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The American organist and diretor of music, Andrew Schaeffer, began organ study with David Christiansen when he was 11 years old. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree in church music from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, where he was a pupil of John Ferguson. He also holds the Master of Music degree from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music where he studied with organ performance with Thomas Murray and improvisation with Jeffrey Brillhart. He is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Oklahoma where he studies organ with John Schwandt and choral conducting with Richard Zielinski. His dissertation, “The Scottish Rite Pipe Organ in the United States from 1900-1930,” will examine the role of the pipe organ in American Freemasonry in the context of the pipe organ boom of the early twentieth century.
Andrew Schaeffer was director of music and organist at the 2,700-member First United Methodist Church of Edmond, Oklahoma (2014-2018). There, he directed two adult choirs, three children’s choirs, a small chamber orchestra, and plays organ for three Sunday morning services. He also served a term as the dean of the Oklahoma City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. In January 2018, he was also appointed editor-at-large of The Diapason. In this position, he assists with editing, proofreading, writing, and digital media.
In December 2018, Andrew Schaeffer was appointed Director of Music and Organist at Luther Memorial Church in Madison, Wisconsin. He succeeded Bruce A. Bengtson, who retired after forty years of service to the congregation.His responsibilities include playing organ for Sunday services, directing the children, youth choir and Adult Choir, various instrumental ensembles and overseeing the general music ministry of the congregation. He also participates in the the Just Bach Madison Concert Series. He continues as editor-at-large of The Diapason. Andrew and his wife Jenny, a registered nurse, have two sons. |
