After growing up in Northern California, Steven Gates completed his undergraduate work at the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music, focusing on composition and jazz piano. He received his Masters Degree in Music Composition from the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music. Currently, he is working towards his doctoral degree at USC, where he holds a teaching assistantship in the Department of Theory and Composition. His primary instructors have been Donald Crockett, James Hopkins, and Frank Ticheli.
Gates has received national recognition for his works, including
1st place, Tampa Bay Composers’ Forum “Prize for Excellence in Chamber Music Composition;” 1st place, Austin Peay State University’s “Young Composer’s Competition;” and he received the 2005 McHugh Composition Prize from the Thornton School of Music. Commissions have come from the Bennington Chamber Music Conference of the East, L.A Sound Circle, and the San Bernardino County Music Educators’ Association. His music was featured on the 2004 “Music at the Anthology” festival in New York City. Through their “First Music” program, the New York Youth Symphony recently commissioned and premiered Among Joshua Trees in Carnegie Hall. His piece Madrigals for voice and guitar is published by Doberman Editions.
