When Stephen Kehner was ten years old, he would not realize the drum set his parents bought him for Christmas would change his life. By fifth grade, he was taking lessons that would become the foundation for a future on the stage.

He grew up in Marietta, Georgia, where he attended Lassiter High School, home to one of the country’s top band programs. With 300 young musicians and a 35-person percussion section, Stephen’s high school music program performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rose Bowl, and won multiple Bands of America competitions.

His turning point came in high school when he started private lessons with a professional percussionist who worked at the Atlanta Symphony. “That’s when I realized I could actually do this,” he says. He would later earn a bachelor’s degree in percussion performance from Florida State University, followed by graduate studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston. After several fellowships and short-term contracts, including with New World Symphony and Utah Symphony, he earned a job with the Oregon Symphony, where he serves as the Assistant Principal Percussion.

When explaining his job to others, he always explains that percussion is “anything you can strike, scrape, or shake.” From snare drums to cymbals to tambourines, percussionists will learn over hundreds of different instruments at the same level of expertise as any other professional musician. What he loves most about his job is the versatility that comes with it. “At an Oregon Symphony concert, you can hear Beethoven and Mozart, but also film music like The Goonies or How to Train Your Dragon. We will do pop concerts, family programs, and collaborations with local artists. We will always have something for everyone.”

Stephen now lives in Cedar Mill with his wife of 13 years and two kids. In the past, being both a full-time musician and a parent was understandably tough, as many orchestra positions did not offer stability. However, he explains that Oregon has offered both a comfortable home and career advancement. “I hope to stay here,” Stephen says. “Even though we aren’t currently a New York Philharmonic or a Boston Symphony Orchestra, I truly believe that our symphony will become a household name in the next few years.”

From the little kid with a drum set to the Assistant Principal Percussion, Stephen Kehner’s journey shows where passion, dedication, and a little rhythm can lead.