Steve Kellner

The son of Salvation Army officer parents, Dr. Steve Kellner received nearly all of his early musical training in Salvation Army (SA) brass bands. He has served as principal euphonium and soloist with several SA bands and performed on numerous recordings, including as a soloist on the recordings 'Songs of the States' and 'Let Us Adore Him' with the National Capital Band, and 'Live in England' and 'Songs of War and Peace' with the Southern Staff Band. In addition to leading the National Capital Band, Steve is the music education director for The Salvation Army’s Potomac Division.

Steve served for nearly 25 years in U.S. military bands, including 11 years as principal euphonium of the U.S. Marine Band (The President’s Own) in Washington, D.C. In addition to hundreds of performances with the band at The White House and in support of the President of The United States, he was a soloist on several of the band's national concert tours, summer series concerts, and chamber series concerts, and served as principal euphonium on the band's tours of Norway, England, the Soviet Union, and Switzerland. He also performed on 15 Marine Band recordings and was a soloist on the band's recording 'Charles Ives's America'.

Steve holds a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) from the University of Maryland, and master’s and doctoral degrees from The Catholic University of America, all in trombone performance. His euphonium and trombone teachers have included Mark Mordue, Michael Moore, James Kraft, Milt Stevens, Matthew Guilford, and David Fedderly. He previously served on the adjunct faculty of the University of Maryland and The Peabody Conservatory, and is music director of The Dominion Brass, a professional symphonic brass ensemble.

In addition to his conducting and playing activities, Steve is a prolific composer of brass band music, having published pieces in The Salvation Army’s General Series, Triumph Series, American Festival Series, American Band Journal, Southern Series, and American Instrumental Ensemble Series.

Steve resides in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife of 45 years, Janine, and is the proud father of Jacqui, Paul, and Jessi, and doting grandfather of Avery, Owen, Everett, Harper, Sadie, June, Dean, Marin and Ellis.