Ed Schneider grew up in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb
of Los Angeles, California. He was baptized Catholic and attended
parochial school through high school. His interest in music
began at the age of seven with clarinet and expanded as he
got older with the addition of saxophone, flute and oboe.
He entered his undergraduate degree as an instrumentalist,
and has extensive experience playing in orchestras, concert
bands, jazz bands and chamber ensembles as a woodwind player
before switching to voice and choral conducting.
Having earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Voice (tenor) and
a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from California State
University, Northridge, Ed has 160 hours towards a Doctorate
of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Sacred Music. At
the Conservatory of Music, Ed taught undergraduate choral
methods classes, conducted the Chamber Singers, and performed
other various duties. He served as Dr. Elmer Thomas’
conducting assistant, and Dr. Rivers’ administrative
assistant during his time at the Conservatory of Music.
Throughout his academic career he has been the recipient
of numerous awards and scholarships, most notably the Margaret
West Conducting Scholarship, Carmen Dragon Memorial Conducting
Scholarship, Dale Warland Maters Class Scholarship, full scholarship
to the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music,
as well as numerous grants.
Ed has over 20 years experience as a director of church
music and has been conducting choral music since the age of
19! In addition, he has lead orchestras and choruses in performances
of choral masterworks for 25 years in both the academic and
professional world.
Ed has prepared choruses and has toured nationally and internationally
for John Alexander, Dr. Elmer Thomas, Dale Warland, and Dr.
Earl Rivers. He has sung with three nationally known choral
ensembles: the Pacific Chorale (John Alexander, director),
the Los Angeles Master Chorale (Paul Salomunovich, director),
and the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati (Earl Rivers, director).
In his spare time, Ed is an avid cyclist and raises money
for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team in Training.
He also enjoys running, hiking, and reading and hopes to one
day complete an “Iron Man” competition.
