B. M. Ed. Evangel University M. M., D.M.A. University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music email: splate@leeuniversity.edu Professor of Music, Dean of the School of Music

Stephen Plate is a native of Staten Island, New York where he was musically active at a young age.  Stephen studied in the piano studio of Gloria Volanti from the age of 12 and was a recitalist at Steinway Recital Hall in New York City.  He was accepted to the Manhattan School of The Performing Arts while a teen living in New York City.

As a college student, Plate studied piano with internationally renowned pianist and organist June Kean of Springfield, Missouri, a second generation Rachmaninoff protégée. He won several performance awards and was the recipient of the prized Certificate of Performance for his recitals as a college student and state-level competitor.  He won critical acclaim for his guest conducting debut in Springfield, Missouri in 1979.

 Plate holds the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the College Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati where he was recipient of a full-tuition Performance Scholarship in instrumental conducting.  He was a conducting student of Teri Murai, Elmer Thomas, John Lehman, Terrance Milligan and others.

 Stephen is actively conducting around the world and he holds the position of Music Director Emeritus of the Charlotte Civic Orchestra, Charlotte, North Carolina.  In addition to his conducting opportunities, Plate is currently serving as the Dean of the School of Music at Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee.  Before coming to Lee University, Dr. Plate taught at his alma mater, Evangel University, for approximately 10 years where he founded the university orchestra and the faculty brass Quintet.  He was a tenured Professor of Music at Gardner-Webb University for 12 years where he taught music theory, music literature, and instrumental conducting.  He served as Music Director and Principal conductor of the University–Community Symphony Orchestra, and served as the Chair of the Department of Fine Arts.  Plate was elected to the graduate faculty of the university in 1995 and was appointed to the honors faculty of the undergraduate program the same year.  Plate was a charter member of the University Fellows.

 Dr. Plate is the recipient of several grants and awards for scholarship and conducting. He has conducted orchestras from China, to Germany, Tokyo, Guam, and others in the States including the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte, North Carolina where he made his conducting debut with that orchestra in 2000. 

 During his tenure as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Civic Orchestra, 1990-2005, Stephen was responsible for no fewer than eight world premieres and conducted such notable, internationally known performers as Leon Bates of Philadelphia, Douglas Weeks of South Carolina, Judith Yanchus of the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Cynthia Barnet-Scholler, Soprano New York Metropolitan Opera, Ray Dotoratos, violin, and Xiaoqing Yu, Concertmaster of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra.  He has international acclaim for his dedication to the performance of contemporary American music.

 Stephen is married to Tausha Whiteman Plate, a pianist and fellow Lee University faculty member.  Together they have three daughters, Isabella, Katherine, and Sophia.  The Plates reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.