Stephen O'Baker comes from a rich musical heritage. His grandfather, Doy Baker, chaired the music department at the University of Dubuque and later taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy. Stephen's fascination with the organ began while watching his grandfather practice, and after several years of piano study, he began organ lessons at age 14. Stephen earned his Bachelor of Music from Central Michigan University and continued his education at the Eastman School of Music before accepting a unique position in Piffard, New York, where he taught organ and plainchant to the Trappist monks of the Abbey of the Genesee while serving as choir director and organist at several area churches.
Stephen's career has encompassed diverse roles as choir director, church organist, and accompanist throughout various communities. In 2013, he became Director of Music at Bethany Lutheran Church in Spencer, Iowa, where he also started a ukulele group, a children’s ensemble, a string scholars program, and developed several software applications to help make the process of arranging and coordinating the music for all these groups more efficient. His eclectic interests led him to return to school at Iowa State University, where he earned degrees in computer science and economics in May 2025.
Stephen currently resides in Des Moines with his wife, Emily—who gifted him the "O'" in his surname—and their dog, Omari. Since 2022, he has served as organist at Faith Lutheran Church in Clive. His musical education has been shaped by distinguished teachers including Steven Egler (organ and harpsichord), David Higgs and Miriam Zach (organ), Karen Graef and Adrienne Wiley (piano), William Porter (improvisation), and Ulrike Davidsson (clavichord). He has also studied with Joby Bell and enriched his artistry through master classes with Paul Jacobs, Jon Laukvik, Harald Vogel, and Gregory Peterson.