Stephen Gordon studied at the Royal Northern College of Music graduating with distinction. He is one of the most active and diverse guitarists working in the UK today.  His activities encompass guitar teaching and performance, conducting and coaching guitar ensembles, orchestral and choral conducting, lute continuo and music publishing.

Stephen taught guitar and conducted guitar ensembles at Dartington College from 1982 – 2005 (giving  the European premiere of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint with the college guitar ensemble), Exeter University from 1995 – 2005 and is currently a member of the teaching faculty of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.  He has conducted classes in performance, ensemble, figured bass and fretboard harmony at the Royal College of Music, Tilburg and Groningen Conservatoires (Holland) and from 1993 – 2002 at the internationally renowned Iserlohn Guitar Symposium.  Stephen has given recitals and taught at festivals in the UK (most recently at West Dean), Holland, France and Germany playing on baroque, 19th century and modern guitars. He plays theorbo and baroque guitar continuo with various period instrument ensembles.

Stephen was associate lecturer of music at Exeter College from 1995 – 2005.  During this period he conducted Teignmouth Choral Society, Exeter College Choir, Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. Under his directorship the chamber orchestra was invited on three occasions to perform in the Royal Festival Hall as part of the Music For Youth Festival, on two occasions gaining the outstanding performance award.

Stephen founded and directed the annual Prussia Cove Guitar Seminar, the pioneering Summer School for guitar and guitar ensemble and subsequently founded esgmusic to publish his guitar ensemble arrangements of orchestral music. This has now  developed into a substantial catalogue of music used by guitar ensembles worldwide with items from the solo guitar catalogue appearing in the new ABRSM guitar syllabus.