Dr. Don Schade
Artistic Director
Dr. Don Schade, a native of Pennsylvania, has conducted all levels of choirs and has taught at all levels in public school (K-12) and at the College/University levels. He received his Ph.D. in Music Education with a Choral Cognate and a M.M. in Choral Conducting from The Pennsylvania State University. He has two undergraduate degrees from Susquehanna University, one in Music Education/Voice and the other in Percussion Performance.
Dr. Schade has had considerable experience as a conductor and music educator at both the higher education and public school levels. His choirs have been chosen for performances numerous times at national and state conferences of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), and the American Choral Directors Assocation (ACDA).
Dr. Schade has been the choral conductor of the United States Music Ambassador Honors Performance tour program since 1985. He has conducted in twenty-two concert tours of Western Europe and Scandinavia where he has performed in many of the world’s most outstanding concert venues. He has also done seven concert tours of the Hawaiian Islands and has a particular interest in authentic Polynesian vocal and choral music. Dr. Schade shares a professional relationship with the renowned British ensemble The King’s Singers, collaborating with them four times for events with his choirs.
Dr. Schade’s public school experience includes the Annville-Cleona School District in Pennsylvania and Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland. He has also served in choral positions at Susquehanna University, Franklin and Marshall College, Kutztown University, Bloomsburg University, and Westminster College.