Steelpan virtuoso Jaden Nunez joins Wheaton Municipal Band’s percussion showcase
Steelpan player Jaden Teague Nunez, a recent graduate of DeKalb High School, will be joining the Wheaton Municipal Band at the July 24 concert. The concert will highlight percussion instruments and showcase the versatility of the steel pan.
Nunez recently soloed with the Chicago Symphony. He recently became the first steelpannist to win the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition (2024).
“I started playing steelpan when I was around 7 or 8 years old when my dad gave it to me for my birthday, which paved the way for my musical career, eventually learning piano and percussion,” Nunez said.
Jaden’s father, Liam Teague, is a renown steelpan performer and currently on the faculty at Northern Illinois University. Dad is hailed as the “Paganini of the Steelpan” and has performed throughout the world. Like father, like son. According to Jaden, he plans on being a musical soloist, not just on pan, but also being able to use his piano skills in the future.
Jaden said, “My vision aligns with my dad’s goal for pan; showcasing the versatility of the pan and be able to present its many musical possibilities, like playing classical music, jazz, calypso, rock, and many more with orchestras, jazz ensembles, wind ensembles, and percussion ensembles.”
Jaden has a flair for the dramatic and is as fun to watch as he is to listen to.
Bruce Moss, music director for the Wheaton Municipal Band, plans an evening concert of highlighting the percussion section. Some of the other selections on the program include “Salute to American Jazz” arranged by Sammy Nestico, “Rhapsody in Steel” by Kevin Bobo, “Symphonic Dance No 3” by Clifton Williams, and “Tempered Steel” by Charles Rochester Young.
The free concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24, in Memorial Park, 225 Karlskoga Ave. in downtown Wheaton. Enjoy a picnic in the park, or purchase popcorn or ice cream from the Friends of the Wheaton Municipal Band.
On Saturday, July 26, the Wheaton Municipal Band will be presenting their annual concert in the Edman Chapel at Wheaton College. In “Centennials and Celebrations Edman Spectacular,” band alumnus Gunnery Sgt. Trevor Mowry, an oboist with the “President's Own” United States Marine Band, returns as special guest soloist. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel, 401 E Franklin St. in Wheaton.
The concert series continues with “Watkins Conducts!” on Thursday, July 31, at Memorial Park. The band welcomes guest conductor Alfred Watkins, co-founder and conductor of the acclaimed Cobb Wind Symphony in Marietta, Georgia.
The Wheaton Municipal Band will wrap up their 96th year on Aug. 7 with “Favorites!” where the band closes the season with time-honored favorites that have been performed throughout the years.
For more information, go to the band’s website at www.wheatonmunicipalband.org or follow facebook.com/WheatonMunicipalBand/.
The free concerts are a collaboration between the city of Wheaton, Wheaton Park District, Wheaton Municipal Band board, and the Friends of the Wheaton Municipal Band.