Stephen Bell has excelled as both a French horn player and a conductor, with the latter activity becoming more prevalent as his career developed. He is associate conductor of the Hallé Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in Ireland, and he has made numerous appearances as a guest conductor. With the BBC Concert Orchestra, Bell was a featured soloist on recordings, with the London Concert album of soprano Betty Buckley marking his recording debut in 1995. Bell remained active as a hornist on recordings through the early 2010s, joining tenor Mark Padmore on a 2012 recording of Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn, and strings. Meanwhile, Bell's career as a conductor was advancing. In 2016, he was featured on the Hallé Orchestra's album A Christmas Celebration. In 2023, Bell led the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on pianist Simon Callaghan's album British Piano Concertos.