Youth pan soloist to feature with Civic Orchestra of Chicago

DR ANDREW MARTIN

History will be made in Chicago, Illinois, this month when pan will feature in the finals of the 2024 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition.

The achievement is a result of the hard work and stellar performance of soloist Jaden Teague-Nunez of Dekalb, Illinois.

Teague-Nunez will perform A Visit to Hell for pan solo and orchestra by Liam Teague, arranged by Jamie Wind Whitmarsh.

A typical teenager, Teague-Nunez is a sophomore at Dekalb High School who loves mixed martial arts and video games – but his prodigious musical talents make him anything but ordinary.

Though his career is only beginning, Teague-Nunez’s resume already boasts several impressive accomplishments, including guest soloist or artist appearances with the Humboldt State University Steelband (Arcata, California), Northern Illinois University Steelband, Percussive Arts Society International Convention (Indianapolis, Indiana), Illinois Music Education Association Conference, Tuba Bach Festival (Big Rapids, Michigan) and Inside Out Steelband Festival (Austin, Texas), and the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra (DeKalb, Illinois).

For many steelband aficionados, the surname Teague is synonymous with pan excellence. Teague-Nunez’s father is Trinidadian Liam Teague, the famed pan soloist, arranger, composer, and professor of pan at Northern Illinois University.

Early exposure to pan had a great impact on the young Teague-Nunez, as he began playing the instrument at eight, with his father as his first teacher. The elder Teague encouraged Teague-Nunez to be a versatile musician by playing multiple instruments and playing and listening to different musical styles.

“My dad has been sharing the beauty and versatility of the steelpan for many years,” says Teague Nunez, “and I want to continue that tradition, but in my personal way.”

Musical genes run deep in the family, as Teague-Nunez’s mother Lorena Nunez is an accomplished violist and former principal violist of the Panama National Symphony Orchestra. Teague-Nunez says his mother is a constant source of musical guidance and inspiration, offering “many pointers about musical interpretation and stage presentation.” She’s also his “mamarazzi” because “she is always taking videos and pictures of my performances.”

His parents’ tall musical shadows notwithstanding, Teague-Nunez has charted his own musical journey and in addition to pan he plays piano, drums and percussion at a high level. He believes in embracing and exploring various types of musical styles and instruments.

With a Trinidadian father and Panamanian mother, Teague-Nunez always embraces his Latin-Caribbean roots, while looking for musical exploration (his parents refer to the mix as "Panadadian" or, sometimes, "Trinimanian").

“I have been exposed to different cultures and styles of music such as calypso, soca, salsa, tango, etc,” Teague-Nunez says. “On the stage, my Panamanian and Trinidadian heritage strongly influences how I present myself because I love to move around and vibe to the music – dance is very important in Panama and TT.”

The Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition is a prestigious concerto competition held annually for top young soloists from across the region. Applicants audition at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s legendary Symphony Center for a distinguished panel of judges. Three musicians, including Teague-Nunez, were selected to perform in the February 24 final round of the competition in Orchestra Hall, accompanied by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. The competition’s grand prize winner will be featured as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during its upcoming concert season.

The history of the Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition predates the invention of pan. Accordingly, this is the first time a pan player has even made it to the final round of the competition, which was dominated by string and piano soloists throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1999, the competition rules were changed, creating a three-year instrument cycle in which strings, woodwinds/brass/percussion, piano rotate eligibility.

Those instruments are eligible this year: hence Teague-Nunez’s inclusion. The honour and importance of pan’s participation in this year’s finals are not lost on him, and he notes the pan “is continuing to receive global respect."

“This opportunity allows me to showcase a different side of the steelpan and educate people about its capabilities.”

Teague-Nunez aims to bring pan further into the mainstream global consciousness as a musical instrument.

“I want people to realise that the steelpan is a serious and unique instrument.”

Looking to the future, Teague-Nunez aims to create original pieces for pan, steelbands and mixed instrumental ensembles as well as to develop his improvisational skills and further explore jazz and other improvised styles.

His hopes for the future of pan are equally robust.

“I want steelbands and steelpan music to be mainstream.”

Whatever the results of the final round of this competition, with talented youth like Teague-Nunez at the helm, the future of pan is in good hands.

For more info: https://cso.org/performances/23-24/civic-orchestra/young-artists-competition/

Dr Andrew Martin is an ethnomusicologist, percussionist, pan player, and professor of music at Inver Hills College in St Paul, Minnesota.