Thursday, September 20, 2012
Staff report
WARREN
Stephen L. Gage has been appointed conductor of the W.D. Packard Concert Band, replacing Donald W. Byo, who retired in August after leading the band for 28 years.
Gage has been a frequent guest conductor and will assume his new position immediately, said Thomas A. Groth, executive director of the band.
Gage is instrumental music coordinator, professor of conducting and director of bands at Youngstown State University.
He earned a doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music and a bachelor’s degree and the performer’s certificate at the State University of New York at Fredonia. At YSU, he conducts the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, is assistant conductor of the Dana Symphony Orchestra, and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting.
Gage also has begun his 14th season as the music director and conductor of the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra. He recently was elected to the board of directors of the National Band Association and has been a member of the NBA School Reform Committee and the NBA Ostwald Selection Committee. He served a four-year term as the NBA North Central Division Chair. His professional credits include serving as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator for state, sectional, regional and district high school concert bands and orchestras across the United States, Ireland and Canada. Gage also has guest conducted the U.S. Army Band: Pershing’s Own and the U.S. Army Field Band.
In addition to his conducting career, Gage has performed with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the Erie Philharmonic, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and the Jimmy Dorsey Jazz Orchestra.