Benjamin Stiers
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Biography
Ben Stiers is Assistant Instructional Professor at Illinois State University, where teaches applied percussion, co-directs the ISU Percussion Ensemble, and teaches music theory. He has also served as assistant director and acting director of the ISU Big Red Marching Machine, instructor and arranger for the ISU PULSE Drumline, and director of the ISU Pep Band. Prior to his time at ISU, Ben served as Instructor of Percussion at Centre College in Danville, KY.
Ben earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of Kentucky, where he also received a certificate in music theory pedagogy. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University. His teachers include James B. Campbell, Paul Deatherage, John Willmarth, Dean Gronemeier, Timothy Jones, David Collier, and Tom Marko.
Ben performs frequently with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Heartland Festival Orchestra, and the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, as well as in numerous chamber and solo settings. His performance of Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto with the ISU Wind Symphony can be heard on the Naxos Records recording Point Blank. From 2015-2019 he served on the inaugural editorial team of the PAS Educators’ Companion, a publication of the Percussive Arts Society focused on providing percussion-related information to non-percussionist music educators. A frequent adjudicator and clinician, Ben is an artist-endorser for Innovative Percussion, Inc., and Grover Pro Percussion.
Current Courses
MUS 234.002 Applied Music (Advanced Percussion)
MUS 134.002 Applied Music (Percussion)
MUS 434.002 Applied Music: Percussion
MUS 239.001 Ensemble (Advanced-Percussion)
MUS 439.001 Ensemble Percussion
MUS 139.001 Ensembles Percussion
MUS 152.004 Experiencing Music
MUS 107.002 Group Instruction In Basic Musicianship I
MUS 101.001 Music Theory I
MUS 101.003 Music Theory I
MUS 114.001 Percussion Methods for Music Therapy
MUS 234.002 Applied Music (Advanced Percussion)
MUS 134.002 Applied Music (Percussion)
MUS 434.002 Applied Music: Percussion
MUS 239.001 Ensemble (Advanced-Percussion)
MUS 439.001 Ensemble Percussion
MUS 139.001 Ensembles Percussion
MUS 152.004 Experiencing Music
MUS 108.003 Group Instruction In Basic Musicianship II
MUS 100.001 Introduction to Music Studies: Theory and Collegiate Life
MUS 102.001 Music Theory II
MUS 102.002 Music Theory II