ISU mourns the loss of Dr. Stephen L. Gage

February 7, 2023.  Indiana State University is mourning the loss of Dr. Stephen L. Gage, Interim Director of Bands in the Indiana State University’s School of Music, who died Sunday. He was 66.

Dr. Gage began his tenure as Interim Director of Bands at ISU in August 2022. In addition, Dr. Gage conducted the Wind Orchestra & Concert Band, taught conducting, and was part of the ISU Music Education Faculty.

“In just a short amount of time here at Indiana State University, Dr. Stephen L. Gage has made an impact on the School of Music and many of his staff and student musicians,” Sycamore Bands posted on its Facebook page. The ISU School of Music’s Director, Dr. Ted Piechocinski, remembers Dr. Gage as “an amazing musician, friend, and colleague to our entire student body, staff, and faculty in the School of Music. From his very first day, he made an incredibly positive and indelible difference that touched everyone with whom he came into contact. We are incredibly saddened by this loss and will miss him dearly.”

Dr. Gage dedicated his life to music and music education and touched the lives of countless students. He was a former music professor at Youngstown State University, where he was also Director of Bands and the Dana Symphony Orchestra. He spent 28 years at YSU, retiring in 2021. Earlier in his 42-year career as a collegiate music educator and conductor, he worked at colleges in Illinois, Kansas and New York state. Dr. Gage wrote numerous published articles on conducting, rehearsal techniques, and wind band literature. He leaves a wonderful family with his wife, Stephanie, daughter, Claudia, and sons Brendan and Matt.

Visitation: Friday, February 10, 4-7CT/5-8 ET at Templeton Funeral Home in Paris, IL
Funeral: Saturday, February 11, 2CT/3ET

Article supplied by ISU Today.

ISU Biography

Dr. Stephen L. Gage began his tenure as Interim Director of Bands in the Indiana State University’s School of Music in August 2022; at ISU Dr. Gage conducts the Wind Orchestra & Concert Band, teaches conducting, and is part of the ISU Music Education Faculty. Most recently Stephen served as Professor of Music and Director of Bands & Orchestra at Youngstown State University's (YSU) Dana School of Music from 1993-2021. Professor Gage holds degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, the Eastman School of Music, and the State University of New York at Fredonia where he also earned the Performers Certificate and was a concerto winner. Dr. Gage studied conducting with Harry John Brown, Donald Hunsberger, David Effron, Roy Ernst, James Keene, H. Robert Reynolds, and Paul Vermel. In September 2010, Stephen was appointed as the Principal Conductor of the W. D. Packard Concert Band, a professional concert band, in Warren, Ohio and remains in this position. Stephen recently retired after 28 seasons as the Edward Zacharias Memorial Chair/Conductor of the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra. Previous teaching positions include serving as Director of Bands & Orchestra at Emporia State University (KS) and as Director of Bands at Auburn High School (NY). Dr. Gage was inducted into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association in 1999, and he has served as an officer for the National Bandmasters Association. In 2016, Dr. Gage was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ohio Chapter of Phi Beta Mu and was inducted into the inaugural class of the Auburn High School (NY) Music Hall of Fame. Stephen was presented with the YSU Distinguished Professor Award in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service, and he was the recipient of the Marty Manning Faculty Mentor and Faculty Mentor Awards at YSU. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra (IN), the Paris Fine Arts Center (IL), and the Pinnacle Winds (MO).

Professor Gage has written numerous published articles on conducting, rehearsal techniques, and wind band literature. Gage and the YSU Wind Ensemble released nine compact disc recordings including two through NAXOS, Inc. Stephen has served as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator of high school honor bands and orchestras as well as a number of university wind bands throughout the United States, Canada, and Ireland. His list of guest conducting appearances includes the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the U.S. Air Force Band, the U.S. Army Band: “Pershing’s Own”, and the U.S. Army Field Band & Chorus, among others. Dr. Gage has received critical acclaim from numerous distinguished composers, including several Pulitzer-prize winners: Joseph Schwanter, Carter Pann, John Mackey, Samuel Adler, Karel Husa, Frank Ticheli, Michael Colgrass, Donald Grantham, D.J. Sparr, Jerry Ascione, and David Gillingham for his interpretation and recordings of their music. Stephen and the YSU Wind Ensemble made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2005 and made a second appearance in November 2015. The YSU WE was also invited to give feature performances in Severance Hall, and for CBDNA, OMEA and MENC National Conventions under Dr.Gage’s baton.

Stephen currently lives in Chrisman, Illinois with his wife, Stephanie, and son Brendan. Daughter, Claudia, lives in Bloomington, Indiana, and son, Matthew and granddaughter, Zoey, live in Austin, Texas.

D.M.A. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; M.M. Eastman School of Music; B.M. State University of New York at Fredonia.