Mission: LoveMusic presents the Love Music Legacy Concert, in honor of Dr. Stephen L. Gage, on Sunday, May 18, at 3:00 pm at Stambaugh Auditorium, on Fifth Avenue, in Youngstown. 88 musicians will participate, including former students, colleagues, students and friends. A variety of music will be performed, including pieces that were meaningful to Dr. Gage. Tickets are available at stambaughauditorium.com. More information is available at missionlovemusic.org.
The organization aims to continue the legacy of Dr. Stephen L. Gage and his passion for music through the encouragement, support, and development of composers, conductors, performers, and audiences by providing exposure to artistic excellence by offering them high-quality artistic musical experiences, support, community, and opportunities.
Gage died unexpectedly in February 2023. He was a former music professor at Youngstown State University, where he was also Director of Bands and the Dana Symphony Orchestra. He spent 28 years at YSU, retiring in 2021. At the time of his death, he was Interim Director of Bands in the Indiana State University's School of Music.
Earlier in his 42-year career as a collegiate music educator and conductor, he worked at colleges in Illinois, Kansas and New York state. Dr. Gage wrote numerous published articles on conducting, rehearsal techniques, and wind band literature.
This year’s event follows the successful inaugural concert held in May 2023. The committee indicated that moving forward, the concerts are not memorials—they are a continuation of the work and ideals Gage championed.
Organizers say that 88 musicians are set to perform, including former students, colleagues, students and friends.
A variety of music will be performed including pieces that were meaningful to Gage, such as Lincolnshire Posy and selections from Star Wars.
A new work by composer and Dana alumnus Jerry Ascione, We Are, for Upon Their Shoulders We Stand, will be dedicated to the memory of Dr. Gage, and the past and present Dana School of Music faculty.
A retired Navy Band pianist and composer, Ascione credits his success to the technical and philosophical education received at the Dana School of Music. Ascione has an active post-retirement career as a composer and arranger for multiple ensembles including with the W.D. Packard Band in Warren, OH, where he met Gage.
Ascione earned his degree in 1975 and studied French horn while also performing piano with the YSU Jazz Ensembles. Following his graduation, Ascione had a distinguished 31-year career in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a French horn player with the U.S. Naval Academy Band and later became the pianist and leader of the Navy's premier jazz ensemble, the Commodores.
Gage’s wife, Stephanie Gage, said, “The response to the memorial concert in 2023 was overwhelming and I am thrilled that we can carry on Steve’s legacy by bringing outstanding musicians, conductors, literature, and audiences together. It is what Steve loved to do, and it is wonderful to see others carry that forward.”
The organization uses the hashtag #LoveMusic and the phrases “Be the Music” and “Dare to be Great,” as reminders of Dr. Gage’s passion for teaching and music.
Tickets are $16 plus a $4 processing fee and free for students with an ID. They are available at www.stambaughauditorium.com
More information about the project is located at www.missionlovemusic.org
