CONDUCTOR

Dr. Steven Ward

Dr. Steven Ward is the Music Director/ Conductor of the Civic Orchestra of Abilene, the Music Director/Conductor of the Abilene Youth Orchestra, and is Professor of Music and Director of Orchestra and Bands at Abilene Christian University. He also serves as the conductor for the Ballet San Angelo yearly production of The Nutcracker, and the conductor of the orchestra and faculty ensembles for the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. In the summer he serves as a conductor and conducting masterclass clinician for the Mid-Europe Music Festival in Schladming, Austria. Previously, he was Music Director/Conductor of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra in Kalamazoo, MI, and Director of Bands at Hope College in Holland, MI. Prior to appointments with the KJSO and Hope College, he was the Music Director/Conductor of the Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra in La Grande, OR, and Instructor of Music at Eastern Oregon University.

Dr. Ward has conducted extensively in many different areas including orchestra, dance/ballet, band, musical theater, opera, and contemporary music, and is a recipient of the ASCAP orchestra award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music. He spent nine summers at the Interlochen Arts Camp, conducting the Interlochen Philharmonic, as well as middle school and high school orchestras and bands, and faculty ensembles. He has conducted many all-region and similar ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, region orchestras and bands throughout Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, and more. Guest appearances include Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, the Midland Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Midland Festival Ballet, the Temple Symphony Orchestra, and others.

He holds a DMA in Conducting from Michigan State University, a MA in Conducting from Stephen F. Austin State University, and a BM in Music Education from Abilene Christian University. He is Past President of the South-Central Region of the College Orchestra Directors Association, President of the Southwestern Division of the College Band Directors National Association, and a member of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Directors Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the International Conductors Guild.