Steven Vonderohe is a full-time educator, composer, and performer based in the
Chicagoland area. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from VanderCook College of Music
in Chicago where he learned the art of teaching music in every medium as well as honed his
skills as a percussionist, pianist, and composer.
As a teacher, Steven has focused his time in the marching arts as well as taught private
percussion/piano lessons. Currently, he serves as the front ensemble coordinator at the
Mandarins drum and bugles corps, the Ensemble Director at Pi Percussion alongside Adam Hill
(CEO) and Christian Perez, and percussion instructor with Romeoville High School’s marching
band. He has been fortunate to teach at some of the best high school programs in the Chicago
area including Marian Catholic (2015) and Lockport Township (2017-2019). He also served as
the Front Ensemble Coordinator for the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2022-2023).
Since 2021 Steven has been a composer/arranger and sound designer for high school
marching bands and WGI percussion ensembles, as well as independent WGI ensembles
including Thesis and Pi Percussion. Outside of the marching world, he has written for
percussion ensembles, solo marimba, and is currently working on producing his own music in
a solo project blending his piano playing, drumming, and love for jazz, metal, and electronic
music.
When not teaching or writing, Steven is actively performing music as a drummer and
percussionist. He has been fortunate to be a regular performer with 2 of Chicago’s premier
entertainment drum lines, the Rhythm Messengers and the ADH Experience, as well as
drummer for a gigging pop cover band AM/FM. As a percussionist, he has performed with
multiple professional and community ensembles such as the Chicago Wind Symphony, Lux
Cantorum, and Voices of hope. In his younger years, Steven performed with the Blue Stars
Drum and Bugle corps (2013-2017).
Steven is a proud member of the Vic Firth and Zildjian Education Team.