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Sing on: The life, pedagogy, and contributions to choral music of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe

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SING ON: THE LIFE, PEDAGOGY, AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHORAL MUSIC OF DR.
JO-MICHAEL SCHEIBE

By
Karen Sue Miskell

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
(CHORAL MUSIC)

MAY 2018

Copyright 2018 Karen Miskell

ii
Contents
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………..............iv
List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………………………………v

List of Acronyms………………………………………………………………………………………………….vi

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………vii
Frame of Reference of the Researcher……………………………………………………..viii

Related literature…………………………………………………………………………………………………x
Need for the study…………………………………………………………………………………..xiv

Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………………………....xv
Study Participants....................................................................................................................xvi
Interview with Scheibe........................................................................................................xviii
Data Analysis..............................................................................................................................xix
Researcher Biases and Trustworthiness of Data…………………………………….....xix
Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………......xxi

Chapters

I. Growing Up
Childhood and Family History...……………………………………………………….1
Westminster High School………………………………………………………………..5
California State University at Long Beach…..…………………………………….8

II. The First Years Teaching
Vintage High School..……………………………………………………………………..11
Huntington Beach High School………………………………………………………14
Long Beach City College………………………………………………………………...17

III. Collegiate Teaching and the Road Home to the University of Southern
California
Northern Arizona University……………………....................................................26
University of Miami……………………………………………………………....………31
University of Southern California…………………………………………………..38

IV. Career Performance Highlights: ACDA and other Collaborations…………..41

V. Service to Professional Organizations…………………………………………………...50

iii

VI. Music Publishing………………………………………………………………………………...54

VII. Scheibe the Church Musician ………………………………..........................................61

VIII. Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Reflections………………………………………………67

IX. Summary and Conclusion…...……………………………………………………………….86

Appendices
A: IRB Approval and Documentation……..………………………………………………….88
B: List of Interviews…………………………………………………………………………………92
C: Scheibe Interview Questions………………………………………………………………...94
D: Interview Questions for Former/Current Students……………………………….98
E: Interview Questions for Former/Current Colleagues…………………………….99
F: Interview Questions for Composers……....……………………………………………100
G: Letter From Willard Schmitt ……………………………………………………………...101
H: Dr. Robert Summer on the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay..............................103
I: Email Correspondence with Frank Pooler……………………………………………107
J: Long Beach City College Adjudication Comments…..……………………………..114

Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………………………..135

iv
Abstract
Documenting the life and work of outstanding leaders is vital to the ongoing
development of the choral art. Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe (b. 1950) is one of the leading
American choral conductors of the late 20
th
and early 21
st
centuries. With a career
spanning over forty years, Scheibe’s contributions to the field of choral music
include internationally recognized ensembles, leadership at the American Choral
Directors Association, pioneering contemporary choral music in both publishing and
performance, and an incredible command of teaching. He has led ensembles to
conference performances at national and international levels at every institution
where he has taught, and many of those groups have additionally sung with famous
artists in concert. He is one of the most sought-after clinicians for honor choirs and
faculty residencies at schools across the United States and abroad. A champion of
new choral music, Scheibe has catapulted the careers of countless emerging
composers in his choral series through esteemed music publishers. Students of Dr.
Jo-Michael Scheibe have gone on to hold prestigious positions around the world,
both as teachers and singers. Scheibe’s work in all aspects of choral music is
currently held in the highest regard and his reputation for choral excellence is
known all over the world.

v
List of Figures
Page
Figure 1. Scheibe Seating Chart…………………………………………………………………………...82

vi
List of Acronyms
ACDA American Choral Directors Associations
WHS Westminster High School
CSULB California State University at Long Beach
VHS Vintage High School
HBHS Huntington Beach High School
LBCC Long Beach City College
USC University of Southern California
TU Trinity University
NAU Northern Arizona University
UM University of Miami
NCCO National Collegiate Choral Organization
MCTB Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
CGCC Coral Gables Congregational Church

vii
Introduction
Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe is among the elite successful conductors and collegiate
teachers currently active in the field of American choral music. Outside of articles
written in the Choral Journal and his newly released book
1
, there are no large bodies
of work dedicated to his life and career that document his teaching philosophies and
choral techniques. Obtaining first-hand information directly from such prominent
musicians may be more beneficial than waiting until they are semi-removed from
the field or than waiting until information about their lives and careers can only be
obtained from secondary sources. Scheibe has solidified himself as one of the
leading choral conductors in not only American culture but in the greater
international community of choral music. He has served as President of the
American Choral Directors Association at both the Division and National Levels, and
he has led ensembles at twelve conference performances over his career. Scheibe
continues to be in high demand as a clinician, lecturer, and adjudicator at schools
and festivals worldwide. Examining his life and career as it stands to this point will
give insights to the reasons why he has been so successful, both musically and in
positions of leadership. Such insights can give conductors and teachers better tools
for which to help their students and singers succeed. His views on choral music,
which has been shaped by his past, in combination with his views and goals for the
future, may inspire current conductors in their journey of choral music teaching.

1
Jo-Michael Scheibe et al., Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, vol. 4 (Chicago: GIA
Publications, Inc., 2017).

viii
Frame of Reference from the Researcher
I first studied with Scheibe at the University of Miami for my undergraduate
degree in Music Education (2001-2005), singing under his direction in the UM
Chorale and at Coral Gables Congregational Church as a member of Canticum
Novum. Through those ensembles, I sang at two ACDA conferences while
completing my degree. It was also his connections that helped me get my first
teaching job in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although it
was not at the same time as his tenure there, I attended Northern Arizona University
for my master’s degree (2011-2013); Scheibe’s contributions and connections to the
people in Flagstaff and NAU are still very much alive. I subsequently attended the
University of Southern California to pursue a doctorate degree in choral music,
serving as a graduate assistant for all three years of coursework (2013-2016). I
worked very closely with Scheibe for those three years, planning domestic and
international tours, singing in two ACDA conferences and the 2015 World Choral
Symposium, and overseeing countless other projects, both on and off campus.
Scheibe’s approach to colleagues and students is often viewed as a “tough
love” approach, and I was not exempt from such “tough love” during my time as his
student. There is also no denying Scheibe’s success and the vast number of people
who look to him as an expert in choral music. A large majority of the contacts and
networking I have made in my career are largely credited to his work and
reputation. This substantial connection of people and music has led me to consider:

ix
What is it about Scheibe’s life and career that has made him so successful? Why is
his teaching style the way that it is and how has it affected others along the way?
How has this affected his music?
I have a long history with the Scheibe family: I studied voice with Mary at
both UM and USC; their daughter Meghan sang in Chorale with me at UM and also
became a friend while we were both living in Las Vegas; and I student-taught their
son, Alex, at Coral Reef Magnet Arts High School in Miami, Florida. As such, I have
built considerable trust with Scheibe and Mary, and I feel that the mutual respect we
have for each other allowed them to be more open and free in the information with
which they felt comfortable sharing.
My hope is that this document is a beginning point for research and further
examination of the music of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, either by myself or by other
researchers. Though his career is far from over, he has already accomplished a great
deal. By documenting his life and his career to this point in as much of his own
words as possible, I hope that this work will be beneficial for individuals in their
own career and for use in further research.

x
Related Literature
Much of what is written on choral conductors is that of older generations of
American choral music, examining the lives and work of successful musicians
postmortem (Charles Hirt, Margaret Hillis, Robert Shaw, etc.). Stewart (2013) wrote
about the life and contributions of Charles Hirt,
2
with the core of the document
outlining Hirt’s contributions to the choral and sacred music program at the
University of Southern California.
3
As Hirt was the founder of USC’s choral and
sacred music programs, Stewart examined his life and philosophies to better
understand Hirt’s success in establishing a music program that has gone on to
maintain an esteemed level of excellence over time. Latimer (2007) documented the
life and work of Harold A. Decker.
4
Latimer’s document was organized primarily
through chronological biographical information, examining his music and
contributions based upon experiences had throughout his life.
5
Examining Decker’s
work through his life, institutions at which he taught, and involvement in

2
Charles C. Hirt (1911-2001) was the founder of the USC department of choral and sacred
music. Hirt’s tenure at USC lasted from 1941-1976, throughout which he established a program of
study that has gone on to produce numerous musicians and conductors held in high esteem in the
field of choral music.

3
Shawna Lynn Stewart, Charles C. Hirt at the University of Southern California: Significant
Contributions and an Enduring Legacy, University of Southern California, 2013, accessed November
25, 2017, ProQuest.

4
Harold A. Decker (1914-2003) held tenure at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,
where he expanded the choral music degrees available at UIUC and was an active member of ACDA.
Decker published multiple texts with other notable choral conductors (i.e. Choral Conducting: A
Symposium, 1974) that have become core resources in the field of choral music.

5
Marvin E. Latimer, Jr, Harold A. Decker (1914–2003): American Choral Music Educator,
University of Kansas, 2007, accessed November 25, 2017, ProQuest.

xi
professional organizations allowed for thorough understanding of all the
improvements Decker was able to make in the field of choral music.
There are a few dissertations that have examined conductors while still
currently active and working in the field. White (1998) wrote about the life of
Weston Noble
6
and his musical philosophies as they apply to the singer as a whole
person.
7
At the time the of White’s document, Noble’s career had spanned decades
and he was still very much active as a conductor and clinician. White’s work briefly
examined Noble’s biographical information to establish the foundations from which
many of his philosophies grew over time. The majority of the dissertation delved
into Noble’s work and how his philosophies affect the singer and musician as a
whole person: musically, mentally, and physically.
Con (2002) wrote about the life, philosophies, and conducting gestures of
Rodney Eichenberger,
8
professor emeritus at Florida State University.
9
Though
Eichenberger continues to be an active clinician, this work was written when he was

6
Weston Noble (1922-2016) held tenure as the conductor of the Nordic Choir at Luther
College for fifty-seven years. His philosophies on choral sound and music making greatly impacted
the face of American choral music. He was an active conductor and clinician worldwide.

7
Perry D. White, The Whole Conductor: Weston Noble’s Philosophies on the Psychology of
Conducting and Musicianship, University of Oklahoma, 1998, accessed November 25, 2017, ProQuest.

8
Rodney Eichenberger (b. 1930) is an esteemed choral conductor, known most for his work
with non-verbal gesture in relationship to sound. He has taught at the University of Washington,
University of Southern California, and is Professor Emeritus at Florida State University. He remains
active as a guest choral conductor and clinician.

9
Adam Jonathan Con, The life and philosophy of choral conductor Rodney Eichenberger,
including a detailed analysis and application of his conductor-singer gestures, PhD diss., Florida State
University, 2002, accessed November 25, 2017, ProQuest.

xii
seventy-two years old and already somewhat removed from collegiate teaching. At
the time Con’s document was written, Eichenberger had made a career out of
developing gestures to get the most out of a choir in the least amount of time. His
platform, as seen in his instructional video What They See is What You Get
10
, was
aimed at giving conductors and teachers tools of efficiency in rehearsal as related to
non-verbal gestures. Con dedicated one chapter to biographical information and
used the remaining chapters to examine Eichenberger’s three videos on conducting
gesture, his philosophies into periods of progression throughout his career, and
first-hand observation of rehearsals. His document very specifically broke down
Eichenberger’s conducting gestures through use of the instructional videos and
observation of Eichenberger’s rehearsal process with the Michigan All State choir.
The details of gesture and the implications on choral/vocal sound became the core
of Eichenberger’s career.
Vazquez-Ramos (2010)
11
wrote about the life and influence on Latin-
American choral music of conductor and teacher, Maria Guinand.
12
Vazquez-Ramos
outlined the history and context of music and music education in Latin-America to
give context for Guinand’s role as a pioneer in the genre. His document examined

10
Rodney Eichenberger and Andre Thomas, What They See Is What You Get: Linking the
Visual, the Aural, and the Kinetic to Promote Artistic Choral Singing, Chapel Hill, NC: Hinshaw, 1994.

11
Angel M. Vásquez-Ramos, María Guinand: conductor, teacher, and promoter of Latin
American choral music, PhD diss., Florida State University, 2010, accessed November 25, 17,
ProQuest.

12
Maria Guinand (b. 1953) is a champion of Latin-American choral music and of music
education in Venezuela. She is the artistic Director of Schola Cantorum of Venezuela and is an active
choral conductor and clinician worldwide.

xiii
her role in promoting Latin-American music through a biographical and
chronological lens, highlighting her teaching, her performing groups, and her work
internationally that allowed her to advocate for the inclusion and education of Latin-
American music, both in Venezuela and abroad. At sixty-four years of age, Guinand
has established herself as an internationally renowned conductor and currently
continues to build a substantial career in choral music. Her persistence in
campaigning for music education in Venezuela and for the international inclusion of
Latin-American music has had significant impact on choral music.
Craig Jessop,
13
current Dean of Music at Utah State University and former
conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, had a document written on his life and
musical philosophies in 2012 by then doctoral candidate Christopher Michael
Redfearn.
14
As Con (2002) did with his document on Eichenberger, Redfearn (2012)
dedicated a single chapter to Jessop’s biographical information. The remaining
chapters in Redfearn’s document are focused on Jessop’s specific philosophies of
various facets of music, the influential musicians that affect Jessop’s philosophies
(namely Robert Shaw), and Jessop’s pedagogical techniques in rehearsal and score
preparations. Jessop’s connections to people and his openness to unplanned
opportunities allowed his career to flourish and expand into what it is today.

13
Craig Jessop (b. 1949) is currently Professor of Music and founding Dean for the Caine
College of the Arts at Utah State University. He is the former conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir and served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force music programs.

14
Christopher Michael. Redfearn, The choral philosophies and techniques of Craig Jessop, PhD
diss., University of Northern Colorado, 2012, accessed November 25, 17, ProQuest.

xiv
All four abovementioned dissertations examined the lives and influence on
choral music of currently active conductors (at the time of publication). Through
examining the careers, philosophies, influences, and pedagogies of said conductors,
the writers were able to better understand what made each successful. With each
document, individual authors aimed to use the specifics of such currently active
careers as tools for other musicians in their own careers and approaches to music.
Need for the Study
As previously mentioned, there is little documentation of Scheibe’s teaching
philosophies, and there is essentially nothing that chronicles his life and career. In
2004, Scheibe was interviewed alongside Rodney Eichenberger, Joseph
Flummerfelt, Ann Howard Jones, and Dennis Shrock, by Jason Paulk for an article in
the Choral Journal.
15
This document outlined each conductors approach to sighting
reading music in the choral rehearsal. There is also insight into Scheibe’s pedagogy
and personal experiences through this column “From the President,” which
occurred regularly in the Choral Journal throughout his tenure as ACDA President
(2011-2013). Many of these articles are cited throughout this document, and all are
available online through the Choral Journal archives. Most recently, much of
Scheibe’s vocal pedagogy and philosophy was documented through his chapter in
Teaching music through performance in choir: Volume Four. This work is also cited
later in this document.

15
Jason Paulk, “Perspectives on Sight-Reading Choral Repertoire: Conversations with
Rodney Eichenberger, Joseph Flummerfelt, Ann Howard Jones, Jo-Michael Scheibe, and Dennis
Shrock,” The Choral Journal 45 no. 3 (October 2004); accessed July 2017, JSTOR.

xv
Methodology
In order for readers to better understand the man and musician, I used
narrative inquiry as my research methodology. Narrative inquiry is a qualitative
methodology that focuses on the study of lived experiences through narratives.
16
In
narrative inquiry, there is a “collaboration between researcher and participants,
over time, in a place or series of places, and in social interaction with milieus.”
17

Three important dimensions of narrative inquiry are temporality, sociality, and
place, and which serve as a conceptual framework. These dimensions are often
referred to as commonplaces. Clandinin and Huber argue that:
Through attending to the commonplaces, narrative inquirers are able
to study the complexity of the relational composition of people’s lived
experiences both inside and outside of an inquiry and, as well, to
imagine the future possibilities of these lives.
18

Utilizing first-hand accounts of events in Scheibe’s life and career,
19
I interpreted
and re-storied his trajectory, aiming to describe the man and musician. As is typical
in narrative inquiry, I conducted in-depth interviews with Schebie and semi-
structured and structured online interviews with key individuals surrounding him,
to gather data and construct the narrative that is presented ahead. Because of my

16
D. Clandinin & F. Connelly, Narrative inquiry : Experience and story in qualitative research
(1st ed., The Jossey-Bass education series), San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2000.

17
Clandinin & Connelly, 20.

18
Clandinin, D. J., & Huber, J. (in press), Narrative inquiry, In B. McGaw, E. Baker, & P. P.
Peterson (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (3rd ed.), New York, NY: Elsevier.

19
Colleen Marie Conway, The Oxford handbook of qualitative research in American music
education (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2014), 30.

xvi
main interest in documenting Scheibe’s trajectory in detail, I opted for an open-
ended interview as my main source of data. Although an interview script is created
at the beginning of an investigation, in an open-ended interview the researcher has
the freedom to add, modify, and eliminate questions throughout the interview.
20

Questions used as the basis of the open-ended interview with Scheibe can be found
in Appendix C. Interview questions for former and current students that were
submitted online can be found in Appendix D. Interview questions for former
colleagues that were submitted online are available in Appendix E. Interview
questions for composers that were submitted online can be found in Appendix F. All
interview protocols were approved by the USC IRB office. Approval documentation
can be found in Appendix A.
Study Participants
Through Scheibe’s personal contacts, my personal contacts from all the
institutions I attended at which Scheibe had tenure, and other social media outlets
(Facebook), I reached out to approximately eighty people who have worked with
Scheibe in some facet of his career. The eighty people identified contained a wide
pool of students (undergraduate, master’s, doctorate, and community members)
and colleagues from all schools at which Scheibe taught from 1972 to present, as
well as from professional organizations. Participants were also given the option of a
phone interview, using the same format of questions as the online structured

20
Conway, 608.

xvii
interview, if that method of contact was preferred over the online submission. There
were two such phone interviews: Professor Rodney Eichenberger, Florida State
University Professor Emeritus, one of Scheibe’s main professors during his DMA
coursework at USC; and Sydney Guillaume, former UM student and currently active
choral composer. Both interviews lasted approximately twenty minutes and were
also transcribed. All transcriptions can be made available upon request.
Data for this dissertation was collected through in-depth, face-to-face
interviews with Jo-Michael and Mary Scheibe, phone interviews with Rodney
Eichechenberger and Sydney Guillaume, and structure online interviews from
thirty-one key individuals who have or had been involved with Scheibe at some
point in their lives. The list of interviewed participants (Appendix B) are:
Matthew Tresler
Tatiana E. Taylor
Travis Rogers
Mary Wallahan
Ron Carpenter
Deborah Muhlenbruck
Fleischer
Angel Marchese
Kim Sinclair
Shou Ping Liu
Carolina Castells
John Grayson
Anonymous
Travis Ryan Jones
Gavin N Thrasher
John Warren
Tim Davies
James B. Heck
Thomas Sleeper
Robert Summer
Elena M. Richter
James William (Bill) Hipp
Pam Dearden
Anonymous
Mark Hart
Anonymous
Dennis Janzer
David Conte
Stacey V. Gibbs
Anonymous
David Dickau
Anonymous

xviii
Interview with Scheibe
On July 12, 2017, I traveled to Long Beach, California and spent two days
with Scheibe and his wife Mary in their home. Over the two days, we spoke about his
upbringing, his music, his career, and his family through a series of semi-structured
interview questions. I created an open-ended interview protocol (Appendix C) for
Scheibe based on the following themes: his childhood, family, and upbringing; his
first years of teaching and higher academic degrees; his time at Long Beach City
College, Northern Arizona University, the University of Miami, and the University of
Southern California; his work as a church musician; his work with professional
organizations such as the American Choral Directors Association; his work with
music publishing and his relationship to emerging composers and contemporary
choral music; and his teaching pedagogy and philosophies. As is typical for open-
ended interviews,
1
the questions offered a starting point for Scheibe to speak about
his life and career. Throughout much of the interview, Scheibe and I sat across from
each other in the living room; with the open nature of the house, Mary was in and
out of the room often, chiming in and offering commentary on Scheibe’s stories.
Witnessing the dynamic between the Scheibe and Mary, and their banter about
stories from their past was quite humorous and informative, both regarding their
relationship to each other and to the events that occurred.

1
Conway, 576.

xix
Data Analysis
Once all data were collected, I personally transcribed the ten-hour Scheibe
interview into a 120-page document, which can be made available upon request. I
also transcribed the two phone interviews (Eichenberger and Guillaume), which can
also be made available upon request. Online submissions were read and recorded
digitally via time stamp, and the information was catalogued based on category
(student, colleague, composer), institution affiliation, and topics of discussion
(specific events, teaching pedagogy, personal interactions, etc.). Data was first
examined through the creation of a chronological timeline, structured by Scheibe’s
major life events (namely physical places of study or employment). Supplemental
information was added to the timeline from the interviews and personal accounts of
all participants. Through said organizational process, clear themes emerged from
the data that eventually manifested in the present structure of this document.
Researcher Biases and Trustworthiness of Data
In order to establish trustworthiness of data, I have acknowledged personal
relationships with the Scheibe family, taken all steps possible to provide
transparency in my research, and recognized multiple perspectives wherever
possible in this document.
2
All efforts have been made to triangulate data in order to
further establish trustworthiness of data interpretation.
3
Data was triangulated by
gaining input from those with whom Scheibe has worked in many facets of his

2
Conway, 32.

3
Conway, 31.

xx
career: students from all institutions at which he has taught and at all levels (high
school, community college, undergraduate, masters, and doctoral); community
members with whom he worked as singers, colleagues, and church parishioners;
colleagues from all institutions and professional organizations to which Scheibe is
or has been affiliated; and colleagues and composers with whom he as worked in
the music publishing industry. To give participants the freedom to answer honestly,
I created an online structured interview divided into three participant categories:
current and former students, colleagues, and composers. Through the structured
online form, thirty-one participants (of the eighty who were contacted) were able to
select whether their submission would be personally identified or recorded
anonymously. As Scheibe is still active in the field, there are those who did not feel
comfortable sharing their experiences, even as an anonymous submission.
In addition to these interviews, I gathered information from many
publications that Scheibe has released throughout his career, including the dozens
of columns that he wrote in the Choral Journal throughout his ACDA presidency,
where he shared personal stories, anecdotes, gave advice, and shared words of
encouragement to other choral directors. Scheibe also provided me with access to
some of his personal correspondence (five main email chains and one hand written
letter) with former teachers and mentors. Willard Schmitt, former choral director at
Lakewood High School and mentor to Scheibe while teaching high school in
southern California, wrote a letter of encouragement during Scheibe’s dissertation

xxi
writing process (Appendix G). Dr. Robert Summer, Professor Emeritus at the
University of South Florida and Scheibe’s predecessor with the Master Chorale of
Tampa Bay, wrote of Scheibe and his work in a self-published book that was
released only to friends and family as a memoir of the MCTB. Summer shared
Chapter Eight from his book via email correspondence (Appendix H). Frank Pooler,
professor emeritus at CSULB, remained in contact with Scheibe for decades, sharing
recordings, artwork, information regarding new composers, and other musical
congratulations for years until Pooler’s death in 2013. Four such email
correspondences are included in this document (Appendix I). Additionally, Scheibe
shared seven sets of adjudication comments from performances of LBCC choirs
(Appendix J). These comments are from esteemed conductors and teachers such as
Howard Swan, William Hall, Charles Hirt, and Paul Matsumoto. These evaluations
give further insight into Scheibe’s process and preparation of choral music. Through
personal accounts and these documented letters, I attempted to better understand
Scheibe’s musical process over the course of his career, both in preparation and
evaluation or self-reflection.
Summary
After reviewing all interview transcriptions and online submissions, I
determined that the most best way to present the collected data was through
chronological life events and five main categories: career performance highlights,
service to professional organizations, music publishing, church music, and Scheibe’s

xxii
teaching philosophy and pedagogy. By separating biographical information, I was
able to go into further detail in the chapters dealing with sub-categories and insert
experiences or feedback received through the interviews of students, colleagues,
and composers.

1
Chapter I. Growing Up
Childhood and Family History
Jo-Michael Scheibe was born August 31, 1950 in San Bernardino, California.
Emigrating from Germany only a week and a half prior, his parents, Hans and
Margot, came to live with their only relative in the United States, an Aunt who
resided in Yucaipa. Hans and Margot spoke very little English, and their source of
English-language instruction came from watching World Wide Wrestling, which was
a staple on the television in their Aunt’s home. Hans found work as a peach picker,
and when the family moved to Long Beach he worked as a bellhop at the then
Biltmore (now Millennium) Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Hans’ background in
engineering later landed him work in a machine shop, and although he had degrees
from overseas, he worked diligently throughout his life to earn American degrees
that would allow him to provide a better life for his family. They were able to
purchase their first home in the Lakewood area, and eventually settled in
Westminster by the time Scheibe was thirteen years old. It was in Westminster that
they built the house that became the long-term family home. “I remember my Dad
going out every day and measuring to make sure everything was parallel, and that it
was in the right spot … - that was basically [his] engineering mind.”
1
Margot, a
homemaker, did odd jobs at home to bring in extra income in addition to raising the

1
Jo-Michael Scheibe (Director of Choral Studies, USC) and Mary Mattei Scheibe, interviewed
by Karen Miskell, July 12-13, 2017, Long Beach, CA, transcript.

2
couple’s three boys, Jo-Michael, Jon Steven, and Hans Herman. Education was highly
valued alongside rules, order, and structure.
There was always music at the Scheibe home, though the genre was
conditional based upon who was there at a given time. Margot loved classical music,
particularly Mozart and opera, and exposed her children to it regularly. “We would
get picked up in Rossmoor when we were living in Westminster and from the bus
stop to the house, the Texaco opera hour [on the radio]. I [didn’t understand] opera.
It just did not hit me the same way as choral music.”
2
Hans, however, was not
particularly musical himself and preferred more of the Lawrence Welk or Ed
Sullivan variety. When Hans was home, that was the music of choice. Although both
Hans and Margot enjoyed music, the noise level in the house was kept at a
minimum. For much of Scheibe’s childhood, Hans worked full-time and went to
school at night. “One of the things I remember is that when Dad was there we had to
be quiet, because he was studying, and it was a small home.”
3
Hans was the absolute
head of the household, and had high expectations for both himself and his family.
In addition to the “black and white” Germanic nature of the Scheibe
household, there were other tensions existing under the surface that may better
explain the family dynamic that greatly shaped the course of Scheibe’s life. Hans and
Margot, like many Europeans at the time, were deeply affected by World War II.
Hans had originally been engaged to Margot’s older sister, but unfortunately

2
Scheibe, transcript.

3
Scheibe, transcript.

3
Margot’s sister and mother were both killed in phosphate bombings in Hamburg
during the war. Hans and Margot then married in Germany February 1, 1945 and
Hans was shipped off to war seven days later. He was captured as a prisoner of war
just two months after deploying to the Russian front, and was sent to St. Petersburg
for almost four years with little to no contact with any of his family left in Germany.
Upon becoming very ill, he was released in 1949 and returned to Germany only to
find that his mother has passed away from blood poisoning just a week before his
release.
Hans also returned to find that Margot had fallen in love and was living with
another man. Although Hans and Margot were still legally married, there had been
essentially no contact for years for Margot to know whether Hans was dead or alive.
Approximately one year later, Hans and Margot, pregnant at the time, immigrated to
the United States with only a few tools, a crystal bowl from their wedding, and
Margot’s accordion. The Scheibe family did not return to Europe until Scheibe was
around eleven years old, when Margot and the boys went for an extended stay. “At
that time we went for, I want to say, six weeks and my dad went for three. And then
my mom went to meet up with the guy that she had been with during the war. He
had married by that point…. It was kind of a trial to see if the sparks still flew, if my
mom wanted to stay in Germany with us…. Later on in life I found out that my
paternity was somewhat of a question….”
4
Margot and the children did return to the

4
Scheibe, transcript.

4
states, but her relationship with Hans was never as it was prior to his capture. After
Margot’s death in 2012, Scheibe’s wife, Mary, found a picture of his mother’s friend
in her things with the phrase, “the man I loved very much,”
5
written on the back of
the photo.
Hans and Margot came to the United States with little to nothing and built a
life for themselves and their children through hard work and determination. Their
first home in Lakewood was a small three-bedroom home, onto which Hans built an
additional bathroom when the family sponsored a family friend from Germany to
study nursing in the United States. The house they built in Westminster, that both
Hans and Margot would live in for the rest of their lives, was big enough for each son
to have their own room. Perhaps from his military training or perhaps from his
engineering mind, Hans was very meticulous about almost everything. “My father
was fastidious with detail. He loved everything [a] particular [way].... My Dad was
really handy. He loved tinkering with cars – I HATED all that stuff – I just did not
have any desire to do any of that.... I would go in the garden and work. I loved that.”
6

Hans’s attention to detail and hardened exterior greatly affected Scheibe’s
childhood, and had lasting effects on Scheibe’s work ethic as well as his high
expectations of himself and anyone with whom he works.

5
Scheibe, transcript.

6
Scheibe, transcript.

5
Scheibe went to kindergarten and first grade in the public school system at
Horace Mann Elementary School. Because German was spoken so much in the home,
English was essentially Scheibe’s second language and his academic performance at
school suffered due to his language skills. When the school determined that he
should be held back to repeat the first grade, Hans pulled Scheibe from the school.
“My father in his infinite wisdom decided I was not stupid, which was probably true,
and… I went to parochial school.”
7
Scheibe attended Bethany Lutheran School in
Long Beach for grades two through eight, where he began to fully develop his love
for music through singing. He wanted to take piano lessons, but the money involved
in such lessons was too much for Hans. “My dad got the cheapest instrument he
could find, which was a plastic clarinet, and I played the plastic clarinet through high
school.”
8

Westminster High School
In high school at Westminster High (WHS), Scheibe finally found his calling
through both positive and negative experiences. Initially, he wanted to be a math
teacher. However, a negative experience with a teacher in his sophomore year
squashed his affinity for the subject. “I was really good at math, but I met up with a
bad math teacher and it turned me off. My father could never understand and he
would get very angry. He would try and teach me, show me the way to do it, but

7
Scheibe, transcript.

8
Scheibe, transcript.

6
[that was not] the way that the teacher wanted the problems solved. And my father
would go and see the teacher and argue, which didn’t help.”
9
Though his math
grades suffered from that experience, Scheibe ended up scoring in the ninety-fifth
percentile in math on the America College Test (ACT) and as he recalls, “[it] was
kind of my Dad’s way of getting back at everybody.”
10

The choral program at WHS had two full-time choral directors, Benny Taylor
and Phillip Haynes. Both men were also athletic coaches, which created a music
community with a strong cross-section of popular athletes. Taylor coached
basketball, and at one point asked Scheibe to keep stats for the team. Haynes
coached swimming and water polo, and sang the role of Lancelot often with the
Long Beach Light Opera, as he had a strong affection for musical theater. Both men
had a big impact on Scheibe and his developing love of choral music. However, he
never sang in the top ensemble because his voice did not change from soprano until
his junior year. “Phil was this friendly, warm individual that was very different from
my own Dad, and I think that, that, along with the attraction to music which had
already been fostered, really drew me into that program.”
11
Scheibe participated in
musical theater productions and continued playing clarinet. He even learned to play
the bassoon his senior year, but without lessons, there was only so much
progression available in the band program. In singing, however, Scheibe found that

9
Scheibe, transcript.

10
Scheibe, transcript.

11
Scheibe, transcript.

7
the connections to the people around him through the choral art form were
something that he could not live without.
The decision to pursue music education as a career was not well liked by
Scheibe’s father. At that time, WHS determined which classes students should take
based on their trajectory towards college or university in specific fields of study.
Parents would have to sign off on their children’s classes. When Hans saw that
Scheibe was continuing to register for a considerable number of music classes, he
was not pleased. “My Dad was an engineer, his father was an engineer, his
grandfather had been an engineer, and I was the firstborn. I was supposed to be an
engineer….”
12
Scheibe recalls his father meeting with his high school counselor, Mr.
Tollson, and having heated words in regards to Scheibe’s class schedule. The
experience shaped much of the way he approached his own children later on in life.
“Mr. Tollson tried to convince my Dad that ‘You need to let him follow his own path.’
And I think in many ways, that’s probably been why… Mary and I have both been
pretty much off-hands as to whatever direction our own kids took.”
13
So when
Scheibe began his undergraduate degree at California State University at Long Beach
(CSULB) in music, he was on his own financially. “If I had been an engineer, he
would have paid for my education. That was my Dad’s way of trying to sway [my

12
Scheibe, transcript.

13
Scheibe, transcript.

8
decision]…. I think my Dad was concerned about my being able to make a living; I
understand that.”
14

California State University at Long Beach
Scheibe earned his bachelor’s degree in music from CSULB from 1968-1972,
completing his student teaching in the fall of 1972. During his undergraduate
degree, he studied with many teachers who greatly impacted his career. Scheibe
first sang with Wesley Reed in Chamber Singers and Men’s Choir, who happened to
have worked with Benny Taylor, Scheibe’s high school director, through barbershop
quartet singing at the University of Redlands. It was Reed who first took Scheibe
under his wing, bringing him into the community of singers at CSULB, and gave him
his first solo opportunity in a Bach Motet. Reed’s connection with Scheibe extended
past the classroom, often giving Scheibe a bit of respite: “When the Reeds were gone,
I would house sit for them which was great because it was… away from my Dad.”
15

Scheibe also studied theory with Ronald Sindelar, a young “hip” teacher who had
studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. “[He] came in and [he] opened up the world
of contemporary music to me.”
16
His freshman year, Scheibe studied voice with a
Julliard graduate on staff who almost left him unable to phonate by the end of that
year. However, his sophomore year he began studying with a new member of the

14
Scheibe, transcript.

15
Scheibe, transcript.

16
Scheibe, transcript.

9
faculty, Roger Ardrey. Not only did Ardrey put Scheibe’s voice back together, he
brought him in to assist with the Women’s Choir for two years.
Scheibe sang in the top ensemble at CSULB, University Choir. Frank Pooler,
the head of choral studies, had a deep impact on Scheibe’s outlook on choral music
and on how he came to handle elements of rehearsal and student interaction.
Scheibe describes Pooler’s rehearsal process in one of his “From the President”
columns in the Choral Journal:
Singers arriving in the recital hall/rehearsal room would see Mr.
Pooler sitting cross-legged at the piano staring at the clock on the wall
waiting until the second hand reached the start of class and we then
began our warm-ups…. The rehearsal never went past the allotted
time… On time, organized, everything ready to run an efficient
rehearsal, we used our rehearsal minutes to the fullest… Frank
possessed the ability to bring out the desire for each of us to perform
at the top of our ability… When one needed to speak with him, he
would say ‘Sure, follow me to my next appointment’ and hurriedly he
would move and we would talk.
17

Frank Pooler’s affinity for new music, his commitment to new composers, and the
opportunities he provided for the singers at CSULB had a very significant impact on
Scheibe’s choral music education. “Frank Pooler… was intrigued with Scandinavian
choral music, and we sang a considerable amount of music by Knut Nystedt, Egil
Hovlund, and others [in] manuscript. He was a chain smoker, but on top of his desk
was a stack of new music that we were always singing…. With Frank, it was where I
got to know Nystedt, Hovland, Milhaud…, [a] plethora of contemporary composers….

17
Jo-Michael Scheibe, “From the President,” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 10 (May 2012): 5,
accessed June 2017. JSTOR.

10
I was not one of Frank’s ‘chosen’ as such… and those were the ones that he would
have conduct. But the experiences in that choir allowed me to have opportunities to
sing with the Carpenters at Hollywood Bowl, to work in the A & M record studio, to
go listen to Norman Luboff, [and] to travel to my first ACDA convention in 1971 as a
member of the choir.”
18

Not only did Pooler provide Scheibe with his first real exposure to the
American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) by bringing the CSULB University
Choir to the first independent ACDA convention in Kansas City (1971), he also
brought him to a Pro-Arts Workshop during the summer of 1972 that had a
profound impact on Scheibe’s choral music outlook. At the workshop were people
such as Roger Wagner, Paul Salamunovich, and Eva Mae Strukmeyer, and the guest
clinician that summer was Swedish composer, Eric Ericson. At the time, Ericson was
not well known in the states and did not speak much English. However, it was the
music of Johannes Brahms and Ericson’s handling of the music that spoke to
Scheibe. “I remember sitting in [Ericson’s rehearsal] the first time. We were singing
Brahms, and I had not had much exposure to his compositions. I remember sitting
there, and at the end of him conducting Brahms, I was weeping....”
19

18
Scheibe, transcript.

19
Scheibe, transcript.

11
Chapter II. The First Years of Teaching
Vintage High School
After student teaching in the fall of 1972, Scheibe began earning credits
towards his teaching credential that would later contribute to his master’s degree.
The following spring he was offered a position that required teaching at two junior
high schools in the Long Beach United School district, set to begin in the next
academic year. As one of the few in his graduating class who was quickly offered a
job, this seemingly great opportunity was not necessarily ideal for Scheibe. The job
was a position to teach at two local junior high schools, though at the time Scheibe
was not told which two schools. Hans was thrilled at the job prospect, and informed
Scheibe that he could live at home while teaching, and simultaneously finish his
master’s degree. Considering the relationship between Scheibe and Hans, that
particular scenario was not appealing to Scheibe. Thus he continued looking for
open positions through the placement center at CSULB. Just as many other
opportunities that arose in Scheibe’s life, his first teaching position presented itself
through a coincidental meeting. Scheibe happened to stop by the center at the same
time as a representative from Napa Valley, who was there looking to fill a one-year
sabbatical replacement position at Vintage High School (VHS). “I [was] in my shorts,
with my sandy feet, and we talked… and [I got invited to] do an interview up in Napa
at the invitation of the personnel director.”
1

1
Scheibe, transcript.

12
The invitation to interview was not exactly welcomed by the staff at VHS. The
sabbatical position was to replace the current director, William Andrew Cottle,
while he took a year leave to work on his doctorate at the University of Northern
Colorado. Unbeknownst to Scheibe, Cottle had already chosen a replacement. “When
I got to the interview, I went to meet with Andy (William Andrew Cottle), to talk to
him, and he said ‘I do not know why you are here. I have already chosen someone
for my job. You are green and there is no reason for you to have this job, and I do not
know why they brought you in.’”
2
Scheibe brought his frustrations to the school’s
administration. “…I walked into the vice principal’s office and I said, ‘…I just drove
nine hours up from LA to interview. I drove almost all night, I [got] a couple hours of
sleep and here I am. And you are [going to] let somebody tell me that I am not
qualified to conduct the choirs here?”
3
Scheibe went on to point out that the
program was small in numbers, and made his case that he was more than capable of
doing the work necessary to build the program. The school’s principal overheard the
conversation and as Scheibe recalls, “The principal walked in and said ‘You are
hired.’”
4

Scheibe accepted the position and moved to Napa Valley to begin the 1973-
74 academic year, VHS’s second year of existence. Although his father was both
disappointed in his career choice and his decision to leave the job in Long Beach,

2
Scheibe, transcript.

3
Scheibe, transcript.

4
Scheibe, transcript.

13
Scheibe was not without support. “In my first job, I made $6,200 for the year in Napa
Valley where the apartment rent was $490, and I had a car payment that was $100,
and I could barely make ends meet. So my Dad would help, there was this kind of
understanding – or… my mom would slip me some money.”
5
In the few months
following the interview, the principal who had hired Scheibe moved to Fountain
Valley High School in Southern California, the same district from which Scheibe
graduated. The principal at VHS assigned Scheibe three periods of choir and two
periods of mass media. “My minor [was] in German. I had no idea what I was going
to do. So I went to him and I said, ‘Ok, so what is it [going to] take to get rid of one or
two of those mass media classes?’”
6
And like most music educators in the U.S., he
recruited heavily to build numbers in the choral and vocal classes. “There is no
better motivation [to recruit than] to get you out of teaching seventh-hour mass
media class with the kids who have little to no regard for anything you are doing.”
7

Scheibe tripled the numbers in the program in the first semester. Though the
program was blossoming, it was not without resistance, particularly from a senior
accompanist named Travis Rogers. “Travis was as opinionated as a seventeen year-
old as he is today. …Travis and a group of kids really tried to [push me], but I was

5
Scheibe, transcript.

6
Scheibe, transcript.

7
Scheibe, transcript.

14
pretty set in my ways. You know, part of that German [temperament] is good.”
8

Despite butting of heads, Travis Rogers looks back at his experiences with Scheibe
as some of the most formative of his career: “He set me on my life’s path. Through
forty-three years of our professional and personal relationship he has proved to be,
time and time again, a fantastic musical and life mentor.”
9
Rogers was the director of
choirs at Napa Valley High School for thirty-seven years and is currently serving as
the Western Division ACDA President.
In November of that year, Scheibe received a phone call from Cottle. Having
heard about Scheibe’s work in his absence, Cottle offered to create a new position to
allow Scheibe to continue with the women’s choir at the high school, as well as the
choirs at the feeder junior high school. Scheibe ultimately decided to look for other
jobs at the high school level. The initial principal who hired Scheibe at VHS had since
become the principal at Fountain Valley High School in southern California. His
former VHS principal had heard that neighboring Huntington Beach High School
(HBHS) was looking for a new choir director and encouraged their principal to look
at Scheibe as a possible replacement. Scheibe interviewed and was hired to begin
teaching at HBHS for the fall of 1974.
Huntington Beach High School

8
Scheibe, transcript.

9
Travis Rogers (Napa Valley High School), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017,
transcript.

15
Scheibe taught at HBHS from 1974-1978. Though it began small, the program
grew quickly under his direction. Scheibe’s drive and work ethic soon led to his
appointment as department chairperson. Larry Lucas, Principal of HBHS, was a
visionary leader and aided in the growth of both the choir program and the music
department as a whole. “My second year as department chair, Larry Lucas looked at
me at the end of the year and said, ‘What do you need?’ And I said, ‘Well we really
need new risers.’ He said, ‘How much are they?’ And I gave him the price and they
were ordered the next day.”
10
In addition to the traditional ensembles, Scheibe
directed a jazz ensemble and was active in musical theater at the school with
colleague Al Maddalina. Maddalina’s work ethic was much the same as Scheibe’s,
and the pair produced eight musicals in four years. HBHS performing arts had a lot
of successes during Scheibe’s tenure, and as department chair, he was committed to
the growth of HBHS’s fine arts as a whole. While he was employed at HBHS, they
hired two additional music faculty, and began many new programs such as dance
and photography.
Scheibe was also able to complete his master’s degree while teaching at
HBHS. He previously began earning credits for his master’s degree at CSULB prior to
taking the job at Vintage HS and resumed classes upon returning to southern
California. Scheibe’s ensemble from HBHS, the “Harmonaires,” performed a recital
devoted exclusively to the music of Sven Lekberg in 1976 as a part of the

10
Scheibe, transcript.

16
requirements for his degree. “Sven Lekberg was a teacher [in] Indianola, Iowa. He
had several pieces that caught my attention. I went and spent a week with him and
Mildred, his wife, in Indianola, to study the scores and to learn the music.”
11
Scheibe
was slated to graduate in the spring of 1976; however he was forced to complete
another semester when a new member of the CSULB faculty refused to sign off on
his master’s thesis. Scheibe’s second reader had differing opinions on the format of
critical analysis that Scheibe had crafted with advisor and first reader, Frank Pooler.
It took the extra semester to work through the necessary compromises in order to
obtain all faculty signatures of approval. Though the extra hurdle left him
discouraged with academia, Scheibe never lost his sense of importance for
continuous learning. “I said I would never do another class whatsoever, I was done.
[My master’s thesis] was submitted in January 1977 and I graduated… and I said,
‘That is it.’ [But] by the next summer I was already back in classes at SC (the
University of Southern California), just taking music history and choral literature.”
12

Around the same time, Scheibe brought the HBHS Harmonaires to perform at
a festival hosted by Long Beach City College (LBCC). Adjudicator Paul Salamunovich
was very impressed with their performance and with Scheibe’s work he had been
privy to thus far. Knowing that LBCC was looking for a new choir director,
Salamunovich sought out the acting department chair during a break from the
festival to personally recommend Scheibe for the job. “My choir [finished] and

11
Scheibe, transcript.

12
Scheibe, transcript.

17
during the break, Paul Salamunovich walked [in to see] the department chair… and
told [her] that they needed to hire me.”
13
Unbeknownst to Salamunovich, the acting
department chair had already personally applied for the position, creating an
awkward situation. LBCC’s orchestra director, however, overheard the conversation,
and Salamunovich’s recommendation was not lost. Scheibe was given an interview,
and was ultimately offered the position.
Long Beach City College
Scheibe taught at LBCC from 1978-1985. Like most community college choral
positions, it provided challenges unique to the demographic. “[We had] an ever
changing population [and] I was dealing with diversity that existed in the Long
Beach community at that time….”
14
In addition to the changes in demographic, the
type of student on the community college campus presented additional difficulties.
Scheibe was no longer dealing with high school students who were required to be
on campus all day and who had fine arts requirements to graduate. Generally
speaking, community college students are often providing for themselves and/or
their families. Rehearsals can be seen as a luxury when the possibility of an
additional paying shift becomes available. “The experience at LBCC meant that… if
you were not a good teacher and Burger King or McDonald’s gave five cents more an

13
Scheibe, transcript.

14
Scheibe, transcript.

18
hour if a kid worked the noon shift, that student would be gone.”
15
Scheibe’s
teaching at LBCC taught him a great deal about being flexible, about learning to
adjust, and about fundraising, which allowed the program to do major works and
other significant performances. For all of its challenges, Scheibe had fond memories
of his time at LBCC, and credits many of his later successes as a teacher to his
experiences at LBCC. “Community college [is] one of the hardest gigs I know. And
one of the best jobs I ever had…. If I did not teach, if I did not inspire in that
rehearsal or in that class, those students did not come back the next day.”
16

One of the first things Scheibe did at LBCC was initiate a night choir called
“Schola Cantorum” in January of 1979. “I wrote a letter to all of the alumni, it was
going to be an alumni choir.”
17
Scheibe was flustered and somewhat frantic at their
first rehearsal, when a surprisingly large number of alumni were in attendance. One
such alumna, Mary Mattei, would drastically affect his life in more ways than he
could have ever imagined. In response to the overwhelming situation, Scheibe
recalls, “Mary walked up and said, ‘Looks like you need some help.’”
18
Thus began
the partnership in choral music, and in life, of Mike and Mary Scheibe; they were
married in 1981.

15
Scheibe, transcript.

16
Scheibe, transcript.

17
Scheibe, transcript.

18
Scheibe, transcript.

19
With the overwhelming success of Schola Cantorum, Scheibe decided to start
an additional evening chamber ensemble of approximately twenty-four singers. “I
[started] a night chamber choir, called ‘Abend Kammerchor.’ Why I called it that, I
do not know. Maybe a nod to my German heritage…”
19
As with most busy programs,
scheduling rehearsals proved difficult for Scheibe and the singers of Abend
Kammerchor. Ironically, the group whose name translates to “evening chamber
choir” ended up rehearsing on Sunday afternoons. “We tried to do it before or after
[the other rehearsal] for a while and it just did not work, and then I moved
rehearsals to Sunday afternoon.”
20
Scheibe recalls the Abend Kammerchor with
great fondness. “The joy of that group is that they were there to make music because
they wanted to be there.”
21

Interestingly, Scheibe received very little specific instruction in regards to
conducting gesture throughout his undergraduate and master’s degrees. In his
eternal quest for learning, he became more and more discontented with the sound
of his ensembles at LBCC, and he knew that it had a great deal to do with him as a
conductor. “I was a frustrated choral conductor. My gesture did not produce the
sound I wanted…. I went to Rod [Eichenberger] and I said, ‘Rod I would like to study
with you.’ Rod said, ‘Mike, you are going to have to become a student at USC to have

19
Scheibe, transcript.

20
Scheibe, transcript.

21
Scheibe, transcript.

20
that happen.’”
22
Although Scheibe had already taken a few classes at USC upon
finishing his masters at CSULB, earning a doctorate was never in his sights. He had
taken summer courses at USC beginning in 1978, but he had not planned on ever
becoming an official DMA student. Just prior to the fall semester of 1981, Scheibe
received a phone call from Eichenberger, informing him of an opening to study at
USC. At the time, Scheibe did not fully understand the magnitude of what
Eichenberger offered. “I said, ‘Oh good! So when can I take lessons with you?’”
23
This
opportunity, however, was for more than conducting lessons. It was for him to
attend USC full-time to earn a doctorate, and Scheibe soon found himself auditioning
for the entire USC choral faculty. “The audition consisted of… having an hour to look
at three different scores, including Stravinsky, and to conduct them with Jim Vail at
the piano. [It was the] scariest thing ever…. I really didn’t know what I was doing….
My conducting at my undergraduate level was two classes. In my master’s degree in
choral conducting, I had how many lessons? How many classes? Zero.”
24

Scheibe attended USC as a full time doctoral student from 1981-1983. He
originally intended to take a two-year leave from LBCC to finish coursework.
However, the Dean at LBCC, Beverly O’Neill, did not agree. She issued Scheibe an
ultimatum. “She looked at me and she said, ‘I am a former voice teacher. There is no

22
Scheibe, transcript.

23
Scheibe, transcript.

24
Scheibe, transcript.

21
way the choral director at this school can leave and [our music department]
survive.’”
25
Ultimately, Scheibe was allowed to rearrange his schedule at LBCC in
order to enroll full-time at USC. He taught classes at LBCC on Mondays, Wednesdays,
Fridays, and Sundays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he held an office hour at LBCC
very early in the morning before heading up I-405 to take classes at USC. As such, he
was never able to sing in the USC Chamber Singers. His teaching assistantship in his
first year was with the University Chorus, working with Dr. William (Bill) Triplett.
Later he worked with the men’s choir alongside professor Dr. David Wilson.
Although they embraced their circumstances, both Scheibe and Mary sacrificed for
his pursuit of the DMA degree. “Mary dropped out of school in her degree in
sociology, and I was working full-time and taking classes full-time…. I would come
home and write and research, and Mary would type the papers so I could get done....
My friends, after class, would go out and have a beer with Rod [while] I was down
either in the library or driving home. And Mary and I went up there on Wednesday
nights together…. Mary would sing in the choir…. It was tough.”
26

Scheibe’s main professors at USC were Rodney Eichenberger (choral
development, private conducting), Dr. James Vail (academic coursework including
choral literature, great liturgies, and conducting seminars), and Dr. David Wilson
(sacred music). His academic fields, in addition to choral music, included
musicology, vocal pedagogy, and sacred music. He took private conducting with

25
Scheibe, transcript.

26
Scheibe, transcript.

22
Eichenberger, Vail, and opera conductor Hans Beer. Professor Eichenberger
remembers Scheibe to be a “wonderful student. He was there to learn…. He came
very tense and uptight, and we spent two years loosening him up…. He’s a master
recruiter, …in choral development he wrote a fabulous paper on recruitment….”
27

Following the two years of full-time residency at USC while also teaching
full-time at LBCC, Scheibe returned to teach a normal schedule at LBCC. He finished
his qualifying and oral examinations in the fall semester of 1983 and continued
working on his dissertation on Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata 196. Though the
intention was to finish the document within the year, his circumstances at the time
delayed his graduation. After preparing the Abend Kammerchor for their
performance at the 1984 Western ACDA Convention, the Scheibes welcomed their
first child, a daughter named Meghan. “I think I just lost the steam after I did my
coursework. My quals (qualifying exams) were in December of 1983… So then it
took me another year to write [my dissertation]. And in the meantime, [we] had a
child…. There was a lot going on.”
28
Knowing the difficulties of both the job and
academia, Scheibe’s mentor from Lakewood HS, Willard Schmitt, wrote him a letter
in November of 1983 that Scheibe has kept with him all these years:
There might be times when you might feel like saying, “To hell with
it.” When and if that happens, reread this letter. For it is my/our hope
that you will succeed in this endeavor, and it is offered as a friendly

27
Rodney Eichenberger (Professor Emeritus USC, FSU), interview by Karen Miskell, August
15, 2017, transcript.

28
Scheibe, transcript.

23
word of encouragement, and a chance to tell you how proud we are of
your many accomplishments…
29

By these words of encouragement, along with some firm but supportive nudges
from Mary, he completed his dissertation in 1985.
With the addition of their daughter Meghan, discussion of leaving the Los
Angeles area had become a topic in the Scheibe household. The drastically changing
societal dynamic in Long Beach, combined with both sets of grandparents living
within a four-mile radius, gave them cause to begin to consider a move. In 1984,
Scheibe had been interviewed for and was offered a position at California State
University at Stanislaus. However the meager salary of only $18,000 was not enough
to support their young family, and they stayed in Long Beach for another year. The
LBCC Chamber Singers were invited to perform at the 1985 ACDA National
Conference in Salt Lake City. Afterwards, Scheibe took an interview at Rollins
College in Winter Park, Florida. The Florida humidity was a bit of a shock to the
Southern California native. “I liked Rollins, except… I brought three shirts and ties
and within the first day I had gone through all three. And I said to Mary ‘We are
never living in Florida.’”
30
Little did Scheibe know what the future would bring.
In the summer of 1985, Scheibe began to interview for additional choral
openings across the country, including Trinity University (TU) in San Antonio, Texas
and Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona. Before traveling to

29
Appendix G.

30
Scheibe, transcript.

24
Texas for his interview at TU, he contacted NAU to see the likelihood of the job
opportunity there. “I called the chair of the search committee at NAU and said, ‘I
have applied for this job, I just wanted to know if I am still being considered because
I have [another] job interview.’ …They said, ‘You are too young and we have hired
somebody [else].’”
31
Scheibe traveled to TU for his interview under full assumption
that the job at NAU was no longer a viable option. While in the actual interview,
Scheibe and the committee were interrupted due to an “emergency” phone call from
Mary. “They put [her] through, and I’m in with the committee, and [she said], ‘Do
not say a word. I [lied and] told them that we have an offer on the house and that I
needed to talk to you immediately...’”
32
Only minutes before, Mary had received a
phone call from Dr. Charles Aurand at NAU, requesting that Scheibe fly immediately
to Flagstaff for an interview for the open director of choral studies position. So upon
finishing the interview with TU, Scheibe flew back to California and stayed only long
enough to grab a change of clothes and lead services at the church. He flew directly
to Phoenix, took the two-hour shuttle north to Flagstaff in a van with no air
conditioning, and was picked up by then NAU music department chair, Dr. Pat Curry.
As if the process of getting the interview had not already proved interesting,
Scheibe’s accommodations in Flagstaff were at best mildly awkward. “Pat (Curry)
[picked] me up and he [took] me to his house and he said, ‘We ran out of money… so
you are going to stay in the house with Lorraine (his wife) and I.’ And at 8 o’clock

31
Scheibe, transcript.

32
Scheibe, transcript.

25
[that night], he looked at me and he [said], ‘We turn in early. You are more than
welcome to stay up. There’s a bowl with cheerios that you can have in the morning.’
So I’m [thinking], …‘What have I gotten myself into?’”
33
Scheibe completed the
interview and returned home to Long Beach. Within an hour of each other, both
schools called to offer him a position. Though Scheibe was initially more interested
in the TU position, Mary was ultimately the deciding factor. “I looked at Mary and I
said, ‘You know, I really like this job at Trinity, I think San Antonio is really nice.’ She
looked at me and said, ‘Which one has the freeway sign that says LA?’ I said, ‘That
would be NAU,’ and she said, ‘You can take that one.’ And so, we went to NAU.”
34

Scheibe left a week later to begin teaching at what is now known as the Summer
Curry Music Camp.

33
Scheibe, transcript.

34
Scheibe, transcript.

26
Chapter III. Collegiate Teaching and the Road Home to the University of Southern
California
Northern Arizona University
Scheibe left California almost immediately after accepting the job at Northern
Arizona University, leaving Mary and nine-month-old Meghan behind to pack and
sell their house in Long Beach. Scheibe lived in a dormitory across the street from
the NAU music building that summer, later moving into a rental home where the
family stayed until their house was built in December of 1985. The Scheibes had to
make many adjustments in moving to Flagstaff, including a considerable pay cut.
“My contract at NAU was a twelve-month contract for $30,000. I had been making
$50,000 at LBCC (Long Beach City College). I had a church job that paid $12,000.
…Up until the time Meghan was born, [Mary had been] making money as a dental
[technician].”
1
Their household income was reduced to about a third of what they
had been making in Long Beach. The Flagstaff lifestyle was also a bit of shock for the
Southern California natives. Mary recalls, “One day when we drove around the
corner from our house, …somebody had strung a deer up in a tree in their front
yard… [and they] were skinning it….”
2

Through hard work and determination, the choirs and the program as a
whole flourished under Scheibe’s direction. For the first few years at NAU, Scheibe
himself directed five choirs, including the NAU Chorale and the Master Chorale of

1
Scheibe, transcript.

2
Scheibe, transcript.

27
Flagstaff. He additionally taught undergraduate and graduate conducting, and
supervised student teachers. “I went down to Phoenix Friday mornings, early. I
would supervise student teachers, go back up the hill, and do chorale rehearsal.”
3

The NAU Chorale, also referred to as the Shrine of the Ages Choir, was invited to
perform at the ACDA Western Division Conference in 1990 and the National ACDA
Conference in 1991. With the help of Scheibe, the NAU choral program grew to earn
the respect of choral musicians across the country.
Scheibe’s tenure at NAU was not without difficulty, and a course of events
that took place forced Scheibe to defend both his integrity and his character. By the
fall of 1988, the department had grown enough to hire additional faculty and a
second position was opened. However, the person initially brought on staff stayed
for only one year. While the school began a search for a replacement, a temporary
person was hired for the 1989-90 academic year. As Scheibe recalls, he returned
home from the 1990 Western Division performance to find a note in his office box,
informing him that the school had hired the temporary person for the permanent
position. This decision came as a surprise. There was already a committee at the
university that had begun the search process and the temporary person did not
meet the degree requirements for the permanent position. In the course of asking
questions and fighting the decision to hire without following university procedures
and guidelines, there were many accusations made against Scheibe and his

3
Scheibe, transcript.

28
character. The Director of the School of Performing Arts, along with the Dean of the
College of Communication and Creative Arts at the time, who had previously
referred to Scheibe as “a genious” in a letter of recommendation for full
professorship, issued ultimatums insisting that Scheibe drop the subject and allow
the permanent hire. When Scheibe refused, the letter to the Provost regarding
Scheibe’s promotion was withdrawn. Scheibe filed a legal complaint with the
university, and was again encouraged by additional administration to “let it slide”
and the promotion would eventually go through. “Well, I followed it through,
because [of] my German sensibilities and my pride. [I] just felt like I could not let go
of it so we borrowed money and hired a lawyer.”
4

Aside from the department chair and the Dean of the school of music, the
majority of Scheibe’s colleagues stood behind him in support. The temporary person
who had been hired ultimately testified on behalf of Scheibe, upon discovering that
information had been manipulated and conveyed to her inaccurately. In December
of that year, Scheibe and his lawyer submitted a twenty-six-page document to the
university that outlined all events that had taken place, including all that the
administration had handled incorrectly. In April of 1991, over a year from when it
all began, Scheibe was completely exonerated from any wrong doing, was awarded
full professorship, and given retroactive pay for the delay in his salary. In the NAU

4
Scheibe, transcript.

29
Lumberjack newspaper, on Thursday April 18, 1991, an article addressed Scheibe’s
retroactive promotion and his lawsuit against the university:
The [Committee of Academic Freedom and Tenure] met from early
September to late January hearing and evaluating some thirty-two
hours of sworn testimony and numerous exhibits before
recommending Scheibe be granted a retroactive promotion… “We’re
seeking an equitable adjustment for Dr. Scheibe for his costs in
defending himself,” Dokken [Scheibe’s lawyer] said…. he believed it
was important to continue with the lawsuit to help restore Scheibe’s
“good name.”
5

Interestingly, the department chair that had been at the helm of the accusations was
later arrested for inappropriate conduct with students. In the end, he was
incarcerated for almost a decade and remains a registered sex-offender.
6

Despite the negativity, both Scheibe and Mary have incredibly fond memories
of the town of Flagstaff, the community of people, and the student population at
NAU. “It was a very special place. I mean, my thought was… that I was going to stay
there for the rest of my life…. We LOVED Flagstaff, a little small at times, but we
loved [it] – [our children] had great teachers in the public schools….” Mary
remembers, “Some of our best friends moved to live next door to us…. There was
nothing we did not like about it.”
7
Just prior to the legal issues with the university,
the Scheibes had welcomed their son Alex in 1989, who provided both distraction
from complications on campus and focus on the important elements of life. In Mary’s

5
Jim Rathbum, “NAU Professor’s Lawsuit Continues Despite Promotion,” Lumberjack
(Flagstaff, AZ), April 18, 1991.

6
Pitts V. Superior Court, Arizona (1993).

7
Scheibe, transcript.

30
words, “you [have] this little thing lying on the floor making you laugh, and we
would look at each other and [realize] what [was] really important.”
8
Scheibe’s
students at NAU truly became part of their family, and he fondly remembers the
students watching his children when both he and Mary were occupied. “I would take
[Alex] to rehearsals, he would be on my knee… Mary’s taking a lesson or doing a
class and I had class – and Alex would be on the shoulders of some of the kids, roller
blading down the hallways of the music building….” Mary recalls, “Those kids were
just so special. They treated Meghan and Alex like their little brother and sister….”
9

Through all the strife with NAU, music remained Scheibe’s salvation. “Besides
my wife and besides my colleagues who supported me all the way through, it was
the students [and] it was making music in that classroom [that] gave me escape
from everything going on.”
10
Another important connection to note is that the
performance hall at NAU is named the “Ardrey Memorial Auditorium,” after Roger
Ardrey’s father, Scheibe’s former voice teacher from California State University at
Long Beach. Scheibe does not take these personal connections lightly. There are
many such connections throughout his career, and the importance of relationships
amongst people in the choral art form is one of the tenets that originally drew
Scheibe to choral music.

8
Scheibe, transcript.

9
Scheibe, transcript.

10
Scheibe, transcript.

31
Because of the tumultuous history with the NAU administration, Scheibe
searched for other positions beginning in the 1990-91 academic year. He was
offered a position at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, yet
turned it down, as Mary was in the middle of the master’s program at NAU. It was
essential for her to finish the degree and they both knew it would not happen if she
left at the midpoint. Scheibe interviewed at Southern Methodist University in 1992
and Baylor University in 1993, neither of which turned out to be a good fit for the
Scheibes. Following the Baylor interview, Scheibe received a phone call from James
William (Bill) Hipp, Dean of the school of music at the University of Miami. Miami
professor Dr. Donald Oglesby had seen NAU perform at the 1991 convention and
saw Scheibe conduct the National Women’s Honor Choir in 1993. “I did not apply for
UM…. I got a call from Bill Hipp… and he said ‘Come on out and visit.’ So I went.”
11
As
it turned out, the timing was right, the offer of salary and moving expenses were
right, and the joint vision of potential in the choral program at UM was right. Upon
returning to Arizona, Scheibe announced to the NAU Chorale and the Master Chorale
of Flagstaff just before their final dress rehearsal of the Verdi Requiem that he would
not be returning the following school year.
University of Miami
As was their first move from Los Angeles to Flagstaff, the move to Miami was
another huge shock for the family. The Scheibes moved to Miami a little less than a

11
Scheibe, transcript.

32
year after Hurricane Andrew (August 1992), the most damaging storm of Florida’s
history. The entire greater south Florida area had been decimated by winds and
rain, thus finding housing for the family proved difficult. Real estate was available
and in some areas reasonably priced, yet much was uninhabitable. Mary recalls, “It
looked like hell. It was a war zone…. They had just turned some of the traffic lights
on. You would drive down a street… and there was this house that looked like it had
been bombed…. I [had] an eight-year-old and a three-year-old, …I needed a
functional house.”
12
Schools were also over crowded because the majority of
facilities had been either wiped out or damaged beyond repair, forcing the Scheibes
to enroll their children in a private Christian school.
Scheibe taught at UM from 1993-2008, brought to the music faculty by Dean
Hipp at the same time as Gary Green, director of bands 1993-2015, and Thomas
Sleeper, director of orchestras 1993-present. “I was fortunate in that Gary Green,
Tom Sleeper, and I were brought in—the three musketeers...—to upright the ship, as
[Bill] called it.”
13
Sleeper remembers Scheibe as a “team player with strong values.
His students came first, second, and third in his priorities. All work was for the
students and not self-promotion. … [He had] and open mind and [was a] good
listener.”
14

12
Scheibe, transcript.

13
Scheibe, transcript.

14
Thomas Sleeper (Frost School of Music, UM), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017,
transcript.

33
When Scheibe took over the UM choral program, it was small in size with
minimal finances. “I remember Mark Spencer sang soprano on Tuesdays and
Thursdays in Chorale because I did not have enough sopranos.”
15
However the
program grew quickly, in part because of the leadership and vision of Dean Hipp. In
the early years, when Scheibe’s budget was still quite small, he went into Hipp’s
office to discuss expansion. “I said, ‘I should not be raising money to do the basics
for my program. What I should be doing is raising money to do the extras…’”
16
Hipp
agreed, and the choral department received an increase in their yearly budget. Yet
Hipp’s support went beyond the financial. “I had the ability to talk honestly and
intelligently with Bill Hipp about what I needed, and he supported me ….”
17
As he
did with HBHS Principal Larry Lucas, Scheibe refered to Bill Hipp as an
administrator who led with a larger vision in mind, and carries great respect for
Hipp’s leadership at UM. Dean Hipp regarded Scheibe in much a similar fashion:
…experiences with Dr. Scheibe were unfailingly positive…. He built
one of the nation’s most outstanding doctoral programs in choral
conducting. His teaching, leadership, and mentoring of ensembles and
individual students were exemplary, as was his commitment to
contributing to the advancement of the school overall…. [He was]
impeccable and inspiring… an excellent colleague in every respect and
earned the strongest respect of his colleagues…. He was a magnet for

15
Scheibe, transcript.

16
Scheibe, transcript.

17
Scheibe, transcript.

34
the recruitment of very high quality undergraduate and graduate
students.
18

There was, however, some difficulty working with the voice faculty at the
university. The administrative hierarchy at UM placed choral music within the voice
department, whereas most choral programs exist as an autonomous department.
While in theory the collaboration may have seemed desirable, in practice it proved
to be difficult. There were only two choral faculty amongst eight or nine voice
faculty, and the choral faculty were often out-numbered in regards to decision
making. This became a major area of concern in regards to ensemble requirements
for vocal majors. “When I got there, seniors did not have to sing in [an] ensemble.”
19

He was able to convince the voice faculty that seniors and later master’s students
needed to have ensemble credits, though it was a constant back and forth struggle.
“I was always out-voted.”
20
Though there were difficulties, a UM colleague
remembers that Scheibe “[understood] how choral music contributes to a larger
structure…. He always [kept] in mind the goals of the school, department, and choral
music. I never knew Dr. Scheibe to talk negatively about his colleagues or
students.”
21

18
James William Hipp (Dean Emeritus Frost School of Music, UM), interviewed by Karen
Miskell, July 18, 2017, transcript.

19
Scheibe, transcript.

20
Scheibe, transcript.

21
Anonymous (Frost School of Music, UM), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 26, 2017,
transcript.

35
The growth of the choral program included large-scale performances,
development of choral events, and development of an internationally recognized
graduate program. The UM Chorale was invited to multiple ACDA conference
performances and other large collaborations that will be discussed in the next
chapter. Outside of those performances, one large accomplishment for Scheibe and
the choral program was the establishment of the UM Holiday Dinners. Holiday
Dinner was a concept Scheibe brought with him from NAU, and it became a pillar for
the choral department as well as a calling card for the school of music. The Dinners
eventually grew to not only include a local performance in Miami but an encore
performance at Ocean Reef Resort in Key Largo, with transportation for the entire
production fully funded by the resort. “We started at Christ the King Lutheran
Church in their fellowship hall with about forty people a night. And that grew into
the Dinner we presented at the Parrot Jungle (a large performance space located on
the Miami Coast)…. It really became a winner for us…. Between that and going to
Key Largo, it raised about $75,000 [annually].”
22

In developing the graduate program, Scheibe placed great focus on
invitations for visiting professors to guest lecture and clinic UM ensembles. “…That
type of openness and vulnerability is such a key in what we do as conductors… to
embrace different opinions and different ideas.”
23
He often invited scholars such as
Dennis Shrock, Paul Salamunovich, Ray Robinson, and Weston Noble, among others,

22
Scheibe, transcript.

23
Scheibe, transcript.

36
for periodic residencies as guest lecturers in choral literature and choral conducting.
Scheibe additionally recognized the need to strengthen other facets of the program,
and where appropriate, he included other departments in the guest lecturer’s visits.
“I asked Nick [DeCarbo, music education professor at UM] if he would like to have a
guest in music education forum on a Friday and he said, ‘Sure! Who is it?’ …I said,
‘Weston Noble,’ [and] he said, ‘Weston Noble?! …I played in the All State band that
Weston Noble conducted!’ Weston came in, and it was probably the most exciting
forum…. He walked up to a girl, about six inches from her face and said ‘And why do
YOU want to teach music?’ …That was just who Weston was.”
24

Scheibe also did considerable work outside the realm of the university while
in South Florida. As a part of his initial contract with UM, he served as the music
director of the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami from 1993-1998. He served as the
music director of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay from 1997-2001, following
founder Dr. Robert Summer from the University of South Florida. Summer recalls
Scheibe’s rehearsals being done with “great professionalism…. The choir sang with a
beautiful tone, wonderful intonation, and expressiveness.”
25
Scheibe’s involvement
with the Tampa Bay Chorale included weekly flights back and forth across the state,
more often during concert events. He additionally became the music director of the
Florida Philharmonic Chorus in 2000 and when the Florida Philharmonic filed for

24
Scheibe, transcript.

25
Appendix H: Robert Summer (Master Chorale of Tampa Bay), interviewed by Karen
Miskell, July 14, 2017, transcript.

37
Chapter Eleven bankruptcy, Scheibe continued on as artistic director for the chorus
that became the Master Chorale of Southern Florida from 2004-2008.
Although there had been many unexpected changes for him concerning
church work (discussed in chapter four), the decision to leave Miami was not
something Scheibe had anticipated. His son, Alex, was still in high school at the time.
“I did not apply for USC (University of Southern California) [because] Alex was going
to be a senior in high school…. I was ready to retire at Miami.”
26
Following UM
Chorale’s 2007 performance at the ACDA National Conference, Mary remembers
waiting for Scheibe to emerge post-performance in the exhibit hall with USC
professor Dr. Nick Strimple. “I didn’t know Nick really well, and all of a sudden
Nick’s phone rings.”
27
Apparently, the search for a new choral director at USC had
failed, and Mary happened to have been standing next to Strimple when he learned
the outcome. Her curiosity got the best of her and she out-right asked, “How come
[no one] contacted Mike to apply for that job?”
28
Strimple replied to her that Scheibe
had been on of the first names discussed by the search committee, however they all
felt he would never leave UM. Knowing all the changes that had recently developed,
such as Dean Hipp’s retirement and Scheibe’s departure from Coral Gables
Congregational Church, Mary recalls, “I looked at him and said, ‘the landscape
around here has changed drastically in the last few months…. You might want to

26
Scheibe, transcript.

27
Scheibe, transcript.

28
Scheibe, transcript.

38
give him a call.’”
29
Mary set in motion what eventually led to Scheibe’s final move
home to the University of Southern California.
Scheibe received a phone call from USC Faculty Morten Lauridsen less than a
week later. Still insistent that he would not leave Miami before Alex finished high
school, Scheibe was convinced to travel to Los Angeles to both visit and interview
for the position. “[Lauridsen] said, ‘Come out… we’ll deal with [your situation] if this
is a job that you take.’”
30
Despite all the financial implications and the notion of
starting over yet again, Scheibe ultimately decided to return to southern California.
He spent a year doing dual work at both universities to allow Alex to graduate. He
flew to Los Angeles four times throughout the 2007-2008 academic year to work
with the students at USC. Music Director Emeritus Paul Salamunovich was brought
onboard to direct the choirs until Scheibe was able to be a permanent resident.
University of Southern California
Scheibe has been the Chair of the Department of Choral and Sacred Music at
USC since 2008 (although hired in 2007). The program has continued its reputation
of excellence under Scheibe. The graduate program has grown considerably, and has
continued an international reputation amongst choral musicians. With Scheibe’s
help, the department has acquired new and diverse faculty, as well as a Bachelor of
Arts in Choral Music Degree, a degree unique to USC. The USC Chamber Singers have
been invited to sing all over the world, and are regularly asked to participate in

29
Scheibe, transcript.

30
Scheibe, transcript.

39
collaborations in the LA area. Graduates from USC continue to be successful in the
field and are in high demand all over the world as conductors, pedagogues,
performers, and teachers.
Aside from switching coasts, the move from UM to USC brought new
challenges for Scheibe. Both schools are located near two of the largest cities in the
country, however the dynamic and demands at USC are much more fluid than that of
UM. Whereas the UM Chorale was in high demand and sang often with visiting
artists or in special projects, the calendar for the academic year was entirely set
prior to the start of the fall semester. The calendar at USC, however, is ever
changing. “…Whatever I put on the calendar at the beginning of the year [is] added
to - and not necessarily by me.”
31
This fluctuation affects the types of singers needed
to fulfill a program of this nature, but the exposure and the experience of being so
flexible has proved beneficial for the success of his students. “We have [students] in
medical school and law school. We have [students] running Los Angeles
Philharmonic operations, we have people who are associate conductors of the Los
Angeles Master Chorale, [and] we have graduates who are conductors of
symphonies. We have graduates in almost every part of the [world]. I just happen to
be at the helm, that’s all. I am not the person that creates all that, I just try to make
sure that [students] know they have our support.”
32

31
Scheibe, transcript.

32
Scheibe, transcript.

40
Scheibe personally continues to conduct all over the world. He is in high
demand for honor choirs, All-States, and as a guest lecturer and clinician in choral
festivals nationally and internationally. He remains active in music publishing
(discussed in chapter six), and most recently released the fourth volume of Teaching
Music Through Performance in Choir.
33
He has been honored as an outstanding
professor multiple times, and was named a “Distinguished Alumnus” by his alma
mater CSULB. Though retirement is on the horizon, Scheibe’s work, just like his life-
long learning, is far from over.

33
Scheibe, et al.

41
Chapter IV. Career Performance Highlights: ACDA and other Collaborations
Scheibe has performed with ensembles in countless concert halls, festivals,
and conferences worldwide. This chapter aims to highlight the landmark
performances and experiences over the course of his career. One such workshop
that became a formative experience early in his teaching career was with his
Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) Harmonaires at the Southern California Vocal
Association Adjudicators workshop in 1976. Howard Swan was the featured
clinician. “I [brought] my HBHS Harmonaires, and I [was] so proud of them because
we learned the Four Christmas Motets by Poulenc – and you know those are hard…
and Howard Swan proceeded to tear me apart in front of all of my colleagues… I
[was] devastated.”
1
While this experience may have seemed negative at the time,
Swan molded it into a teaching moment. He took time to work with Scheibe on both
vocal concept and stylistic interpretations. Scheibe remembers having an “a-ha”
moment when Swan said to him “The tonal model [that] you are using is
inappropriate for the high school age.”
2
Swan also questioned many of Scheibe’s
interpretive decisions, which further encouraged Scheibe to rethink his approach
and open his mind to other ideas. Following the workshop, Scheibe continued to
send recordings of his ensembles to Swan, who took the time to respond and
continued to give insights on how Scheibe could make the music better. Swan
adjudicated Scheibe’s ensemble at another festival, where they sang “Nicolette”

1
Scheibe, transcript.

2
Scheibe, transcript.

42
from the Ravel Chansons. “It was beautifully done… and [Swan] said, ‘that was really
quite stunning – what are you singing about?’ And not one of the students in the
group could talk about it. So there was always this lesson with him.”
3
Swan’s
attention, consideration, and persistence to all elements of the music made a lasting
impact on Scheibe and his choral music making. The experience shaped him both as
a conductor and as a teacher, affecting Scheibe’s ensembles and his interactions
with future students.
It almost goes without saying that Scheibe’s performances at conferences of
the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) hold significance for him in his
career. Under Scheibe’s direction, seven different ensembles have been selected to
sing at ACDA conferences, totaling five division performances and six national. The
conferences include: The Long Beach City College Abend Kammerchor at the
Western Division Conference in 1984; the LBCC Chamber Singers at the National
Conference in 1985; the Northern Arizona University Chorale at the Western
Division Conference in 1990 and at the National Conference in 1991; the University
of Miami Chorale at National Conferences in 1996, 2003, and 2007; the Master
Chorale of Tampa Bay at the Southeastern Division Conference in 2000; the Coral
Gables Congregational Church Canticum Novum at the Southeastern Division
Conference in 2004; and the University of Southern California Chamber Singers at
the Western Division Conference in 2014 and the National Conference in 2015. He

3
Scheibe, transcript.

43
has also personally conducted numerous honor choirs at ACDA conferences across
the United States.
Scheibe’s ACDA performances with the ensembles at LBCC each provided
unique challenges. Whereas the Abend Kammerchor was an evening alumni group,
the LBCC Chamber Singers were part of the regular curricular program at the
college and was much more subject to the fluid nature of students in the community
college system. Scheibe returned from winter break in January of 1985 to find that
the majority of his soprano section was gone. “I auditioned eight [sopranos], and
when we sang [at the convention] I had [only] one or two of the sopranos still with
me.”
4
Luckily, Scheibe married a soprano and was quick to enlist Mary’s help. In her
words, “He called me and he said ‘How fast can you memorize music?’ And I [said],
‘Well, let’s find out.’”
5
The ensemble pulled together and made the performance
work, despite the change of personnel and despite the drastic shock in temperature
from Southern California to Salt Lake City, Utah. “It was really rough [but] it was a
good experience for me…. We were frozen because [the group before us] was at
least ten to fifteen minutes over time… [and] our coats had been hung up in the
[warm-up] room and we had to wait outside to go on…. Bottom line is, it was not
necessarily the best experience... But it was an important part of the journey for

4
Scheibe, transcript.

5
Scheibe, transcript.

44
me.”
6
The group sang a difficult program including works by Vaughan Williams,
Brahms, and Janequin, among others.
The NAU Chorale performance in 1990 was extremely successful. Scheibe
recalls, “…After the third number the audience [erupted] into standing ovation….”
7

Scheibe additionally remembers former director of the San Francisco Symphony
Chorus, Vance George, personally congratulating him on an “incredible
performance.”
8
This particular performance is perhaps the moment that catapulted
Scheibe’s performing career, as the NAU Chorale was invited to sing the following
year for the national conference, and Scheibe was personally invited to conduct the
1993 ACDA National Women’s Honor Choir. His time at NAU opened up many
opportunities that highlighted his work as a musician and teacher, solidifying him as
a force in the choral world.
While in Miami, Scheibe led ensembles from many different choral
communities to ACDA Conferences, including the UM Chorale, the Master Chorale of
Tampa Bay, and the semi-professional ensemble, Canticum Novum, from Coral
Gables Congregational Church. Though Scheibe faced many obstacles with the voice
faculty at UM, his ability to recruit prevailed against any restrictions as the UM
Chorale was invited to sing at three National ACDA Conferences over Scheibe’s
fifteen years. The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay was Scheibe’s first Florida ensemble

6
Scheibe, transcript.

7
Scheibe, transcript.

8
Scheibe, transcript.

45
outside of UM to be selected for an ACDA performance; the ensemble performed
David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus. In conjunction with their home concert where
the work was paired with Paul Basler’s Missa Kenya, the chorale was awarded a
National Endowment for the Arts grant for their performance.
The UM Chorale was invited again for the 2003 ACDA Conference in New
York City, and that conference remains a vivid memory for Scheibe as a crucial event
in his career. “…It was a phenomenal group…. Bill Hipp funded $120,000 to do that
tour - I said to him that I needed the tour to help the choir get ready for the ACDA
performance.”
9
Former colleagues from UM attended a tour concert en-route to New
York City. Scheibe recalls their reaction to the performance: “Lorraine Buffington
and Frank Summers (former colleague) came up to me afterwards, and she said,
‘you finally have the choir that you need…. I have never heard a choir like that.’”
10
At
the conference, the ensemble sang at Riverside Church, Avery Fischer Hall, and the
ballroom at the Hilton Hotel. The program was centered on Penderecki’s Agnus Dei,
and auditions for the ensemble had been grueling. Singers auditioned on a
particularly chromatic phrase from the Agnus Dei, a passage that allowed Scheibe to
assess each individual’s musical abilities. “…It told me everything I needed to know,
whether you could execute [and] whether you could hear.”
11

9
Scheibe, transcript.

10
Scheibe, transcript.

11
Scheibe, transcript.

46
The following year, the semi-professional ensemble of sixteen members from
within the Chancel Choir of Coral Gables Congregational Church was selected to
perform at the Southern Division ACDA conference. The group of singers was
comprised of paid community members and UM students, and rehearsed primarily
Sunday afternoons. Scheibe’s previous work with the LBCC Abend Kammerchor
groomed him for the type of preparation required for this unique group of singers
with varying musical backgrounds that rehearsed primarily once a week. This
performance also showcased Scheibe’s dedication to sacred music and the
importance church music has played in his life. The program included a
commissioned work by Paul Basler, Rejoice in the Lord, which featured Basler on
French horn at the conference.
Finally, in 2007, the UM Chorale was selected to sing at the Miami
Conference. They performed a ten-minute program of Scheibe’s choosing before
premiering David Conte’s Nine Muses, the winner of that year’s Raymond W. Brock
Memorial Commission. Conte personally selected the UM Chorale to perform his
work from available choirs at the conference. The following year, Scheibe relocated
to USC, and under his direction, the USC Chamber Singers were selected to sing at
the 2014 Western Division Conference, where their program featured Canticum
Calamitatis Maritimae by Finnish composer Jaako Mäntyjärvi. The Chamber Singers
were invited the next year to the 2015 National conference in Salt Lake City, Utah,

47
which brought Scheibe full circle to his first national ACDA in Salt Lake City, with the
Long Beach City College Chamber Singers in 1985.
Collaborations with other ensembles and artists have always been
paramount in Scheibe’s programming. The UM ensembles sang in numerous large-
scale collaborations. There were many productions associated with acclaimed
conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony, including
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Schubert’s Mass in Ab. They also performed
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Cleveland Orchestra and Haydn’s Die
Schöpfung with Helmuth Rilling. Additionally, the UM Chorale collaborated with the
former conductor of the Paris Opera, Alain Lombard, on Bizet’s Carmen. Scheibe
recalls such collaborations as learning experiences for both his ensembles and
himself as a conductor.
The UM Chorale also sang with tenors Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti.
Scheibe recalls the collaboration for the Public Broadcasting Service special,
“Pavarotti on the Beach.” “[The performance was] on Miami beach, 100,000 people
in chairs seated on the beach with big jumbo-trons.”
12
At the dress rehearsal,
Pavarotti decided to change some of the literature on the program. Scheibe recalls
frantically running back to the UM campus post dress rehearsal to obtain scores and
having to hold a last-minute rehearsal the next day in order to teach the singers the
additional repertoire. His stress, which he has been known for, did not go unnoticed,

12
Scheibe, transcript.

48
which Scheibe later realized after reading Pavarotti’s autobiography. “In the book
Pavarotti, My life, [Pavarotti] talks about this choir conductor on Miami Beach who
has this [panicked] look on his face the entire time....”
13
Though stressful at the time,
Scheibe looks back on the experience with humor, and additionally credits to it his
flexible outlook on current performance schedules at USC.
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay greatly flourished under Scheibe’s
direction, and performed in many collaborations outside the previously mentioned
ACDA performances. They were recognized by the University of South Florida (USF)
as “Artists in Residence” at the school, and performed countless major works. In
2001, the ensemble toured to London to perform the Berlioz Requiem under the
direction of Sir Collin Davies. The organization additionally commissioned young
composers, including Paul Basler and Eric Whitacre. In a self-published book for
family and friends, “Reflections on the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay (the First
Twenty Years),” Dr. Robert Summer, founding artistic director of the ensemble and
professor emeritus at USF, recalls the process of reading a manuscript for
Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque, a work that has become one of Whitacre’s best selling and
frequently recorded compositions:
During the process of writing Lux Aurumque, Whitacre would send
Scheibe corrections by way of fax. At rehearsals, the choir would then
sing from the Xeroxed fax sheets while Scheibe held up a [phone] so
that Whitacre could hear the changes and make further adjustments.
14

13
Scheibe, transcript.

14
Appendix H: Summer, transcript.

49
In his tenure at USC thus far, the program has seen great growth in the
graduate students and in the addition of the new Bachelor of Arts degree in Choral
Music. In addition to the previously mentioned ACDA conference performances, the
USC Chamber Singers have sung at National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO)
Conference, the XII Bi-Annual China International Choral Festival in Beijing (2014),
and the 2014 International Federation of Choral Music World Choral Symposium.
They have given numerous performances with recording artists such as Sir Elton
John, The Rolling Stones, Barry Manilow, and Jennifer Hudson. They have been
involved with diverse collaborations including the Bach B Minor Mass and the
Mozart Requiem with Helmuth Rilling, Jeffrey Kahane and the Los Angeles Chamber
Orchestra, and Britten’s War Requiem with LA Opera’s James Conlon. In 2015, they
were the recipients of the American Prize Award.

50
Chapter V. Service to Professional Organizations
In his first year at Huntington Beach High School, Scheibe heard the choirs at
neighboring Lakewood High School under the direction of Willard Schmitt. Schmitt
became a mentor to him, and encouraged Scheibe to become active in local
organizations such as the Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA) and the
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). Scheibe’s introduction to leadership
in professional organizations began with his service as vice president of SCVA. That
position fostered his lifetime of service, which ultimately led to his long-standing
leadership role in ACDA
1
.
Service to larger professional organizations is paramount in Scheibe’s
philosophy as an educator, much like his desire to pay forward what he was given
by his teachers and mentors. He credits ACDA with not only providing him with
leadership experience, but also with providing him personal experiences as a music
educator and musician.
I think the ACDA experience… has been seminal in helping me become
who I am. It’s not about the leadership and visibility, it’s about
attending conventions where [Helmuth] Rilling did his first talk about
Bach or Dennis Shrock spoke about style. Being at concerts to hear
Luther [College], in Salt Lake City in 1985 do one of the most beautiful
performances that I have ever heard…. Being stunned by the exquisite
singing by University of Kentucky men’s choir…. [And] to have ACDA
opportunities that left me so deeply satisfied with the performances of
my [own] choir….
2

1
Western Division President Elect 1989-1991, Western Division President 1991-1993,
National President Elect Designate 2007-2009, National President Elect 2009-2011, National
President 2011-2013, National Vice President 2013-2015, National Chairperson of the Past
Presidents Council 2015-2017.

51

Though he has held prestigious positions, accolades have never been his motivation.
“I’ve tried to serve my profession because I do believe in giving back, always have.”
3

As previously mentioned, Scheibe’s first leadership position was as the SCVA
vice president, a position he held for two years. “I was in charge of the honor
choir….”
4
It did not take long before Scheibe received a phone call from the national
ACDA office about running for the Repertoire and Standards (R & S)
5
chairperson
for community colleges. He served as the R & S chairperson until he moved to
Northern Arizona University, when it no longer made sense for him to serve in a
position geared towards community colleges. Since then, he has served as the
Western Division ACDA President (1991-1993) and National ACDA President (2011-
2013).
While serving ACDA, he planned and was responsible for two conferences:
the Western Division Honolulu Conference in 1992 and the National Chicago
Conference in 2011. Technology and communication were somewhat difficult in
preparing the Honolulu Conference. Scheibe recalls standing by the fax machine at
NAU waiting for confirmations or staying up late to make up for the time difference
when making phone calls. The Chicago conference stands out for Scheibe, however,

2
Scheibe, transcript.

3
Scheibe, transcript.

4
Scheibe, transcript.

5
Now known as “Repertoire and Resources” (R & R).

52
as it was an event where he was able to highlight aspects of the profession that he
deems most important to our sustained successes as choral musicians. The focus
was on student engagement and the future success of ACDA through young teachers.
They did not use a prepared choir for the conducting competition, instead
assembled a choir that met for the first time at the conference, with quick
preparation led by Rod Eichenberger. The conference also featured a jazz night,
which had not previously been included. “My conference in 2011 focused on
students…. We put in conducting master classes…. We had dialogue with National
Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and choral conductors [to create] a
discussion…. I tried to zero in on things that were deeply important to me: vocalism,
vocal pedagogy, [and] dialogue between voice teacher and conductor. I wanted to
focus on the students, because they are the future of choral music; it is not in us
[older teachers]. And it turned out to be the second largest ACDA convention
ever....”
6

The Chicago convention remains a highlight for Scheibe in his career. He feels
that he was able to create a team of people who shared his work ethic and
dedication to the organization. That team, combined with his meticulous attention
to detail, allowed for the success of the conference and for ACDA to accomplish the
goals he had set whilst serving the organization. “I wanted to make sure it was a first
class convention. I was very hands-on. [It] drove everybody at ACDA nuts. But I also

6
Scheibe, transcript.

53
chose a team that was as fastidious as I was – Edie [Copley] (NAU Professor) was my
interest session chair and John Warren (former student) was the assistant interest
session chair…. I had this phenomenal group of people working with me. I’ve met so
many wonderful people through ACDA, people who like me, volunteer because they
love the organization.”
7

In June of 2017, Scheibe completed his more than nine-year tenure of service
through the National ACDA presidential path. In a “From the President” column in
the Choral Journal, Scheibe reflects on his views of ACDA and its role in our lives as
choral music educators:
One of the greatest gifts and opportunities we have is to serve others
in our profession. We will attempt to teach our students and singers
that to give back is paramount to building a lifetime of continued
growth. I know I have gotten far more from ACDA than I have given….
8

ACDA has and will continue to be central in Scheibe’s passion as a choral musician
and teacher. He continues to impart the importance of the organization on his
students and those with whom he works. “I embrace this organization, its work, and
this profession, and I am thankful to have had doors opened for me by so many….”
9

7
Scheibe, transcript.

8
Jo-Michael Scheibe, “From the President,” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 1 (August 2011): 4,
accessed June 2017. JSTOR.

9
Scheibe, transcript.

54
Chapter VI. Music Publishing
Much like other opportunities and jobs in his life, the music-publishing world
essentially dropped in Scheibe’s lap. Circa 1994, Scheibe received a phone call from
Bernard Fisher, owner of Plymouth Publishing Company. Scheibe had gotten to
know Fisher as a sponsor of the Pro-Arts Association, the organization that
produced the workshop Scheibe attended in 1972 with Eric Ericson, and the two
reconnected when Fisher moved his publishing company from New Jersey to Ft.
Lauderdale, FL. Scheibe recalls the initial phone conversation with Fisher: “‘Michael,
it’s Bernie Fisher. I’ve got this box of music under my desk and I need somebody to
go through it and decide whether I should publish it or not.’”
1
Scheibe traveled to Ft.
Lauderdale to retrieve what turned out to be multiple large boxes of music. He sifted
through the scores, playing and singing through hundreds of compositions to
determine whether or not they should be published. He compiled a list of
recommended scores that happened to include Paul Basler’s Missa Kenya. Fisher
offered to pay Scheibe for his work, which Scheibe refused. As he recalls, “Bernie
said, ‘Well, why don’t we do this? Why don’t you start a series? We’ll call it the Jo-
Michael Scheibe Choral Series.’”
2
Scheibe agreed, though he admits in hindsight that
he was not prepared for all that was included in publishing a series. “I had no idea

1
Scheibe, transcript.

2
Scheibe, transcript.

55
what I was getting myself into….”
3
Thus began a long standing relationship of
Scheibe with Plymouth Music, reading scores and sending new music to Fisher to be
published either through Plymouth, or through Walton Music, which was at the time
distributed by Plymouth.
One of the first scores Scheibe sent to Fisher, titled Cloudburst, was written
by a young composer named Eric Whitacre. “I met Eric in [an ACDA student]
symposium at UNLV - he was a student. He was in the conducting master class.”
4

During their time together at the symposium, Whitacre asked Scheibe to review his
work, Cloudburst. Scheibe helped Whitacre examine compositional elements to
create a work that was vocally accessible and viable for publishing. Fisher thought
the work was too difficult for Plymouth’s audience, so it was passed onto Walton
where it was later published. Scheibe and Whitacre continued to work through
compositions, including works such as Water Night, which was published through
the Dale Warland Series, and Lux Aurumque, previously mentioned in chapter five.
While at UM, Scheibe continued to read and perform many of Whitacre’s works,
including the commissioning of the SATB version of Five Hebrew Love Songs, which
was performed at the 2003 National ACDA conference.
Plymouth and Walton went their separate ways, and Scheibe continued to be
active as an editor in both companies, though his involvement with Walton
escalated into a much more substantial endeavor. Upon leaving Plymouth, Walton

3
Scheibe, transcript.

4
Scheibe, transcript.

56
decided to use Hal Leonard as their distributor, and Scheibe was asked to put
together a review board for new compositions. He was quickly made chairman of
the newly formed review board, and given the success of his selections, he was
subsequently asked to sign on as an associate publisher.
Plymouth Music was eventually taken over by Colla Voce after Fisher’s death.
Initially, there was some difficulty accessing Plymouth’s music. Scheibe recalls that
Plymouth’s music was unobtainable for close to seven or eight months following
Fisher’s passing.
5
Ultimately, Colla Voce was able to acquire Plymouth’s music,
creating a new publishing relationship for Scheibe. It was through Colla Voce that
Scheibe began a sacred music series for Coral Gables Congregational Church, which
continued to grow, so much that royalties came back to the church music program
until Scheibe left as CGCC’s music director.
Scheibe worked as an associate publisher for Walton until he was elected
National President of ACDA in 2007. The work for Walton included four meetings a
year where numbers were of constant concern and music needed to be defended in
order to either be printed or to stay in print. It was not something Scheibe had time
or energy to continue with once his position with ACDA began. When he was asked
to renew his contract with Walton, he decided that it was time to take a step back.
Scheibe felt that their expectations were unreasonable and that his work was not
fully appreciated. The time, stress, and patience required for the publishing process

5
Scheibe, transcript.

57
with Walton caught up to Scheibe, and he stepped down from their company.
Though he is no longer on staff, Scheibe has continued to send music to Walton.
Upon moving to California to work at USC, Scheibe opened conversations
with Barbara Harlow, editor and founder of Santa Barbara Music Publishing, to start
a new series with her company. He currently publishes works by established
composers, but is also diligent in discovering new and young composers, much like
former teacher and mentor, Frank Pooler, did. “I think the responsibility of the
conductor is to foster new compositions – whether that’s through commissioning,
performing, or recording them.”
6
It is not uncommon for the USC Chamber Singers
to take a week or two to read through and record scores he selects from emerging
composers who have sent him material. Just as he uses self-discovery as a teaching
tool with his choral conducting students, Scheibe provides opportunities for
composers to hear their work sung in real time and guides them through the
process of discovering what works for vocal ensembles and what does not. “I don’t
think you learn… how to compose unless you hear your work sung. The human
voice works differently than a midi keyboard and once a composer hears a work
sung – he or she may make different compositional choices.”
7
This process is equally
beneficial for the singers in his ensemble. “I find that the challenge of doing a
recording all the time is a wonderful challenge because it forces the choir to be on
their toes and work quickly and efficiently. Those weeks where we have a read

6
Scheibe, transcript.

7
Scheibe, transcript.

58
through of a work on a Monday and are recording it on Wednesday raises the bar
for all of us.”
8

Scheibe’s reputation with new music is widely respected among composers.
He takes time to read through new compositions he receives, he looks for the
potential in a composer’s work and is quick to give feedback or suggestions, and he
makes a point to share or recommend new works with colleagues. “He has always
been so gracious to me and encouraging during these early years of my career…. He
has helped my music get into the hands of some very prominent choral directors….
He has inspired me to work hard…. He has been a sounding board….”
9
A perfect
example of such promotion can be seen in an email to mentor Frank Pooler from
2012, one of countless correspondence between the two friends. Scheibe wrote
“Thought you might want to hear this – the USC Chamber Singers recorded this last
weekend for Daniel Brinsmead – a twenty-four year old composer from Canberra,
Australia – and someone I think is writing extremely well….”
10
David Conte,
composer of the Brock Commission at the Miami Conference in 2007, refers to
Scheibe as “a tireless champion of living composers.”
11
Stacey V. Gibbs states that

8
Scheibe, transcript.

9
Anonymous, interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 22, 2017, transcript.

10
Appendix I.

11
David Conte (Composer), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017, transcript.

59
Scheibe’s “commitment to the choral art form and his humanitarian philosophies are
inspirational….”
12

Composer and former UM student Sydney Guillaume experienced Scheibe’s
championing of new music first hand whilst singing in the UM Chorale:
My junior year, the year that I joined, I was studying with Robert
Gower, who was the accompanist for the choir. He knew that I was
avoiding writing choral music because I was scared of writing [it]….
Putting words with music was intimidating for me. He gave me an
assignment to write 16-bars of a choral piece. And I did the beginning
of Kalinda. He said it had a lot of potential and he challenged me to
write a full piece and I did. And we gave it to Scheibe. And I remember
when we first sight-read that piece in choir. It was in front of all my
friends and you guys were trying to sight-read this very complex
rhythmic piece and it was a disaster. I remember telling myself I
would never write choral music again. It was awful. [But] Scheibe
ended up having it on the board every day… and it became a hit for
the choir.
13

This particular work, as previously mentioned, became the encore performance for
the UM Chorale at the 2003 National ACDA conference in New York City. Although
encores are not allowed at ACDA conferences, Scheibe and the UM Chorale erupted
into Kalinda following Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love Songs in the Hilton ballroom,
their third and final performance of the conference. “Scheibe was fighting really
hard for… the piece to be published with Walton Music. And I remember him telling
me that they [did not want] to publish the piece because it was too complex and that
it probably would not sell many copies…. So after the performance at ACDA, Gunilla
Luboff (Walton editor) was there…. She heard it live, and she saw the audience

12
Stacey V. Gibbs (Composer), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017, transcript.

13
Sydney Guillaume (Composer), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 20, 2017, transcript.

60
reaction…. It makes more sense when you hear the piece live and not on recording
and that’s why she actually decided to publish the piece.”
14
Thus began Guillaume’s
choral composition career. Scheibe later commissioned Guillaume to write other
works, such as Touched in Love and Twa Tanbou, and has programmed his music at
numerous honor choirs and All States all over the country, catapulting his career for
him to become the independent Haitian choral composer he is today. “[Scheibe]
loved that I was from Haiti…. My background is a very important part of my career. I
feel like Scheibe really helped me feel proud of my roots, to embrace them….”
15

Through his series with Santa Barbara, he has published works by David
Dickau, Stacey V. Gibbs, Susan LaBarr, Daniel Brinsmead, and Nicholas McKaig,
among countless others. He also has a new sacred music series through Pavane
Publishing, another Southern California company run by Allan Petker. Scheibe’s
choral series continues to publish and be distributed by Colla Voce, Walton, Hal
Leonard, Pavane, and Santa Barbara, totaling between three and four hundred
works. He remains passionate about fostering the music of new composers: “My job
as a conductor is to make sure that their music gets exposure.”
16

14
Guillaume, transcript.

15
Guillaume, transcript.

16
Scheibe, transcript.

61
Chapter VII. Scheibe the Church Musician
Church music was a large part of Scheibe’s introduction to the choral world.
Initially, it was only Margot, Scheibe’s mother, who would take him and his brothers
to Sunday services. During Scheibe’s father’s captivity as a prisoner of war,
parishioners leaving the church in St. Petersburg would walk by, spit on, and utter
derogatory slurs at the prisoners. Such experiences did not build any kind of trust in
Hans for the institution of religion. However, Hans eventually came around and
joined the family in attending weekly Lutheran services at St. Luke’s Church in
Westminster, CA.
The minister at St. Luke’s had an affinity for pipe organs, and his organ
building skills that emerged from such affinity much surpassed his talents as a
preacher. Scheibe was enlisted to help with the construction of the church organ
made from recycled pipe racks (either donated or given to the church) and he was
later persuaded to start a choir when he was just sixteen years old. The minister and
organist peaked Scheibe’s interest by taking him to a Chorister’s Guild Meeting. The
meeting was held at the University of Redlands and featured Howard Swan as the
guest speaker and conductor. “I still remember the piece that he rehearsed and
talked about: Ehre sei dir Christe by Heinrich Schütz. He talked about how this piece
was constructed and it was just so intriguing to me….”
1
The experience for Scheibe
was formative in that it solidified some of his thoughts on music. Swan’s words

1
Scheibe, transcript.

62
resonated with Scheibe and pushed him to begin a choir at St. Luke’s. Margot, a life-
long smoker, sang tenor in the choir of only twelve singers, and Scheibe directed the
ensemble for two years, until he graduated from high school.
While completing his undergraduate degree at California State University
Long Beach, Scheibe worked at the Community United Methodist Church in
Huntington Beach (CUMCHB). For four years he directed the children’s choir, and
the middle and high school choirs. His experience at CUMCHB furthered his
exposure into the world of recruitment that had begun at St. Luke’s.
Church work continued to be a part of Scheibe’s choral career as he began his
first years of teaching. Whilst at Vintage High School, he had taken extra work at St.
John’s Lutheran Church for the year that he was in Napa Valley. When he returned to
southern California to take the job at Huntington Beach High School, he also
returned to CUMCHB where he resumed his work with the youth choirs, and
additionally took on the adult ensemble. Scheibe remembers this time as a formative
experience in developing his abilities in recruiting, teaching, and leading choirs. He
was paid a meager salary of only $100 per month for directing five choirs, but the
experience was so rewarding to him that he stayed at CUMCHB for a few years until
he left to take a position at the First Congregational Church of Santa Ana (FCCSA).
After working at the FCCSA, Scheibe took a part-time position at the First
Presbyterian Church of Downey (FPCD) while he was teaching at Long Beach City
College (LBCC). Scheibe led the adult and the youth choirs, with great success at the

63
youth level where he and Mary, his wife, worked together. As mentioned in chapter
two, Scheibe initially intended to take leave from LBCC and work full-time at FPCD
whilst pursuing his DMA at USC. When the Dean at LBCC eliminated that plan,
Scheibe was forced to leave the church in order to make time for his DMA studies.
Upon finishing his coursework in 1983, Scheibe was able to resume his church
work, taking a job at the First United Methodist Church of Long Beach, where he
stayed for two years until the family moved to Arizona.
Scheibe did not officially take on a church position while in Flagstaff. He was
asked to help with the music at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church as a
volunteer, however the family worshiped at Trinity United Methodist Church.
2

Scheibe shared responsibilities with then Flagstaff High School choir director,
Douglas Riddle. The two musicians traded Sundays as to divide the responsibilities.
Scheibe recalls the work as somewhat difficult, as the choir rehearsed only Sunday
mornings just prior to the service.
Working as a church musician was not initially an item on Scheibe’s radar
while in Miami. The family sought an open and affirming congregation in which to
raise their children. “We felt that it was really necessary for our kids because [they]
were going to a private Christian high school that was very conservative
Presbyterian…. We wanted them in a liberal congregation.”
3
At the time they joined
Coral Gables Congregational Church (CGCC), the choir director was Steven Mitchell,

2
Scheibe, transcript.

3
Scheibe, transcript.

64
a master’s student at the University of Miami. Mitchell left the position when he
accepted another job out of state. Knowing that Scheibe was about to take his
sabbatical, the interim pastor asked Scheibe to step in as interim music director
while they did a search for a new full-time position. As Mary had already been
singing in the choir and his children were getting more involved in the congregation,
he agreed to help out as a favor. At the time, Scheibe was not only teaching at UM,
but he was also directing the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, the Civic Chorale in
Miami, and was about to take on the Florida Philharmonic Chorus. The addition of
the church, which began as a favor, quickly turned into more. When the search for a
permanent replacement failed, the personnel committee asked Scheibe to leave UM
to join the church staff full-time, offering him a larger salary than he was making at
the university. Scheibe’s concern, however, remained with his children, knowing
that his faculty status at UM allowed for them to attend college there for free. He
ultimately declined their offer.
Instead of taking the full-time position at CGCC, the church administration
worked with Scheibe to continue his position part time, and used the remaining
money to create salaries for other jobs that would benefit the ministry. They hired a
full-time secretary, a full-time summer camp music administrator, music assistants
for the chancel and youth choirs, and a children’s choir director. The music at the
church became a central part of worship, and through Scheibe’s leadership, the
church’s music ministry became an active recruitment tool for the congregation.

65
They performed numerous major works and commissioned compositions from
notable composers. Scheibe began a church worship music series in CGCC’s name
through Plymouth Publishing (later through Colla Voce), and took the professional
ensemble Canticum Novum to perform at the Southern Division ACDA conference in
2004 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Unfortunately, the more ministers that Scheibe saw come and go, the more
Scheibe “learned that church politics are worse than collegiate politics.”
4
When the
church was forced to redo the entire building due to mold, the additional cost of also
replacing the organ and installing the new instrument did not go over well with a
small, yet vocal group from amongst the large congregation. Among other issues, the
interim pastor at the time additionally issued an ultimatum to Scheibe regarding
longtime organist Dennis Janzer. Both Scheibe and Janzer ended up leaving the
church in November of 2006.
I had been fighting [the Pastor] on some, shall we say, lies or untruths
about Dennis…. It was [his] way to get rid of us.... And from that point
on, Mary and I have not gone to a church in an organized manner. You
know, my Sundays are free, I go to the gym and then I read the paper
and I have a cup of coffee. And that’s my worship…. I loved the people
in that church, I still keep in contact with a lot of them…. My intent
was that… I would retire at the church but it was not [meant] to be….
And if I had not left that job, it would have been more difficult
financially to leave Miami [for USC, referring to his additional salary
earned from the church].
5

4
Scheibe, transcript.

5
Scheibe, transcript.

66
Despite the negative ending, Scheibe still regards his church work in a positive light.
“I met so many wonderful people and had such extraordinary experiences at that
church… We had a home and a family there, it was an important part of our [life].”
6

6
Scheibe, transcript.

67
Chapter VIII. Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Reflections
“You can’t be a music teacher without being passionate about the craft.”
1

There is no denying that Jo-Michael Scheibe is incredibly passionate about the
choral art form. Where his father and his brothers were driven through
mathematics and engineering, Scheibe found his respite in choral music. Perhaps
fueled by Hans’ doubt of music as a career, Scheibe’s drive and determination
propelled into a fierce devotion for creating fine choral music. He is undoubtedly
demanding of singers, incredibly attentive to details, and his expectations of others
are only second to his expectations of himself.
Travis Rogers, Western Division American Choral Directors Association
(ACDA) president and former student from Vintage High School says:
To me, [Scheibe] is the strongest example of hard work resulting in
success of ANY person I have ever met in my life. He has earned every
award, accolade, and compliment that he has ever been given. His
incredibly high standards and refusal to accept anything else but the
very best from himself and from his students has resulted in his well-
deserved reputation as one of the very best choral conductors in the
USA. I think there are other more naturally talented musicians, but Dr.
Scheibe exceeds and excels because he works harder that anybody I
have ever known.
2

Mark Hart, colleague and singer from Coral Gables Congregational Church, states
that Scheibe “has extremely high expectations of himself and of those whom he
teaches and makes music. As a result, there is tremendous exploration and growth
that takes place…. As a colleague, Dr. Scheibe is not shy about ‘shaking things up’ in

1
Scheibe, transcript.

2
Rogers, transcript.

68
order to create the best within any project. He listens and reacts to generate
uncompromising excellence.”
3

Such demand and persistence for excellence can be incredibly difficult.
Former chorus administrator for the Florida Philharmonic Chorus, Pam Dearden,
recalls, “working for [Scheibe] was challenging…. [He] demanded the best and more
of everyone [and] he expected those who worked with him to share his dedication,
work ethic, and enthusiasm…. He is painstakingly attentive to detail… but I
experienced tremendous personal and professional growth during that time.”
4

James B. Heck, who sang under Scheibe in the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, states,
“As a teacher, he was very patient but insistent that you respond to his
interpretation….”
5
Another student remembers Scheibe as “inspiring and motivating
[yet] sometimes a bit intimidating and demanding....”
6

Admittedly, Scheibe’s fixation to detail comes, at times, to a fault. “I get so
focused on getting things [in] my aural image that I lose focus on the people.”
7

Scheibe acknowledges that his passion affects his patience, and in the context of
rehearsal, he often gets so wrapped up in the moment that he gets “sidelined by

3
Mark Hart (Coral Gables Congregational Church), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 5,
2017, transcript.

4
Pam Dearden (Florida Philharmonic Chorus), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 18, 2017,
transcript.

5
James B. Heck (Master Chorale of Tama Bay), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017,
transcript.

6
Anonymous, interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 28, 2017, transcript.

7
Scheibe, transcript.

69
minutia.”
8
He addressed how he personally is affected by stress in one of his
columns, “From the President,” in The Choral Journal:
I tend to allow little things to get to me. When this happens, if I’m not
careful, I have noticed that there can be a bit of a downward spiral in
my relationship with my singers. …Its unfortunate when we let the
hectic nature of our profession take away from the rapport we
continually work to build with our singers.
9

Though handling stress is something Scheibe continues to struggle with, former
Huntington Beach High School student Kim Sinclair recalls Scheibe’s character as “a
fine balance between warmth and firmness. He demanded excellence, showed
excitement when he heard what he was aiming for, and yet let us know very
specifically when he wanted more. He took his job very seriously. We knew when
our performance was not quite up to his standards when he would start emptying
his pockets onto the top of the piano.”
10

Scheibe never set out to be a collegiate teacher:
I went into the profession to be a high school choral director, and be a
good one. That is all I wanted to do. I wanted to be like the model of
the person I had seen…. There was never any intent to lead anything
more than high school. I think what happens is… you discover that
you want to do more, that you want something more for your
students, you want something more for yourself. You start
participating in organizations where you can grow. You begin to

8
Scheibe, transcript.

9
Jo-Michael Scheibe, “From the President,” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 1 (March 2012): 4,
accessed June 2017, JSTOR.

10
Kim Sinclair (Huntington Beach High School), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 17, 2017,
transcript.

70
discover that maybe there is a little more to you, that you can stretch
yourself....
11

This passion for life-long learning and the continuous desire for more has driven
Scheibe’s career from the small program at Vintage High School to what it is today.
Former University of Southern California master’s student Ryan Jones remembers
Scheibe personally demonstrating his life-long learning during a particular
rehearsal. “This was seen most profoundly when Rodney Eichenberger gave Doc a
conducting lesson in front of Chamber Singers. The fact that he was okay with being
critiqued in front of his students, to take on the role of student, spoke volumes to his
character as well as his thirst for improvement and lack of complacency.”
12

Not only is Scheibe passionate about choral music, he is fiercely passionate
about his students and the people with whom he makes music. “The best teachers
are those that are connected to people and [those that] want to impart
[information]…. Waving hands has nothing to do with teaching.”
13
The connections
made between people through choral music making are a forefront in his teaching
philosophy and he leads by example. He referred to such personal connections while
addressing members of ACDA, in his article from The Choral Journal, in the context
of remembering one of his own mentors: “As with Willard Schmitt, each one of you

11
Scheibe, transcript.

12
Ryan Jones (Masters Student, USC), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 7, 2017,
transcript.

13
Scheibe, transcript.

71
teaches much more than music. You take a group of individuals and shape them
through music, knowing that the experience has the power to bind them together in
a unique way.”
14
The closeness formed through intense hard work, fostered by
Scheibe, is a theme throughout his tenure at all of the schools and universities at
which he has taught. Former Northern Arizona University student Deborah
Muhlenbruck Fleischer states “the bond between Dr. Scheibe and us kids that are
now ‘his big kids’ will never be broken – such special friendships and relationships
were built and we are all still in touch to this day.”
15
Former University of Miami
student Carolina Castells recalls “the result of the hard work. It was not easy and it
was a lot of pressure, but I had so many wonderful musical moments in rehearsals
and concerts. I still keep in touch with people I sang with during that time over a
decade later.”
16

Scheibe remembers every name, place, and detail about all of the people he
meets from every ensemble, honor choir, All State, or other collaboration on which
he has worked. He responds to every email, voice mail, or text he receives. He
forwards job openings to every student, past and present, which he thinks would be
a good candidate. He makes time for every request, albeit a planning meeting or
simply a student’s request for advice. In The Choral Journal, he describes Frank

14
Jo- Michael Scheibe, “From the President,” The Choral Journal 52, no. 2 (September 2011);
4, accessed July 2017, JSTOR.

15
Deborah Muhlenbruck Fleischer (NAU Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 14,
2017, transcript.

16
Carolina Castells (UM Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 23, 2017, transcript.

72
Pooler’s method of student meetings, a method which Scheibe has also adopted:
“When one needed to speak with him, he would say ‘sure follow me to my next
appointment’ an hurriedly he would move and we would talk.”
17
Former UM student
John Warren is “grateful not only for the formal teaching, but the countless hours of
conversations and mentorship.”
18
Former Long Beach City College and NAU student
John Grayson recalls the generosity of Scheibe on multiple occasions:
When I first returned to LBCC, Dr. Scheibe and his wife, Mary, gave me
some of their things from their household to help get me started. Basic
things like a toaster oven, some pots and pans, and a few blankets….
To me it was a treasure…. My wife and I had our first child in
December of the same school year that I was to complete my degree at
NAU. Dr. Scheibe and Mary recently had their son, Alex…. [Scheibe
was very understanding concerning] my fatherly duties… I used to use
the compartment in the piano bench in my office as a makeshift crib.
19

Though Scheibe places incredible importance on the connections with people
that are created through music, he is the first to admit that the career and his drive
for excellence came at a price for his family. “I think the family probably suffered
emotionally from my travels. Part of that may have been egocentric, you know,
wanting to succeed.”
20
Scheibe acknowledges that much of that came from the
desire to continue to prove his father wrong, and with not having what most might

17
Scheibe, Choral Journal 52, no. 10.

18
John Warren (UM Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 9, 2017, transcript.

19
John Grayson (LBCC, NAU Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 25, 2017,
transcript.

20
Scheibe, transcript.

73
consider the traditional family example. Both he and Mary had fathers who worked
or studied at night, and were somewhat detached from the family. Such experiences
with their own fathers affected their approach to parenting. Though Scheibe is a
workaholic, he did not parent his children with the anger or fear that his own father
had used. He does, however, acknowledge that Mary was left to do the majority of
the disciplining, as she was home the most. Despite any parenting regrets, Scheibe is
incredibly proud of his children and who they have become. “Meghan has my drive
[and] Meghan has Mary’s sarcasm. Alex has my love of people, and [like Mary is] laid
back…. I could not have asked for two better kids.”
21

Like most who devote their lives to a passion, there are often fears that affect
judgment or choices in the career. “The problem is that so often when you get to this
point… you are so busy. You get caught up in it. And it is not for the glory, …you just
feel like you can’t say ‘No.’ …I remember talking to Weston Noble, and I said ‘So are
you ever going to retire?’ And he said, ‘No, I don’t want people to forget me. And I’m
worried if I retire they won’t call on me.’”
22
Though at times affected by such
pressures and doubts, the focus for Scheibe has always been founded in connections
to the people around him, family or otherwise. “You have your extended family and

21
Scheibe, transcript.

22
Scheibe, transcript.

74
those are the students you have had…. They have gone on and done so many great
things.”
23

Service is another hallmark of Scheibe’s teaching philosophy, not only on the
large scale of professional organizations but more simply to his everyday students.
Commitment to his students is a form of service that, to him, honors all the teachers
and mentors who have shaped his life to this point. “The mark I want to leave is not
the things I have done, …more so it is about those that I have taught…. Making sure
there was a connection to the art form [for my students] and to the love of making
music. I think [paying it forward is] key [to] what we do…. While it wasn’t always
easy… everyone along the path helped me grow…. Sometimes it was very painful….
We can be comfortable and stay in a cocoon or we can come out of it.”
24

The personal connections Scheibe has made through choral music are
incredibly important to him, both in connecting with students and in maintaining
relationships with his own mentors. Frank Pooler and Scheibe corresponded
regularly until Pooler’s passing in 2013, sharing thoughts, recordings, and often
some of Pooler’s original paintings. In one such email from 2003, in preparation for
the National NYC ACDA Conference, Pooler wrote:
Dear Mike,

Lately I have been scanning some old papers and I was amazed at how
often items with your name kept appearing. Times and places where I
had heard your excellent choirs in southern California, at conventions

23
Scheibe, transcript.

24
Scheibe, transcript.

75
and on recordings you have sent me over the years…. Your love and
dedication to singing burst through every word… I recall your most
welcome phone call when I was hospitalized by a bum hip…. All this in
preface to tell you how proud I am and have been of your
accomplishments over the years. You had great talent and always
worked to capacity. Talent is like a battery. Once you get it started it
takes a generator to keep it moving. Your generator is a fine mind and
a good heart. I wish you all the best at the New York Convention….
Long Beach will be well represented…. The cream always rises to the
top, doesn’t it? I’m also pleased that you will join the long line of
distinguished musicians that the [Long Beach] music department has
chosen to honor. My very best to you and yours, Mike.

With respect and admiration,
Frank
25

Another such mentor that is still very active in Scheibe’s life-long learning is
Rod Eichenberger. As mentioned previously, Eichenberger often comes to USC as a
guest clinician and teacher, and will sit in Chamber Singers rehearsals to give
Scheibe continued lessons on conducting and gesture. Scheibe treasures these
experiences, and has the same respect and admiration for Eichenberger today as he
did all those years ago as a student at USC:
I wish I were at times more like Rod, in terms of teaching. Here is my
mentor – he is constantly learning, he is constantly exploring, he is
looking for new ways to impart ideas and he just turned eighty-seven.
I told Rod in an email for his birthday, I said ‘I just hope I’m half as
sharp at seventy-five as you are at eighty-seven.’ …Rod loves people.
He loves supporting others…. If you look at the people he has taught –
everybody from Mack Wilberg to Jerry Blackstone to – you could just
go down the list. It is a who’s who of choral music today. But he did so
without anger, with humor, with [balanced discovery and

25
Appendix I.

76
demonstration] - with having them listen and seeing if they could hear
what he heard.
26

Eichenberger has mutual admiration for Scheibe. He describes Scheibe as “ a
workaholic… [and] tireless…. I have always been impressed…. The fact that he has
had such a wonderful career speaks for itself.”
27
Eichenberger also fondly recalls a
moment in which he found himself both impressed with Scheibe and proud to be his
teacher: “He and I were both teaching at the New Zealand Choral Federation
Summer Workshop…. It was the first time I had seen him teach a conducting master
class. I was so impressed with… how kindly he treated the conductors and what he
was saying, it was very impressive to me. I was really happy to see that.”
28
Scheibe
continues to strive to do better, to teach better, and to be a better musician for his
students because of the examples he was given throughout his own education.
One particular pillar of Scheibe’s teaching pedagogy is the concept of self-
discovery. “My job as a teacher is to work myself out of a job. If I am teaching
conducting, I need to give the students the tools to analyze what they are doing and
determine whether or not it’s working. If I am doing my job, I am allowing them to
make those determinations through exploration.”
29
Dr. Matthew Tresler
experienced a great deal under the direction and instruction of Scheibe, as an

26
Scheibe, transcript.

27
Eichenberger, transcript.

28
Eichenberger, transcript.

29
Scheibe, transcript.

77
undergraduate student at NAU, and a master’s and doctoral student at UM. “Dr.
Scheibe has the ability to make me always feel supported and yet never led. He let
me seek my own conclusions, my own opinions, and always had something to offer.
His high expectations and standards combined with giving room for us to grow in
our own ways [have] shaped how I teach.”
30
Scheibe’s ability to deliver information
without explicitly dictating concepts allows for students to discover their own ideas
as musicians and educators. Former USC masters student Gavin Thrasher
remembers, “[Scheibe’s] technical skill as a conductor and teacher brought out my
own technique, in a way that did not replicate his, but became my own effective
language.”
31

While that concept of self-discovery is more directly applied in the academic
classroom, Scheibe adopts much the same in rehearsals for his singers. He is very
cognizant of the roles of right and left-brain, having had his own brain scanned to
see his personal tendencies. Not surprising, he is almost as analytical as he is
musical. Knowing this about himself and exploring how brain function affects his
students has allowed him to discover how successful musicians can be when both
sides of the brain are engaged in the learning process. “If we are talking ensemble,
great teaching is when I can get [singers] to be active in the process of learning so

30
Matthew Tresler (Irvine Valley College), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 9, 2017,
transcript.

31
Gavin Thrasher (USC Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 7, 2017, transcript.

78
the synapses are working and both the right and left side of the brain are
engaged.”
32

Another similar pillar to Scheibe’s teaching pedagogy is the concept of self-
reflection:
The choir or class is successful when the conductor has chosen
appropriate literature, understands the voice, has studied the scores
and the historical context and has an understanding of performance
practice. My job as a teacher is to equip myself with that information
so that I can be the best possible example for my students.
33

This concept is evident in both his classes and his rehearsals, as he asks the same of
himself as he does his students. The questions “What do I hear?” “What is the
problem?” and “How do I fix it?” are constant in his brain, and he demands students
to ask themselves the same. It is not uncommon for him to stop in rehearsal and say
to his singers “Let me do this better” or “Let me try something different” in regards
to his gesture. Former USC DMA student Tatiana Taylor remembers “feeling
frustrated sometimes in his classes because nothing I ever handed in ever made it
back into my hands without oodles of corrections. There was never a gesture that
could not be improved. There was never a sound that I created in my choirs that he
did not question. However because he demanded so much out of me, I learned to
demand only the best for myself. In retrospect, I am eternally grateful that he

32
Scheibe, transcript.

33
Scheibe, transcript.

79
pushed me so diligently to my breaking point many times because now in my new
professional life, I know I can handle whatever comes my way.”
34

Another tenant of Scheibe’s teaching philosophy that perhaps goes unnoticed
is his instruction by example. There is no job beneath him, no aspect of the program
he deems unworthy of his time:
It’s not just about conducting the top group. There are important
lessons to be learned by being in front of a beginning level, non-major
ensemble… lessons that will give conductors tools they will use
throughout their careers. I also think students need to know that hard
work and being willing to do any job, are important element for
success in the tenure and promotion process. We have to be team
players so if I need risers set up, you’ll see me [helping set them up]. If
there is something that needs to get done, it is my job to pitch in to
make sure that happens.
35

Former USC DMA student Shou Ping Liu remembers “Dr. Scheibe was always picking
up all the trash and leftovers after each concert…. Even though he is the ‘chair,’ he is
willing to do the most basic chores. This is a great pattern for all of us.”
36

Scheibe firmly believes that the role of the choral director includes that of the
vocal pedagogue. In his lectures, presentations, and newly published book, he places
importance on realizing that choral directors are, more often than not, the only
source of vocal instruction singers receive. “Conductors/educators are responsible
for helping young singers ‘find their voice.’ In many cases, choral directors are the
primary voice teachers…. This carries with it a tremendous responsibility to teach

34
Tatiana Taylor (USC Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017, transcript.

35
Scheibe, transcript.

36
Shou Ping Liu (USC student), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 18, 2017, transcript.

80
healthy, tension-free technique.”
37
Ostensibly, his experience with his own vocal
issues that stemmed from questionable instruction may have pushed him to become
a champion for utilizing and recognizing healthy vocal function, especially
throughout choral music making. “We are charged with the responsibility of
teaching good and healthy technique that allows air to flow freely.”
38

Scheibe’s view of healthy vocalism and vocal pedagogy in the choral
ensemble is perhaps best seen in his work with consonant function in the voice.
Most choral musicians spend the majority of the rehearsal working with vowel
sounds, however in his book Teaching Music Through Performance Volume 4,
Scheibe highlights the massive number of consonant sounds that are often
overlooked or addressed improperly. “Conductors sometimes ask their singers to
‘spit out the consonants’ which is a dangerous practice and should be avoided
because it is often done aggressively and stops the air flow.”
39
He believes that
consonants should be utilized in warm-ups, both as a tool to begin phonation for
singers to be “on the breath,” and as a teaching tool to address specific issues in the
ensemble’s current repertoire. Just as vowel modification is essential in certain
tessituras, consonant modification is equally important. “Intentional consonant
modification should be explored when it assists the breath flow throughout the

37
Scheibe et al., 87.

38
Scheibe et al., 88.

39
Scheibe et al., 92.

81
passaggio and in extreme ranges, as well as for expressive purposes.”
40
Attention to
consonants and realizing their full potential to either hinder or assist in vocal
function has become paramount in Scheibe’s approach to teaching vocal music.
“Vowels should not be affected by the articulation of the consonants nor should
there be any interruption in the legato line. However… consonants need enough
duration and quality to provide the intelligibility of the word itself. Consonants are
as important as vowels.”
41

One of Scheibe’s greatest strengths as musician is his ability to listen and
hear. His ensembles consistently sing with impeccable intonation and he is able to
identify and isolate minute details within dense harmonic construction. One student
recalls, “Dr. Scheibe has an uncanny ability to draw out each voice, each part, and
the chorus as a whole masterfully, in just the right way.”
42
Perhaps influenced by his
early years siphoning organ pipes in the church, Scheibe attributes his keen ear to
his background in a cappella singing and his ineptitude at the piano. Admittedly, he
regrets not learning to play proficiently; however the absence of such skill forced
him to rely on his ears and his vocalism. “We did lots of a cappella literature because
there was not much I could do with piano. And I think that when you are not relying
on the keyboard, then you hear differently… you are listening to harmonics and

40
Scheibe et al., 93.

41
Scheibe et al., 93.

42
Anonymous, interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 28, 2017, transcript.

82
overtones …. The difference in the intonation based on that, verses pounding parts
on the piano is just so amazing….”
43

Scheibe’s process of selecting singers and seating the ensemble is also
incredibly strengthened by his keen ear. Notably influenced by the Weston Noble
seating procedure,
44
Scheibe has developed his own take on placement of voices to
create what he refers to as a pastiche of vocal colors. “I do not like to use the word
blend, but rather the idea of pastiche or pointillist painting. When you’re close to the
painting, you see all the individual colors but from distance you see a homogenous
[picture].”
45
His process, like Noble, begins with identifying dark and light voices,
and the puzzle begins by selecting a vocal model that demonstrates an ideal sound.
He looks for rhythmic and pitch integrity, complimentary rates of vibrato, and
density of color in the sound of two or more voices placed next to each other. He
differs from Noble slightly in arrangement of the ensemble at large, rehearsing and
often performing primarily in the arrangement below:

B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1
B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2 T2
S1 S1 S1 S1 S1 S1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1
S2 S2 S2 S2 S2 S2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2
Figure 1. Scheibe Seating Chart.

43
Scheibe, transcript.

44
Weston Noble, Achieving Choral Blend Through Standing Position, GIA Publications.

45
Scheibe, transcript.

83
His ensembles have been known to perform in mixed seating, but the same
principles of higher voices singing into darker or heavier voices in lower ranges
stays constant.
Repertoire choices and programming for ensembles is another key
component of Scheibe’s success as a choral musician, both for the ensembles that he
directs regularly and in his guest conductor positions. In “Perspectives on Sight-
Reading Choral Repertoire: Conversations with Rodney Eichenberger, Joseph
Flummerfelt, Ann Howard Jones, Jo-Michael Scheibe, and Dennis Shrock,” an article
from The Choral Journal by Jason Paulk published in 2004, Scheibe revealed the
following thoughts on repertoire:
Paramount to our success as conductors is assessing the level of the
singers we are standing in front of and choosing the literature wisely.
Success is based upon how well the conductors have not only
prepared the ensemble but how well they have chosen and
programmed the repertoire for the ensemble…. If conductors are not
sold on a particular composition, they should not program it.
46

Not only does Scheibe look at compositional elements and accessibility for
the singers a given ensemble, he looks at the desired audience connection and the
passion from which the conductor approaches the work. He also actively works to
refrain from complacency, a topic he addressed in one of his columns, “From the
President,” in The Choral Journal:
My personal ritual includes the reading of new and unknown
repertoire…. Sometimes in an effort to get the job done, we recycle
rather than allow the juices to flow…. I put post-it notes on the music,

46
Paulk, 32.

84
write on the scores, and use them to begin lists of ideas… I currently
have piles of music all over my office…. I return to my stacks of music,
and reread the texts, looking for common threads. These ideas need
time to percolate. I call friends, former students, and speak with
colleagues, always looking for another way to approach completing
my programming…. No program is ever so set in stone that I cannot
change it….
47

This passion for music, in selection and performance, and deep connection to people
through singing are continuous themes throughout Scheibe’s pedagogy.
Dearden states, “Even though he appears to be a demanding teacher, Dr.
Scheibe is a compassionate human being.”
48
Students and singers who have studied
under Dr. Scheibe overwhelmingly view his demanding nature as part of his genuine
care for them as people. UM student Angel Marchese describes Scheibe as his “most
influential teacher and mentor... I experienced how his high musical demands, his
passion for the choral art, and his love for his students helped create a choral
program of the highest levels.”
49
Current music industry professional and former
NAU student Tim Davis recalls “Dr. Scheibe saw something in me that I didn’t see in
myself… he changed my life.”
50
Another former NAU student and current choral
director at Dobson High School and the Phoenix Children’s Chorus, Ron Carpenter,
says:

47
Jo-Michael Scheibe, “From the President,” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 11 (June 2012; 4,
accessed July 2017, JSTOR.

48
Dearden, transcript.

49
Angel Marchese (UM Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 16, 2017, transcript.

50
Tim Davies (Music Industry Professional), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 9, 2017,
transcript.

85
I am so grateful that he saw something in me and absolutely would
not allow me to self-destruct…. He allowed me to fail and then pushed
me to pick myself up and try again until I succeeded, not just
academically but also as a human…. Later in life, talking with many of
us who say at NAU during this time, we all agree that our experience
singing with him had a great deal to do with our successes in the rest
of our lives.
51

51
Ron Carpenter (NAU Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 14, 2017, transcript.

86
Chapter IX. Summary and Conclusion
The life and career of career of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe is one of perseverance
and personal connections. Scheibe is an example of just how far hard work and
determination can take a person. Attention to details, conviction of integrity, and
dedication to music and people have clearly made Scheibe stand out as a music
educator and choral conductor. His life is a representation of just how connected the
choral community can be. His acknowledgement of such connections, his openness
to unplanned opportunities, and his desire to pay forward the opportunities he was
provided are an example to all educators. While other currently successful choral
conductors have built their career on similar values, Scheibe has additionally
distinguished himself through his work with ACDA and his efforts in promoting
emerging composers.
This document is merely a starting point for documenting the life and work
of Scheibe. The connections of musicians and people through his music will continue
to evolve and develop over time. The overall effects of his music will only continue
to expand. The effects of his work with contemporary music and choral composers
will continue to be seen as the careers of such composers develop and grow.
Scheibe’s musical contributions through exceptional performances,
leadership in professional organizations, and work with emerging composers has
had a significant impact on American choral music. Scheibe is a man of
determination, dedication, and persistence. Though at times he may seem

87
aggressive or demanding, his career to date and his effect on so many musicians and
students cannot be denied. He has given the choral field incredible music through
his ensembles and through the events at which he conducts. He has given countless
hours of assistance to colleagues, composers, and students, imparting knowledge
that he will continue to cultivate until he is no longer able. His life’s work has been
to share his love of music and his love of people in the best way he knows how:
through great choral singing.

88
Appendix A: IRB Approval And Documentation

89

90

91

92
Appendix B: List of Interviews

In person:
Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe and Mary Mattei Scheibe July 12-13, 2017
Long Beach, California

Phone:
Professor Rodney Eichenberger August 15, 2017
Sydney Guillaume, Composer and Former UM Student August 20, 2017

Online Submissions:

FORMER STUDENTS

Timestamp Full Name
Institutions attended with Dr. Scheibe
(including years)
7/9/17 13:41 Matthew Tresler, DMA NAU 1990-1993, UM 2003-2008
7/13/17 14:29 Tatiana E. Taylor USC 2013-2017
7/13/17 17:48 Travis Rogers
Vintage High School 1973-74, Northern
Arizona University 1986-87
7/14/17 1:39 Mary Wallahan Long Beach City College 1978 - 1985
7/14/17 9:45 Ron Carpenter Northern Arizona University 1985-1990
7/14/17 13:20
Deborah Muhlenbruck
Fleischer
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff 1988-
1993
7/16/17 7:14 Angel Marchese University of Miami 1994-1996
7/17/17 22:02 Kim Sinclair Huntington Beach High School, 1975-1977
7/18/17 8:40 Shou Ping Liu University of Southern California, (3 years)
7/23/17 16:09 Carolina Castells University of Miami (2001-2004)
7/25/17 11:58 John Grayson
Long Beach City College from Fall 1979 -
Spring 1984. Northern Arizona University
from Fall 1988 - Spring 1990.
7/28/17 13:02 Anonymous
8/7/17 8:49 Travis Ryan Jones
University of Southern California (2012 -
2014)
8/7/17 9:40 Gavin N Thrasher
University of Southern California (2013-
2015)
8/9/17 6:43 John Warren University of Miami
8/9/17 13:03 Tim Davis NAU 1983-1988
FORMER COLLEAGUES

Timestamp Full Name
Institutions or Organizations worked at with
Dr. Scheibe, including years.
7/13/17 18:29 James B, Heck The Master Chorale from 1956 to 2001
7/13/17 19:05 Thomas Sleeper University of Miami School of Music

93
7/14/17 8:11 Robert Summer
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay,
University of South Florida
7/14/17 8:20 Elena M. Richter
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay where he
was Artistic Director for 3 years
7/14/17 12:54 James William (Bill) Hipp University of Miami Frost School of Music
7/18/17 19:23 Pam Dearden
Florida Philharmonic Orchestra 2000-2003,
Master Chorale of South Florida 2003-2008
7/26/17 6:48 Anonymous Frost School of Music, University of Miami
8/5/17 12:37 Mark Hart
Coral Gables Congregational United Church
of Christ / ~ 4 years
8/14/17 20:57 Anonymous
8/23/17 9:02 Dennis Janzer
Coral Gables Congregational Church,
University of Miami, currently as
arranger/composer at large.
COMPOSERS

Timestamp Full Name
Institutions or Organizations worked at with
Dr. Scheibe (including years)
7/13/17 18:00 David Conte
Northern Arizona University; 1991: University
of Miami; 2007; USC; 2009 to the present
7/13/17 18:45 Stacey V. Gibbs
Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Colla Voce
Publishing & Walton Music
7/22/17 8:55 Anonymous
8/15/17 13:33 David Dickau USC (fellow student)
8/20/17 14:30 Anonymous

Transcriptions of interviews can be made available upon request.

94
Appendix C: Scheibe Interview Questions

Biographical/Music teaching information:

Where/when were you born?

How would you describe your childhood? How would you describe your family
growing up?

What were your musical experiences as a child?

Where did you go to high school? When did you graduate? How would you describe
your high school career?

How did you decided to major in music?

What made you want to be a musician, particularly a choral conductor?

Were there any experiences from your high school or collegiate years made an
impact on your life? If so, what were they?

Where/when did you earn your bachelors degree?

Where/when did you earn your graduate degrees?

How did you decided to pursue graduate degrees?

Did you have any teachers, music or otherwise, that greatly affected your life and/or
career path? If so, who were they and how did they affect you?

What teaching positions have you held over the course of your career?

Describe the process of getting your first job out of college.

How would you describe your time at Long Beach City College? Are there any
experiences that stick out in your memory?

How would you describe the sound of your ensembles at LBCC?

What are you most proud of from your time at LBCC?

95
What, if anything, did you learn during your time at LBCC in regards to music
teaching and/or your academic career?

How did you meet Mary?

How would you describe your relationship?

When did you get married? How (if at all) did getting married affect your career?

How would you describe your time at Northern Arizona University? Are there any
experiences that stick out in your memory?

How would you describe the sound of your ensembles at NAU?

What are you most proud of from your time at NAU?

What, if anything, did you learn during your time at NAU in regards to music
teaching and/or your academic career?

How would you describe your time at the University of Miami? Are there any
experiences that stick out in your memory?

How would you describe the sound of your ensembles at UM?

What are you most proud of from your time at UM?

What, if anything, did you learn during your time at UM in regards to music teaching
and/or your academic career?

How would you describe your time thus far at the University of Southern California?
Are there any experiences that stick out in your memory?

How would you describe the sound of your ensembles at USC?

What are you most proud of from your time thus far at USC?

What, if anything, have you learned during your time thus far at USC in regards to
music teaching and/or your academic career?

What performance honors have your ensembles received or been invited to over the
years? How would you describe your experiences participating in those events?

96
Professionally speaking, what (if any) were pivotal experiences in your life? How did
those experiences affect you?

How would you describe your family?

How (if at all) did having children affect your career?

Describe your work internationally. How have these experiences affected you and
your career?
Are there any personal experiences that have affected your career or outlook as a
musician? If so, please describe.

Describe your strengths as teacher. What are your weaknesses?

Describe your strengths as a musician and conductor. What are your weaknesses?

What goals did you have for your career when you started? How have they changed
over the years?

What goals (if any) do you still hope to accomplish?

Church Work:

What are the religious organizations you’ve worked in over your career? How would
you describe those experiences?

How has your work in churches affected your career and/or musical outlook?

Professional Organizations outside teaching institutions:

Describe your involvement with choral organizations out side of teaching
institutions. Which have you worked with and in what capacity?

How would you describe your experiences with the American Choral Directors
Association?

How would you describe your experiences with said organizations other than
ACDA?

How important have these organizations been in your career?

Publishing:

97

How did you first get into publishing/editing?

Which publishers have you collaborated with? How would you describe your
experiences with each?

What elements of music do you look for in selecting compositions to publish?

Why are new music and young composers important to you? Did you originally set
out to make new music the forefront of your publishing focus?

How (if at all) have your experiences with editing/publishing affected your career?

Pedagogy

Describe the traits of a good choral conductor.

What qualities do you look for in graduate students for your program?

What qualities do you look for when auditioning students for your ensemble?

What qualifies as “good teaching”?

Describe the characteristics present in excellent choral ensembles.

What constitutes “quality repertoire” vs. “bad repertoire”?

Discuss the role of technology and social media in current choral communities.

Describe your process of approaching a new ensemble when guest-conducting.

Describe your process of approaching your own ensemble at the beginning of each
school year.

What have been your biggest challenges as a musician, educator, conductor?

Looking back over your career, what advice would you give first year teacher Jo-
Michael?

98
Appendix D: Interview Questions for Former/Current Students

Describe your experience as a student of Dr. Scheibe. Feel free to include
happenings/events, thoughts on his teaching pedagogy, personal interactions, or
anything else you deem pertinent to your time as his student.

How did having Dr. Scheibe as a professor affect your life as a student and/or
professional?

What opportunities, if any, did you gain from being a student of Dr. Scheibe while in
school?

For those who are not current students: What opportunities, if any, did you gain
from being a student of Dr. Scheibe since leaving school?

99
Appendix E: Interview Questions for Former/Current Colleagues

What is your relationship to Dr. Scheibe?

How would you describe your experience working with him?

How would you describe Dr. Scheibe as a teacher/musician?

How would you describe Dr. Scheibe as a colleague?

100
Appendix F: Interview Questions for Composers

What is your relationship to Dr. Scheibe?

How would you describe your experiences with Dr. Scheibe, professionally or
otherwise?

What impact, if any, has Dr. Scheibe had on your life and career?

101
Appendix G: Letter from Willard Schmitt

102

103
Appendix H: Dr. Robert Summer on the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay

8

Years with Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe

When Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe was engaged as the music director of The Master
Chorale, a new era was launched in the history of the chorale. In addition to
continuing to prepare masterworks for the Florida Orchestra, he dedicated much of
his time to promoting contemporary music and to the commissioning of new works.
Dr. Scheibe was Director of Choral Activities at the University of Miami during the
time that he conducted the chorale. His choirs at UM had performed for many
prestigious choral conferences, and he became in 2011 the National President of the
American Choral Directors Association. He now is the chair of the Thornton School
of Music’s department of choral and sacred music at the University of Southern
California, and is also very active world-wide as a clinician and conductor.
A highlight of his tenure with the chorale was his performance(s) in 2000 of
David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus, a fourteen movement work for soprano soloist,
choir, piano, tape of indigenous African music, percussion (drum set and many
African drums), electric keyboard, and rock band. Early in his life, Fanshawe
traveled the length of the Nile River, beginning in Cairo, filming and recording native
happenings (weddings, funerals, different forms of worship, and other celebrations).
Every movement of the work has taped music in it. One of the most beautiful
movements is the “Kyrie eleison” that begins with hearing on tape a Müezzin
chanting a Muslim Call to Worship. Fanshawe found that this chant fell into the
musical key of D-flat major. In that key and with his English Cathedral background,
he wrote something like a Renaissance motet that simultaneously is sung while the
Muslim chant is playing. For me, it is one of the best fusions of music of Eastern and
Western faiths. Scheibe performed the work with Basler’s Missa Kenya in St.
Petersburg, and then at the Southeastern Conference of the American Choral
Directors Association in Orlando. For these performances, The Master Chorale was
awarded a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant.
John Fleming’s review in the St. Petersburg Times (March 2000) captures some of
the excitement:

Aural Mass Fuses West and Africa
On paper, David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus sounds a bit mad. It’s a huge setting of
the Latin Mass for adult and children’s choruses, a rock band, two trumpets, piano,
and lots of drums.
Three movements, including the opening and the finale, are dominated by a
powerful chorus and percussion setting of the “Sanctus.” It is like something from a
psychedelic Mass.

104
Most stirring were two settings of the “Kyrie,” joining the call to prayer of a
müezzin with lyrical choir. The work includes two movements not part of the formal
Mass. The Gulf Coast Youth Choir gave an angelic performance of “The Lord’s Prayer”
with radiant vocalizing by Coleman-Evans.
Scheibe was sometimes wearing headphones to hear tape cues. He held the
sprawling ensemble together in fine fashion. He resisted the temptation simply to
turn up the volume on the percussion and rock band for splashy effect. African
Sanctus is part spectacle, part prayer, and Scheibe led a wonderfully balanced
performance that communicated all its facets.

Fanshawe, who died in 2010, was an aggressive promoter of his own music. He
insisted on being part of performances anywhere in the world, overseeing the
mixing and balancing of sounds by managing the soundboard himself. He also liked
to give lectures demonstrating the sounds of instruments of Africa while giving
explanations of his original intentions when composing his African Sanctus. He gave
such a lecture/demonstration at Blake High School for the Performing Arts in
Tampa for the entire Fine Arts Department while he was here. For these
presentations, he usually wore a bush cap, small leather shorts, and a fatigue-like
shirt, trying to create an atmosphere of being in the African bush. He would also
wield a short whip that was always twirling in the air. As he was being introduced at
the high school, this sixty-eight year old man ripped off his shirt and pranced on
stage bare-chested. The students cheered, but many with the look of “What is going
on?” His lectures were always informative, entertaining, and unique.
Dedicated to the support of living composers, Scheibe and the chorale
commissioned Paul Basler, a professor in the music department of the University of
Florida, to write a work for them. He wrote Cantos Alegres, a twenty-four minute
composition with nine movements for horn, choir and piano. An accomplished horn
player, Dr. Basler played the French horn in the premiere performance. This concert
launched a program of the chorale called Festival of Voices. On this occasion,
several high school choirs were invited to sing a few works on the program, and
then to join the chorale in certain movements for the performance of Basler’s work.
Another commission went to Eric Whitacre. In addition to Whita- cre’s successful
musical career, he is a model for fashion magazines and has great appeal to young
people—a choral rock star! During the process of writing “Lux Aurumque,” Whitacre
would send Scheibe corrections by way of a fax. At rehearsals, the choir would then
sing from the xeroxed fax sheets while Scheibe held up an Iphone so that Whitacre
in California could hear the changes and make further adjustments.
This “Lux Aurumque” has become one of the most performed and most recorded
works. In 2009, Mr. Whitacre created an idea called the “Virtual Choir” where
singers from around the world would record and upload videos of their singing to
Whitacre’s conducting on the internet. These videos would then be synchronized
and combined into a single performance. “Lux Aurumque” was used for the first of
these choirs, and that YouTube site has since been viewed by four million people.

105
Starting in December 1997, the chorale engaged the famous Empire Brass to join
them in their Christmas concerts. The brass group always processed onto the stage
playing the music of Henry Purcell or a spirited Renaissance dance—an impressive
beginning to the evening. (The program is given in Appendix D.)

Kurt Loft reviewed this holiday event (December 1, 1997):

Brass-backed Chorus Masters a Bay Area Holiday
When the Master Chorale sings, people don’t just listen, they become entranced.
And when the area’s critically acclaimed chorus teams up with the Empire Brass,
the experience can touch on the hypnotic. Throw in a bit of Christmas sentiment for
good measure, and audiences melt.
Call it a feel-good program, or even over-the-top, but “A Bay Holiday” proves once
again that the Master Chorale can turn the simplest carol into art.
Saturday night’s performance was briskly paced and ebullient, filled with soaring
choral passages, crisp and confident playing by the Empire Brass, and assorted
musical jokes.
Artistic director Jo-Michael Scheibe guided the chorus through the stunning
melismas of “Lo, How a Rose,” a modern arrangement after early 17th century
composer Michael Praetorius. The singers captured the subtle beauty of Bob
Chilcott’s “Midwinter Carol’ and Eric Whitacre’s “Little tree,” followed by a
humorous rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Trumpeter Rolf Smedvig nearly stole the night outright with his eloquent solo in
the “Christmas Romanza” of Rafael Mendez. And his colleagues topped it with a
brilliant take on Manuel de Falla’s “Ritual Fire Dance.” A gem of the concert was
clarinetist David Krakauer, a leader in the passionate style of klezmer, celebration
music of Eastern European Jews.
The concert Saturday night concluded with a rousing encore: the “Ode to Joy”
from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

After several years of this collaboration, it was decided to record a CD together
that has several original arrangements for brass, and others for brass and choir.
Some works are performed only by the choir, such as the beautiful Lauridsen’s “O
Magnum Mysterium,” some by the brass alone, and several featuring both
ensembles together, such as in the Gabrieli “Jubilate Deo.” These recording sessions,
also done at the First Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg, were momentarily
interrupted by the passing sirens of emergency vehicles and a brief thunderstorm
that rolled through the area.
In 1998, Scheibe prepared the chorale for performances of Prokofiev’s Alexander
Nevsky. This work was a favorite of conductor Irwin Hoffman and earlier had been
done several times by the USF University-Community Chorus, but never in Russian

106
as it was sung in these performances. This was paired with the Schubert Mass in G
with outstanding local soloists Christina Zenker, Eleni Matos, Robert Zahner and
James Bass. Other concerts with the Florida Orchestra that stand out were
Mendelssohn’s Elijah with bass Richard Zeller, Carmina Burana with conductor
Vladimir Verbitsky, and the Beethoven Missa Solemnis with conductor Thomas
Sanderling, brother of Stefan Sanderling (former music director of the Florida
Orchestra) and the son of famous conductor Kurt Sanderling.
Around this time, the University of South Florida recognized the chorale’s
contribution to the educational and cultural life of the university and community by
awarding them the title of “Artists in Residence.” The chorale has always rehearsed
at USF, participated in offerings such as workshops for teachers and students (Side-
by-Side and the Festival of Voices), and often invited USF choirs to perform with
them in special concerts and events.
While Scheibe was music director, the Florida Orchestra initiated a three week
celebration of the music of Beethoven in what was called Bay-thoven Festival. On
the Friday night performance in TBPAC, several shorter choral works of Beethoven
were presented on the first half: “Elegiac Song,” “Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage,”
and “Hallelujah Chorus” from Christ on the Mount of Olives. The Beethoven Symphony
No. 9 was on the second half. The symphony was going along smoothly when an
unusual thing happened: the fire alarm went off after the start of the fourth
movement. Everyone, including the 230 musicians on stage, had to vacate the
auditorium and wait outside. After twenty minutes, all was clear and everyone
returned to the hall. Conductor Jahja Ling began the final movement over again, and
the concert ended to thunderous applause!
The 2001 performance of the Berlioz Requiem with The Bach Choir and Sir Colin
Davis is discussed in Chapter 6. But in addition to the performance of the Requiem,
the chorale was one of the featured groups at the Winchester Cathedral Festival.
(The program is given in Appendix D.) A third appearance was on a Sunday morning
when the chorale sang anthems throughout the service at the American Church in
London, conducted by chorale members William Renfroe and James Bass.
While teaching at Blake High School for the Performing Arts in Tampa, James Bass
served as rehearsal assistant for The Master Chorale under Dr Scheibe. Dr. Bass
earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from USF, and also completed the
degree of Master of Music in Choral Conducting there. Eventually, he received his
doctorate in music at the University of Miami where his major professor was Dr.
Scheibe, and in 2010, he became the music director of The Master Chorale.

-Dr. Robert Sumner

107
Appendix I: Email Correspondence with Frank Pooler

108

109

110

111

112

113

114
Appendix J: Long Beach City College Adjudication Comments

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

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Works Cited

Clandinin, D., & Connelly, F. Narrative inquiry : Experience and story in qualitative
research (1st ed., The Jossey-Bass education series). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass, 2000.

Clandinin, D. J., & Huber, J. (in press). Narrative inquiry. In B. McGaw, E. Baker, & P.
P. Peterson (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (3rd ed.). New
York, NY: Elsevier.

Con, Adam Jonathan. The life and philosophy of choral conductor Rodney
Eichenberger, including a detailed analysis and application of his conductor-
singer gestures. PhD diss., Florida State University, 2002. Accessed November
25, 17. ProQuest.

Conway, Colleen Marie. The Oxford handbook of qualitative research in American
music education. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2014.

Latimer, Marvin E., Jr. Harold A. Decker (1914–2003): American Choral Music
Educator. University of Kansas, 2007. Accessed November 25, 2017.
ProQuest.

Paulk, Jason. “Perspectives on Sight-Reading Choral Repertoire: Conversations with
Rodney Eichenberger, Joseph Flummerfelt, Ann Howard Joes, Jo-Michael
Schiebe, and Dennis Schrock.” The Choral Journal 45 no. 3 (October 2004);
28-35. Accessed July 2017. JSTOR.

Pitts V. Superior Court, Arizona (1993).

Rathbum, Jim. “NAU Professor’s Lawsuit Continues Despite Promotion.” Lumberjack
(Flagstaff, AZ), April 18, 1991.

Redfearn, Christopher Michael. The choral philosophies and techniques of Craig
Jessop. PhD diss., University of Northern Colorado, 2012. Accessed November
25, 17. ProQuest.

Scheibe, Jo-Michael, Jeffery L. Ames, Hilary Apfelstadt, Lynne Gackle, James Jordan,
and Phillip A. Swan. Teaching music through performance in choir. Vol. 4.
Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc., 2017.

Scheibe, Jo-Michael. “From the President.” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 10 (May 2012):
4-5. Accessed June 2017. JSTOR.

136

Scheibe, Jo-Michael. “From the President.” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 1 (August
2011): 4-5. Accessed June 2017. JSTOR.

Scheibe, Jo-Michael. “From the President.” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 1 (March
2012): 4. Accessed June 2017. JSTOR.

Scheibe, Jo-Michael. “From the President.” The Choral Journal 52, no. 2 (September
2011); 4-5. Accessed July 2017. JSTOR.

Scheibe, Jo-Michael. “From the President.” The Choral Journal, 52 no. 11 (June 2012;
4-5. Accessed July 2017. JSTOR.

Stewart, Shawna Lynn. Charles C. Hirt at the University of Southern California:
Significant Contributions and an Enduring Legacy. University of Southern
California, 2013. Accessed November 25, 2017. ProQuest.

Vásquez-Ramos, Angel M. María Guinand: conductor, teacher, and promoter of Latin
American choral music. PhD diss., Florida State University, 2010. Accessed
November 25, 2017. ProQuest.

White, Perry D. The Whole Conductor: Weston Noble’s Philosophies on the Psychology
of Conducting and Musicianship. University of Oklahoma, 1998. Accessed
November 25, 2017. ProQuest.

Interviews and Transcriptions

Jo-Michael Scheibe (Director of Choral Studies, USC) and Mary Mattei Scheibe,
interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 12-13, 2017, Long Beach, CA, transcript.

Rodney Eichenberger (Director of Choral Studies Emeritus, FSU), interviewed by
Karen Miskell, August 15, 2017, transcript.

Sydney Guillaume (Composer), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 20, 2017,
transcript.

Online Submissions:
Travis Rogers (Napa Valley High School), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13,
2017, transcript.

137
Thomas Sleeper (Frost School of Music, UM), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13,
2017, transcript.

James William Hipp (Dean Emeritus Frost School of Music, UM), interviewed by
Karen Miskell, July 18, 2017, transcript.

Anonymous (Frost School of Music, UM), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 26,
2017, transcript.

Robert Summer (Master Chorale of Tampa Bay), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July
14, 2017, transcript.

Anonymous, interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 22, 2017, transcript.

Anonymous, interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 28, 2017, transcript.

David Conte (Composer), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017, transcript.

Stacey V. Gibbs (Composer), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017, transcript.

Mark Hart (Coral Gables Congregational Church), interviewed by Karen Miskell,
August 5, 2017, transcript.

Pam Dearden (Florida Philharmonic Chorus), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 18,
2017, transcript.

Kim Sinclair (Huntington Beach High School), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 17,
2017, transcript.

Ryan Jones (Masters Student, USC), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 7, 2017,
transcript.

Deborah Muhlenbruck Fleischer (NAU Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July
14, 2017, transcript.

Carolina Castells (UM Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 23, 2017,
transcript.

John Warrren (UM Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 9, 2017,
transcript.

138
John Grayson (LBCC, NAU Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 25, 2017,
transcript.

Matthew Tressler (Irvine Valley College), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 9, 2017,
transcript.

Gavin Thrasher (USC Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 7, 2017,
transcript.

Tatiana Taylor (USC Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 13, 2017,
transcript.

Shou Ping Liu (USC student), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 18, 2017, transcript.

Anonymous, interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 28, 2017, transcript.

Angel Marchese (UM Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 16, 2017,
transcript.

Tim Davies (Music Industry Professional), interviewed by Karen Miskell, August 9,
2017, transcript.

Ron Carpenter (NAU Graduate), interviewed by Karen Miskell, July 14, 2017,
transcript.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Miskell, Karen Sue (author)

Core Title Sing on: The life, pedagogy, and contributions to choral music of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe

School Thornton School of Music

Degree Doctor of Musical Arts

Degree Program Choral Music

Publication Date 01/31/2018

Defense Date 01/30/2018

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag American Choral Director's Association,American choral music,choral conductor,Choral Music,Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe,Long Beach City College,music publishing,Northern Arizona University,OAI-PMH Harvest,Sacred Music,University of Miami,University of Southern California

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Grases, Cristian (committee chair), Ilari, Beatriz (committee member), Sparks, Tram (committee member)

Creator Email karenmiskell@hotmail.com,miskell@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-466152

Unique identifier UC11266989

Identifier etd-MiskellKar-5978.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-466152 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-MiskellKar-5978.pdf

Dmrecord 466152

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Miskell, Karen Sue

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA