Steven Riley - Department of Music

Dr. Steven Riley is Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Northern Michigan University where he leads the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, the NMU Wildcat Marching Band, the NMU Pep Band and teaches courses in ensemble pedagogy. 

Dr. Riley earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his master’s and doctoral degree from The University of Iowa. Before his appointment at NMU, Dr. Riley served on the faculty at Arkansas State University for six years as Director of Athletic Bands and most recently as Interim Director of Bands. Previously, he served as Director of Bands at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts as well as a high school band director in Illinois.

As an active guest conductor, drill designer, performance clinician, and adjudicator, ensembles led by Dr. Riley have been recognized for their performances at numerous nationally televised bowl games, NCAA basketball tournaments, and concert halls across the country. Over the last six years, Dr. Riley has helped commission numerous works as part of consortiums and was invited to lead the world premiere of a piece with the Arkansas State Wind Ensemble at the 2020 Southwestern CBDNA Conference. Dr. Riley has enjoyed numerous performance collaborations with several composers including Aaron Perrine, Derek Jenkins, Katahj Copley, Thomas Bough, and Randall Standridge.

He is also an active researcher with projects on composer collaborations, incorporating technology into band pedagogy and administration, drill writing, and wind band repertoire. Dr. Riley has been invited to present at numerous professional venues including the CBDNA Athletic Band Symposium and state music education association conferences in Massachusetts and Arkansas. In 2019, he had the privilege to serve as a band director for the 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia where he led an ensemble comprised of musicians from over 25 countries. Publications featuring his work include the NBA Journal and The Instrumentalist.

Dr. Riley believes strongly in servant leadership. In addition to regular university service and collaboration with music educators, he was a state chair for the National Band Association and served as Vice President of the Arkansas College Band Directors Association. He also was the faculty advisor for both the Tau Beta Sigma and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia chapters at Arkansas State University.  Dr. Riley is very proud of the relationships and communities he has helped build with band students across his career having been recognized in 2016 and 2022 with teaching awards from College of the Holy Cross and Arkansas State University respectively.

Dr. Riley loves spending time with his wife Rose and their two cats, Hope and Hermione. He enjoys cooking, is an avid Lego fan, loves going to the Iowa State Fair and visiting his family on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. He is very excited and honored to be selected to join the wonderful community of the NMU Music Department and NMU Bands.