Born and raised in North Yorkshire he began learning the oboe at 16. He went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Gordon Hunt and Richard Simpson, graduating with a First-Class Honours Degree and winner of the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers woodwind prize. Further studies took him to the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris with David Walter, the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music where he graduated with distinction and winner of the Royal College of Music oboe prize. During this time, he was also a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra.

Steven returned to his North East roots when he was appointed Section Leader Oboe of Royal Northern Sinfonia. RNS provided him with many highlights including performances of Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto recorded live for Classic FM, a tour of Brazil as soloist in Albinoni’s Oboe Concerto in D minor and dressing up as a bird in the Ross Edwards oboe concerto Bird Spirit Dreaming!

An active chamber musician, Steven has given broadcasts, recitals and chamber music performances at the BBC Proms, in France, Japan, China and South America. He is regularly invited to appear at Lars Vogt’s Spannungen Chamber Music Festival in Germany. He also regularly appears as guest principal with many of the UK’s major orchestras.

Aside from his teaching commitments Steven has given classes at the Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Sage Gateshead. In 2017 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.