Steven Stanke

Steven Stanke studied composition at Queensland Conservatorium of Music, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree with Honours and a Master’s degree in Music Theory and Applied Analysis. He was Head of Music at East Catholic High School, Connecticut USA in 1996/7 and joined the Royal Australian Navy Band in 1998. He directed the bands in both Melbourne and Sydney and taught conducting and music theory at the Defence Force School of Music, Watsonia. In 2007 he graduated from University of Melbourne with a Master’s degree in Conducting, studying with John Hopkins, and in 2010 completed a PhD also at University of Melbourne. His topic of research was opera composition in Australia in the early 20th Century with a focus on Fritz Hart.

He was Artistic Director and Conductor of Sydney Independent Opera from 2011-2015 and Lyric Opera Central Coast 2018. He has also conducted many community orchestras, bands and choirs and adjudicated many competitions and festivals.

Steven is now focused on orchestral composition, programming and performance. He has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of Symphony Central Coast since 2014 and was Orchestra Conductor at University of Newcastle from 2019.