معرفی
Dr. Stephen Coker serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Chapman University's Conservatory of Music (College of Performing Arts). He has held prior faculty positions at Portland State University, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and Oklahoma City University (OCU). Renowned for his teaching, he received the Outstanding Teacher Award from CCM (2002) and OCU (1991), and the Director of Distinction Award from the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association (1995).
Education: Oklahoma City University (BM, MM) and University of Southern California (DMA in Choral Music). His expertise spans choral-orchestral performance, world music, opera, and church music. He has conducted in 25 U.S. states and internationally in Portugal, South Korea, Israel, Sweden, and Taiwan. Notable collaborations include performances with the Hong Kong 'SingFest' and Lisbon's VOCALIZZE festival, where he led youth choir workshops and masterclasses.
Recent creative work includes arranging Black composers' works for 'A Concert for Peace' (featuring Joel Thompson's 'Seven Last Words of the Unarmed'), adapting Cuban folk songs for chamber ensembles, and orchestrating Lee Hoiby's 'Last Letter Home' for Orange County High School of the Arts. His arrangements are published by Pavane Publishing and Oregon Catholic Press.
Awards include the 'Blue Ribbon' recognition at the 2008 Oregon Music Educators Convention and multiple conducting residencies at international festivals. He currently directs Claremont United Methodist Church's Sanctuary Choir.
Advising and grants: His work involves interdisciplinary projects with Chapman's Dance Department, professional orchestras, and youth choirs. He has prepared choruses for conductors like James Levine and Erich Kunzel. His activities extend to jurying competitions and mentoring student conductors through summer camps and university programs.
Labs/Teams: Collaborations with CU's Percussion Department, Dance Department, and Opera Chapman. Regular partnerships with professional ensembles like the Hong Kong Philharmonia and Lisbon's Intituto Piaget University.
