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RJ Schaefer is a percussionist, educator, composer, and arranger based in southwest Ohio. His work focuses heavily on percussion education and the marching arts, while his composing and arranging work spans solo, chamber, ensemble, and marching percussion settings.
RJ holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an Arts Management Co-Major from Miami University, with minors in Music Composition and Percussion Performance.
As a freelance musician, RJ offers services in music composition, music education, and music performance.
Currently residing in southwest Ohio, RJ can be reached virtually to serve anyone around the globe.
RJ's work as a performer informs his teaching. His experience as an educator influences his arranging and composition. His work as a composer and arranger, in turn, gives students and ensembles access to original music designed around their needs.
Teaching Experience
RJ's teaching experience ranges from private instruction to high-school marching programs and world-class drum corps. He has worked with students and performers at a variety of experience levels, with an emphasis on technique, musicality, and individual development.
Private Lessons Instructor (2019-present)
Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps - Tenor Technician (2022)
Fairfield High School - Percussion Director (2020-2023)
Hamilton High School - Battery Percussion Instructor & Assistant Director (2020-2023)
Colerain High School - Battery Percussion Director (2019)
Oxford Music Academy - Percussion Private Lessons Instructor (2020-2022)
Arranging Experience
RJ has extensive experience creating percussion arrangements for marching band and indoor percussion. His work includes battery arrangements, full percussion arrangements, and show design.
Fairfield High School Marching Band - Percussion Arranger (2021-present)
Hamilton High School Indoor Percussion - Designer & Full Percussion Arranger (2023-present)
Colerain High School Marching Band - Battery Percussion Arranger (2019)
Performing Experience
RJ's performance experience includes drum corps, indoor percussion, collegiate ensembles, and steel band. These experiences have shaped his approach to performance, teaching, and composition.
Rhythm X (2022)
The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps (2020-2021)
The Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps (2019)
Cap City Percussion (2019)
Miami University Steel Band (2017-2019)
Miami University Percussion Ensemble (2018-2020)
Miami University Wind Ensemble (2020)
Composing Experience
RJ has written compositions for diverse instrumentations of both solo and ensemble settings--written for percussion, brass, woodwinds, strings, piano, and voice. His works have been performed by the Miami University Percussion Ensemble and various collegiate and high school soloists and small ensembles around the country. RJ is currently taking on commissions for new works and selling completed compositions.
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