From 1996-2012, he served on the faculty of the Colburn School of Performing Arts; he was also the director of the Pianist Program at the Orange County School of the Arts from 1996-2004. Dr. Cook served on the executive board of the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, and he is a former research program specialist with the Music Intelligence Neural Development Institute at the University of California, Irvine. Most recently he has served as chair of the piano department at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music and as an associate professor at Whittier College.

Stephen Cook is a frequent clinician and adjudicator for such organizations as the Music Teachers’ Association of California, the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, and the Southwestern Youth Music Festival. Past activities include: the adjudication of the Pro-Romania International Piano Competition in Bucharest, Romania, performance and master classes in Tokyo, Japan, and Carnegie Hall in New York City, as well as numerous concert appearances with Broadway talent Susan Egan. Dr. Cook was the musical director, arranger, and composer for: Into the Woods, Urinetown: The Musical, Kiss Me Kate, Man of La Mancha, Cabaret, Beowulf, The Crucible, Romeo & Juliet, Hairspray, Rent, and Next to Normal.