Bio
Jo-Michael Scheibe chairs the Thornton School of Music’s Department of Choral and Sacred Music at the University of Southern California. An active member of the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA), Scheibe has served as national president, chair of the Past Presidents’ Council, national president elect, western division president, and national repertoire and standards chairperson for community colleges. Under his leadership, the USC Thornton Chamber Singers received the 2015 American Prize in Choral Music, performed for the 2015 ACDA National Convention in Salt Lake City (his seventh appearance at that event) and were one of twenty-five choirs selected to perform at the Tenth World Choral Symposium in Seoul, South Korea in 2014.
Scheibe has collaborated with artists ranging from Luciano Pavarotti to Sir Elton John and the Rolling Stones, and he has prepared choruses for international conductors Helmuth Rilling, Michael Tilson Thomas, Sir Colin Davies, and more. 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, Hal Leonard, and Santa Barbara distribute the Jo-Michael Scheibe Choral Series internationally.
Scheibe presents nationally and internationally as a clinician, conductor, and adjudicator for choruses at all levels. Future engagements include international presentations in Shanghai, Bangkok, and Salzburg; and university presentations and all-state choirs across the country.
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 DMA from the University of Southern California (1985) and his BA and MM 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 the Ohio All State Mixed High School Choir, the Connecticut All-State Mixed Choir, Ireland, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Thailand.