Register
Parents
Parents of current McDonogh students may sign up for website accounts. Signing up for an account allows a parent to access the online directory, DASH, and your customized parent Personal Page.
Alumni
Alumni can create an account in order to take advantage of McDonogh Connect or Pledgemail.
Login
News & Photos
Conductor and Composer Steven Mulligan ’06 Comes Home
When Steven Mulligan ’06 raised his baton before the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday, September 10, it was more than just another performance—it was the final concert for his father, first violinist Greg Mulligan, after 40 years with the orchestra. For the internationally renowned conductor and composer, the serendipitous moment was a deeply personal milestone.
The very next day, Mulligan returned to his alma mater to share his passion with the next generation of McDonogh musicians. He offered a master class and Q&A session with Upper School Strings, Jazz Band, and Choral students. Working with four members of the String Orchestra, he demonstrated how he guides musicians and shapes their performance, showing students how subtle gestures and direction can bring out the very best in an ensemble.
While Mulligan comes from a musical family—his mother, retired Middle School teacher Jeanne Mulligan, was a member of the Baltimore Symphony Chorus—he credits McDonogh’s retired choral director Philip Olsen with guiding him on the path to becoming a conductor.
When Mulligan arrived at McDonogh, there was no orchestra, so he joined the Concert Choir. Soon after, he became a member of the Gentleman Songsters. “Music was the center of my life here at McDonogh. That’s where most of my friends came from,” Mulligan told the audience of budding musicians. “I played soccer and valued academics, but music was always most important.”
He recalled the life-changing opportunities to travel abroad with McDonogh’s music groups, noting that it was during a trip to Croatia that he first stepped onto the podium as a conductor. He described Olsen’s influence, saying, “He taught me how a conductor works and shared a technique for preparing scores—one I still use today.”
After thoughtful questions from students and former teachers, Mulligan joined the Concert Choir in singing the “Dedication Hymn,” this time under the direction of Scott Barton.
For Mulligan, returning to campus wasn’t just about sharing techniques, but about giving back the same inspiration he once received as a student.
When Steven Mulligan ’06 raised his baton before the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday, September 10, it was more than just another performance—it was the final concert for his father, first violinist Greg Mulligan, after 40 years with the orchestra. For the internationally renowned conductor and composer, the serendipitous moment was a deeply personal milestone.
The very next day, Mulligan returned to his alma mater to share his passion with the next generation of McDonogh musicians. He offered a master class and Q&A session with Upper School Strings, Jazz Band, and Choral students. Working with four members of the String Orchestra, he demonstrated how he guides musicians and shapes their performance, showing students how subtle gestures and direction can bring out the very best in an ensemble.
While Mulligan comes from a musical family—his mother, retired Middle School teacher Jeanne Mulligan, was a member of the Baltimore Symphony Chorus—he credits McDonogh’s retired choral director Philip Olsen with guiding him on the path to becoming a conductor.
When Mulligan arrived at McDonogh, there was no orchestra, so he joined the Concert Choir. Soon after, he became a member of the Gentleman Songsters. “Music was the center of my life here at McDonogh. That’s where most of my friends came from,” Mulligan told the audience of budding musicians. “I played soccer and valued academics, but music was always most important.”
He recalled the life-changing opportunities to travel abroad with McDonogh’s music groups, noting that it was during a trip to Croatia that he first stepped onto the podium as a conductor. He described Olsen’s influence, saying, “He taught me how a conductor works and shared a technique for preparing scores—one I still use today.”
After thoughtful questions from students and former teachers, Mulligan joined the Concert Choir in singing the “Dedication Hymn,” this time under the direction of Scott Barton.
For Mulligan, returning to campus wasn’t just about sharing techniques, but about giving back the same inspiration he once received as a student.