Dr. Thomas E. Caneva is Director of Bands, Professor of Music and Coordinator of Ensembles and Conducting at Ball State University. At Ball State, Dr. Caneva's responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble, coordinating the graduate wind conducting program, teaching undergraduate conducting and administering the entire band program.

Since his arrival at Ball State in 2006, the BSU Wind Ensemble has been invited to perform at numerous conventions including the 2009 MENC North Central Division Convention, the 2010 CBDNA North Central Division Conference, the 2011 IMEA State Convention, 2011 CBDNA National Conference, and the 2012 Convention of the American Bandmasters Association. In 2007, Dr. Caneva founded the Ball State University Conducting Workshop, which has attracted aspiring conductors from throughout the United States. An advocate of new repertoire for wind band, Dr. Caneva has been a part of fourteen commissioning projects and premieres with the BSU Band program.

Previous to his appointment at Ball State University, Dr. Caneva was a member of the music faculties at the University of Illinois, University of Colorado, Auburn University, and the University of Texas. His teaching career began at Lincoln-Way Community High School in New Lenox, Illinois. In addition to university and public school teaching experience, Dr. Caneva has served as a conductor of community bands and has held the position of Artistic Director and Conductor of the Boulder (CO) Concert Band and Principal Guest Conductor of the Denver Concert Band. Under his direction, the Boulder Concert Band performed at the 1998 Colorado Music Educators Association Convention.

Active as an adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor throughout the United States and Canada, Dr. Caneva has presented lectures/clinics at CBDNA Regional and National conventions, the CBDNA Conducting Symposium, the CBDNA National Intercollegiate Athletic Band Symposium and at Music Educators National Association and Division conventions. He served as the coordinator and host of the 2005 CBDNA National Intercollegiate Athletic Band Symposium which was held at the University of Illinois. He has also conducted at the CBDNA National Conference in Boulder, Colorado and the 7th World Association of Symphonic Band and Ensembles International Convention in Hamamatsu, Japan in 1995. Additional guest conducting appearances have included university, public school and community bands and wind ensembles at district, regional and all-state events.

As a director of university marching bands at Auburn, Colorado and Illinois, Dr. Caneva's bands performed at numerous bowl games including the Sugar Bowl (three times), Orange Bowl (twice), Fiesta Bowl (twice), Cotton Bowl (twice), Holiday Bowl, Blockbuster Bowl, Citrus Bowl and MicronPC.com Bowl. In 1996, the University of Colorado Golden Buffalo Marching Band performed in Dublin, Ireland for the city's St. Patrick's Week Festivities. Under his direction, the University of Illinois Marching Illini became the first college marching band from the United States to perform at the London Tattoo held in England's Wembley Arena in 2001. The Marching Illini also traveled to Ireland and England in 2004 and produced four CDs under Dr. Caneva's leadership. Additional appearances include St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons professional football games and the 1988 Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. Dr. Caneva has published marching percussion arrangements and is co-author of The Complete Marching Band Resource Manual published by the University of Pennsylvania Press. He has also served as a contributor to the Grove Dictionary of American Music.

In 2001, Dr. Caneva was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. Additionally, he has been a member of the Sudler Trophy Selection Committee since 1992 and was an Ad Hoc Subcommittee member of the National Band Association's 4th edition of the Selective Music List for Bands. He has served as the Illinois State Chairman of the National Band Association, Colorado State Chairman of the College Band Directors National Association, the Secretary of the Big 12 Band Directors Association, and is a member of the Instrumental Affairs Board of Directors of the Colorado Music Educators Association. Currently, he is the Indiana State Chairman of the College Band Directors Association and the North Central Division Chair of the National Band Association. Other honorary and professional affiliations include the Music Educators National Conference, Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Kappa Lambda, Outstanding Young Men of America, Kappa Kappa Psi (honorary membership) and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (honorary membership).

Dr. Caneva received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Illinois, Master of Music in Wind Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin, and Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder.