Wes Stephens
Hailed as "talented" (David Maslanka, composer) and a "world-class rising composer" (Karen Naifeh Harmon, violinist and composer) Wes Stephens' (b. 1983) award-winning compositions have been performed internationally by organizations and ensembles such as the Boston Metro Opera, Tulsa Modern Movement, Bespoke Brass, the University of Missouri Percussion Ensemble, the Truman State University Percussion Ensemble, and the University of Oklahoma Steel Band.
He holds degrees from the University of Missouri (Master of Music, 2009) and Missouri Western State University (Bachelor of Science in Music Education, 2007). He has studied percussion with notable instructors such as Dr. Dennis Rogers, Dr. Tracy Thomas, Kevin Bobo, Leigh Howard Stevens, Dr. Lance Drege, Dr. Julia Gaines, Doug Auwarter, and Dr. Nathan Daughtrey. While pursuing his education and performance degrees he also studied composition with Dr. Matt Gilmour, Dr. Thomas McKenney, and Dr. Marvin Lamb.
As a performer he has played with the Fort Smith Symphony, the Saint Joseph Symphony, the Missouri Symphony, the Los Angeles New Music Ensemble, the Axiom Percussion Trio, Gordon Stout, and Third Coast Percussion. He is an advocate of new music and has premiered works by Marvin Lamb, Blake Marriott, Stephanie Berg, Nathan Daughtrey, Joseph Hasper, Ricardo Souza and Bruce Hamilton.
Wes Stephens is a member of ASCAP, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Chamber Works
Works for Concert Band
Works for Percussion
- Four African Dances for Percussion Ensemble
- First Impressions for Steel Band
- Le Petit Nègre (Cakewalk) for Solo Marimba - (Debussy)