The Band has a ten year relationship with Steve as a clinician and guest conductor, and whilst his duties officially begin in September, he will be overseeing auditions at the end of July and a concert or two this summer as well.   He recently made his debut conducting the famed Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Biography of Mr. Stephen Squires

Mr. Squires received his musical training at the Preparatory School of the Eastman School of Music and the Crane School of Music, in his home state of New York. He earned his Master's degree in Instrumental Conducting/Trumpet Performance at California State University, Northridge.  He continued conducting study in seminars with Helmuth Rilling, Maurice Abravanel, Daniel Lewis, Tsung Yeh, and the Aspen School

 As a professional conductor, Mr. Squires has worked with many exceptional artists, including Janos Starker, Pinchas Zukerman, Shmuel Ashkenasi, John Browning, Leon Bates, Ani Kavafian, Wendy Warner, James Tocco, Richard Stoltzman, and most of the principal players of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and   Lyric Opera Orchestra.  Stephen Squires is the Principal Conductor and Professor of Conducting in the Music Conservatory at Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University.

A conductor active in orchestral, wind, operatic and ballet music, Mr. Squires' current professional appointments include Associate Conductor of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra (Rockford, IL), Principal Guest Conductor of the Millar Brass (Evanston, IL), and Conductor of the Salt Creek Ballet Orchestra (Hinsdale, IL).  He is the former Music Director of the Illinois Chamber Symphony.

In addition, Mr. Squires is an accomplished recital accompanist and freelance trumpeter.