J. Drew Stephen

J. Drew Stephen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Texas at San Antonio, affiliated with the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. He is a graduate advisor and co-director of the COLFA Semester in Urbino study abroad program.

• B.M., University of Western Ontario
• Diploma, Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg
• M.A., M.M., Ph.D., University of Toronto

Dr. Stephen’s research focuses on the social and cultural significance of the hunt in nineteenth-century European opera, particularly in works by Weber, Wagner, and Verdi. He also explores Canadian music, performance practices of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century brass instruments, and diversity in music education. His work on the hunting horn’s influence on orchestral horn development bridges historical analysis and practical performance.

Recent publications include studies on contemporary natural horn revival, Wagner’s operatic symbolism, and Haydn’s horn techniques. Themes span musicology, historical performance, brass instrument research, and cultural studies in music.

Scientific honors include the 2023 Ruth A. Solie Award and 2021 President’s Distinguished Teaching Award. He has performed with ensembles like the Austin Baroque Orchestra and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and currently teaches courses spanning music history, film music, and rock history.

Dr. Stephen is an active performer on modern and natural horns, having held professional roles in Germany, Canada, and Texas. He serves as principal horn for the Austin Baroque Orchestra and collaborates with period instrument ensembles in Texas and beyond.