Jo-Michael Scheibe

Jo-Michael Scheibe chairs the Thornton School of Music’s department of choral and sacred music at the University of Southern California. No stranger to the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA), Scheibe served as National President (2011-2013), National President Elect (2008-2011), Western Division President (1991-1993), and National Repertoire and Standards Chairperson for Community Colleges (1980-1989). Ensembles under his leadership have sung at seven national ACDA conventions, two national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference and at the National Conference of the National Collegiate Choral Organization. The USC Thornton Chamber Singers were one of twenty-five choirs selected to perform at the Tenth World Choral Symposium in Seoul, Korea in August 2014. The Chamber Singers were recently featured at the 2015 ACDA National Conference in Salt Lake City. 

Scheibe has collaborated with Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Salvatore Licitra, Maria Guleghina, Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Loggins, the Rolling Stones, Barry Manilow, and Sir Elton John. He prepared choruses for Helmuth Rilling, Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra, and Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony. Recordings of his ensembles have been released on the Albany, Cane, Naxos, Arsis and ANS labels. 

A champion of contemporary music, Scheibe regularly commissions and performs new works of choral literature. Music publishers Walton, Colla Voce Music, Pavane, and Santa Barbara distribute the Jo-Michael Scheibe Choral Series internationally. 

Scheibe returned to USC in 2008 after fifteen years as director of Choral Studies at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, as well as previous faculty appointments at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff (1985-1993), Long Beach City College (1978-1985), Vintage High School in Napa, California, and Huntington Beach High School. He received his D.M.A. from the University of Southern California (1985) and his B.A. and M.M. degrees from California State University at Long Beach, where he was presented with the distinguished alumnus award. 

Scheibe is in frequent demand nationally and internationally as a clinician, conductor, and adjudicator for choruses at the university, community college, community, and secondary levels. Future engagements include international presentations in Shanghai, Bangkok, and Salzburg; national concerts at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and Carnegie Hall in New York City; and university presentations and all-state work across the country.