Dr. Stephen Caldwell is an Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arkansas. He is a nationally recognized conducting pedagogue and scholar, in demand as a clinician, conductor, and composer. At Arkansas, he conducts the nationally-renowned Schola Cantorum and Treble Chorus, teaches the undergraduate sequence in conducting technique, graduate conducting lessons, and the graduate sequence in Choral History and Literature. Since his arrival in 2012, he has twice been awarded the Associated Student Government's “Top 10 Most Outstanding Faculty Award," he has received “The Golden Tusk” from the Division of Student affairs for “going above and beyond, and helping to make campus life better for everyone,” he is a 3-time Outstanding Mentor, and the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette named Dr. Caldwell as a “Top 10 Artistic People to Watch.”
Arkansas's choral program comprises six performing ensembles, a comprehensive Choral Music Education curriculum, and a rigorous Graduate Conducting program. Under his direction and leadership the choral program has grown tremendously, expanding from 3 choirs to six while doubling the number of voice majors. The Schola Cantorum has appeared at numerous conference of SWACDA, NCCO, and ArkCDA, in addition to international concert tours to the Republic of Serbia, Belgium, Germany, and Puerto Rico. His undergraduate conducting students now lead major high school programs in Arkansas, Kansas, and Arizona. Graduates of the MM conducting program have have been placed in distinguished doctoral programs, and gone on to notable college, public school, and church music positions.
Dr. Caldwell began his career as a public school teacher in Colorado. He continues his work with junior high and high school students by leading workshops with area choral programs and adjudicating choral festivals. He has conducted District, Region and All-State choirs, in 5 states. He has prepared choirs for many leading conductors and ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Delaware Symphony, Arkansas Philharmonic, and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He has presented interest sessions at multiple regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Collegiate Choral Organization, and was a 2018 ACDA International Conducting Exchange Fellow in Kenya. Upcoming honor choir engagements include conducting the 2020 Arkansas All-Region 5 High School Mixed Chorus, and the TMEA Region 20 Mixed Chorus.
His original, award-winning compositions and arrangements have been performed throughout the world. He is published with NoteNova, ECS Music, and Santa Barbara Music Publishing. Most recently he was lauded for the premiere of “Pre-Existing Condition,” a 20-min work for choir and instruments depicting the emotional journey of parents who have children born with congenital heart defects. The sold-out premiere received a 5-minute standing ovation, and the work was soon after featured by the Pediatric Congenital Heart Association. It was recognized with awards from the ACDA Brock Professional Composers Competition and The American Prize in Composition. "Pre-Existing Condition" was recently heard in Portland, OR, by the Resonance Ensemble, by Indiana University's NOTUS, and Seton Hill University's Una Voce.
Dr. Caldwell holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado, two Master of Music Degrees in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from Temple University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Rutgers University.