to allow attendees, including the presenters, to come and go as schedules require. Light refreshments are provided.
