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Diplomas / Degrees

EdD, Harvard University (2006)
MM - Performance, Peabody Conservatory (1998)
MM - Musicology, Northwestern University (1995)
Graduate Studies, New England Conservatory (1994)
BA, Atlantic Union College (1991)

Teaching Specializations / Interests

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
-- Work with college and university presidents and senior leadership on issues ranging from arts initiatives, strategic planning, curriculum reviews, to institutional assessment
-- Research for David Gergen at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School to better define factors that affect leadership development and constitute human flourishing.
-- Consulting with Leadership Rice at Rice University towards better conceptualizing leadership development.
-- Teaching as associate professor in music performance and history at Columbia Union College, and serving as assistant to the president for special projects, director of summer programs, and coordinator of outcomes assessment.
-- Involvement in senior national-level discussions regarding classical music training.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE
-- Performances throughout 11 countries (from the township of Soweto to Carnegie Hall).
-- As violist, performances with artists ranging from Ann Schein, Earl Carlyss, Chris Gekker, and Lory Wallfisch, to Arlo Guthrie. Performed as member of the Razumovsky Quartet, the Contemporary Music Forum, and the National Philharmonic String Quartet.

Research Interests

Education, the Arts, Aesthetics, Conceptions of Human Flourishing, Leadership Development

Honors and Accomplishments

ILLUSTRATIVE REVIEWS
"The music was unfathomably beautiful, the performance transcendent. When the young Mendelssohn Piano Trio was joined by violist Michael Stepniak for Brahms’s Piano Quartet in C Minor Friday at the German Embassy, they plunged into a wash of ethereal passion, electrifying their audience.” Washington Post, November 17, 2003.
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"…a voluptuous, desperate melody emerged, played with dusky tone and tremendous poise by violist Michael Stepniak…” Washington Post, Saturday, August 20, 2005.
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[Schubert Trout and String Quintets] "... extraordinary musicmaking. ...Though these quintets 'say' different things, both reach beyond the stratosphere, as did the performances heard Friday. ...the performers' radiant artistry summoned the frothy lyrical elation that shines through the pathos. The rapture continued after intermission with Schubert's String Quintet... the composer's seemingly random pauses made perfect sense by expertly timed ensemble playing." Washington Post, Monday, March 12, 2007.

AWARDS
-- Harvard: Spencer Fellowship & Entering Award
-- Peabody Conservatory: Sidney Friedberg Prize, career grant, principal violist of the Peabody Symphony, teaching assistant
-- Northwestern University; Alpha chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda
-- New England Conservatory: leader of the Honors String Quartet
-- Atlantic Union College: magna cum laude, honors core, departmental honors, G. Eric Jones leadership award

Professional Activities

SUK: Piano Quartet (Centaur Label, 2007). Recorded with members of the Mendelssohn Piano Trio.

STRAUSS: Piano Quartet (Centaur Label, 2004). Recorded with members of the Mendelssohn Piano Trio.

TANEYEV: Piano Quartet (Centaur Label, 2002). Recording with members of the Mendelssohn Piano Trio. “… a superior release...” Fanfare, May/June 2003.

Community and Corporate Leadership

Chair, Global Connections Taskforce, International Council of Fine Arts Deans (former Co-Chair)