NIU students in the School of Music perform in a wide range of ensembles: jazz, orchestra, wind ensemble, choirs, steelband and ensembles devoted to music of Indonesia, China and the Middle East. The school hosts both a New Music Festival and a World Music Festival each year.
The Student Composer Association of Northern Illinois University (SCANIU) is dedicated to: Cultivating community enrichment and outreach, career development, and establish professional contacts outside of academia. The performance and dissemination of music composed by NIU students. The representation of as wide a variety of musical styles as are to be found among the members of NIU’s student composers.