Originally from Newport News, Virginia, Elijah Steele is a May 2020 graduate of James Madison University with a B.M. in Music Composition Major and currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.

As a composer, Elijah received the 2017 Flute New Music Consortium Award for his chamber sextet, Contraption. He has also had percussion ensemble pieces played by multiple high schools and middle schools throughout Virginia.

As a performer, Elijah has been a section percussionist with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra since 2016. He has also been hired to play percussion in musical pit orchestras at Spotswood High School (Harrisonburg, Va) and Wilson Memorial High School (Staunton, Va), as well as Southern Virginia University (Lexington, Va).

During marching season, Elijah writes custom wind and percussion music as well as drill for 12 programs throughout the state of Virginia. He is also the Front Ensemble Instructor at James Madison University (Harrisonburg, Va), the Assistant Marching Band Director at Spotswood High School, and the Percussion Director at Madison County High School (Madison, Va).

During the winter and spring Elijah serves as the founder and Director of Rockingham County Indoor Percussion (Harrisonburg, Va), as well as a concert percussion specialist for Harrisonburg High School and Madison County High School.

Other relevant musical experiences include serving as a percussion judge for city and district auditions in the Shenandoah Valley and Greater Charlottesville Areas.