Dr. Steven Thompson

Dr. Steven Thompson, a graduate of Wichita State University, pursued advanced musical studies at the University of Southern California, obtaining his Masters in 1990 and Doctorate by 1998. Today, he serves as a lecturer at American River College in Sacramento and is the visionary director of ARCO, a renowned community college orchestra. Apart from his academic and orchestral pursuits, Dr. Thompson has penned textbooks such as Introduction to Music of the Western World and Basic Musicianship. His compositions have found audiences internationally, including installations in Beijing and Cologne. In the realm of dance, he is the music director for the Napa Regional Dance Company and frequently steps in as a guest conductor for Symphony Napa Valley. His career includes orchestral engagements with the Los Angeles Classical Ballet, the National Orchestra of Costa Rica, and symphony orchestras from Hiroshima to Wichita. As a student, he participated in music festivals, from the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo to the Grand Teton Seminar in Wyoming. He often collaborates with California's finest orchestras, from the Sacramento Philharmonic to the Opera and Ballet.