Steven studied at Vanderbilt University with Christian Teal and Gerald Greer, at Arizona State University, where he was teaching assistant to Dr. Katie McLin, and earned a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music with Mateja Marinkovic.
Before coming to the UK, Steven worked as a freelance violinist in the USA, working with such orchestras as the Phoenix and Paducah Symphonies. After completing studies in London, he worked as a freelance player with the Philharmonia, English National Ballet, BBC Philharmonic (among others), taught in the Junior Department at the Royal Academy of Music, and maintained a private teaching studio. Alongside his position at WNO, Steven also plays in Project Instrumental and Chineke! Orchestra.
One of Steven’s most memorable operatic performance experiences was playing Wagner’s Lohengrin with Lothar Koenigs:
'At the dress rehearsal, I was fully prepared for the musical thrill of the opera and the technically challenging passages that were to follow. However, I was not prepared for how to pace myself! After Act One of an opera of that length and breadth my energy was spent! It was a steep learning curve for me, and I remember that on opening night I actually felt like an Olympic athlete, and rode on a high throughout the entire performance, as well as the ones that followed.'
Away from WNO, Steven enjoys staying fit, spending time in the sun and maintaining a lively social calendar.