Steven Potter grew up in Concord, CA and began playing percussion in his middle-school band at the age of 11. Throughout his career, Steven has continued to develop as an exceptional percussionist in both concert and marching performance. He has studied with well-renowned percussion instructors including James Cannata, Robert Hamaker, Jack Van Geem, Galen Lemmon, and Dr. Andrew Heglund. Steven holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Steven has performed in local youth symphonies and community bands all across the San Francisco Bay Area and Reno-Sparks Area such as the Walnut Creek Concert Band, Diablo Wind Symphony, Palo Alto Philharmonic, Master Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra, San Jose Wind Symphony, Reno Chamber Orchestra, and the Silicon Valley Philharmonic Orchestra. These ensembles include some of the areas’ finest conductors such as Harvey Benstein, Lara Webber, David Ramadanoff, Kelly Kuo, and John and Diane Maltester. His playing has gotten him accepted into some of the country’s most distinguished summer orchestra festivals including the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra and the Disney Performing Arts Conservatory. Along with his classical training, Steven’s marching history includes performing with Blue Devils B and Blue Devils C Drum and Bugle Corps, Blue Devils Entertainment, and Vanguard Entertainment.

While still in high school, Steven began giving private percussion lessons in his hometown. In 2019, Steven joined the staff of Christopher and Gilroy High Schools in Gilroy, CA as percussion instructor and coordinator for the concert and marching bands. Along with his responsibilities at the high schools, Steven also led the district-wide percussion sectionals and gave private lessons to the students of the three middle schools in the district. When moving to Reno, Steven landed a job at Robert McQueen High School as the percussion instructor for the MHS Marching Band and front ensemble instructor for the MHS Indoor Percussion Ensemble. During his four year stint, Steven led the McQueen marching percussion programs to three Sierra Nevada Band Series (SNBS) Championship percussion caption awards and three Northern Nevada Indoor Association (NNIA) Division Champion awards. In his concert percussion efforts with McQueen and their feeder middle school, Steven produced multiple participants of the Washoe County School District Honor Bands and the Northern Nevada All-Star Percussion Ensembles. Steven continues to teach as a coach for the University of Nevada, Reno Pride of the Sierra drumline.