A DeKalb High School student won a prestigious Chicago Symphony Orchestra contest with an instrument that is not widely used.
Jaden Teague-Nunez is this year’s winner of the Craig-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artist Competition. This is the first time a steelpan player has won the award. This instrument originated from Trinidad and Tobago. It looks exactly as its name describes -- a large steel pan. And watching Jaden play is reminiscence of seeing a chef cooking up a savory dish.
Jaden said the winning song, “A Visit to Hell” was composed by his dad.
“I picked the piece because I really love how the how versatile it can be where I can show off how dramatic I can be and how fast my hands can play,” he said, “or being able to show off the slow parts and the emotional aspects of my play of my performing.”
His father is Liam Teague. Teague is the head of steelpan studies at Northern Illinois University.
Jaden said he was given a steelpan when he was about 8 years old. At first, he didn’t have an interest in it, but he said after a while he fell in love with it once he realized how unique the instrument is.
“After a while, I would then get like a few performances,” he said. “Not that not like Carnegie Hall performance or anything, but um, but just like playing for my friends and our family members, and littles and small little gigs and stuff.”
He said as time went by, he was able to perform in places like Texas, Indiana and the Bahamas.
Jaden learned about the CSO competition a couple of years ago but since it is a three-year cycle competition, he couldn’t play then because it was on the string instrument cycle. He said he entered it for the experience and didn’t think he would make it to the finals. He said he was shocked when he heard his name.
“For a solid five minutes, I was like, ‘I can't believe I won,’" he added. “And like it all hits me on the stage that I’m going to be playing with a legendary orchestra.”
Jaden said this recognition is not just a win for him.
“But it also affects the steelpan fraternity as it's very rare for there to be a steelpan soloist with a legendary orchestra," he said. "And this would also be very beneficial to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. So, I'm proud to represent that country and my birthplace of Panama.”
Jaden said he wants to break musical barriers by exposing the steelpan to different audiences, including playing jazz and Calypso.
“For it to be like a normal thing to happen for orchestras,” he said, “where every week the Chicago Symphony or the Berlin Philharmonic or LA Philharmonic that performing with a steelpan player.”
Jaden plays other instruments, but he credits his father for instilling his love of the steelpan.
“He that he doesn't say this," said Jaden, "but he's, he's one of the greatest steel band players in the world.”
Jaden has been experimenting with writing. He said he doesn’t plan on publishing anything soon.
Jaden will make his debut with CSO on May 2 and 3 of 2025. He will be featured on WFMT’s Introductions on Saturday, April 20.
Jaden said that his father will perform in NIU’s Steelband spring concert on April 21 at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall.
