Stephen Philip Harvey is a multi-hyphenate musician. In his 10-year career since graduating from Seton Hill, he has been a music teacher and adjunct professor; ensemble leader and performer; guest conductor, clinician and presenter; and composer, sideman, and transcriptionist.

 

Stephen considers his recording projects to be the continued realization of his dream to compose and perform music with his friends and colleagues and notes them as his biggest career accomplishments to date. He leads The Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra; The Stephen Philip Harvey Octet; Sphinx, an electronic quintet; SPH+2, a chord-less jazz trio; and the SPH Chamber Project, a chamber symphonic jazz ensemble. With these ensembles, Stephen released three albums in 2023 and will be releasing an additional three albums in 2024. He has toured in support of his albums and will continue to tour in 2024.

 

Stephen earned his Master of Music in Jazz Studies with an emphasis in composition and saxophone at Youngstown State University in 2016. He has been the choir teacher and Visual and Performing Arts instructor at Wicomico High School in Salisbury, Md., since 2017 and is also an adjunct professor at Youngstown State University and Salisbury University.

 

Stephen’s compositions have been commissioned and performed by ensembles across the country. He has received awards throughout his career in recognition of his scholarship, teaching, compositions and creativity.

 

“The music program at Seton Hill was my first foray into the multifaceted world of music education, performance, and composition,” Stephen said. “My professors expressed the importance of comprehensive musicianship and encouraged the application of those skills wherever possible. These are all skills that I use in my daily life as a composer/bandleader, high school educator, and college professor.”