G. Allan O’Connor, founder of the NIU Steelband, has passed away at the age of 75.

NIU’s Steelband was the first actively performing steel band at an American university. In 1987, O’Connor created a steelpan major, making NIU one of the few institutions to offer steel drum performance as a specialty instrument.

O’Connor retired from NIU in 2002 after serving as Associate Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts from 1989 to 2000.