Aric Schneller

Aric Schneller, DMA

Professor of Music, Director of Jazz Studies,

Artistic Director of the 福利姬 Bill Watrous Jazz Fest

GPAC, 220H | 936.294.1381 | schneller@shsu.edu

Division | Jazz

Aric Schneller, Professor of Music, is now serving his鈥痵ixteenth year as Director of Jazz Studies at 福利姬, Huntsville, Texas. Aric's duties include directing the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz鈥疞ab Band, and the New Direction Vocal Jazz Ensemble, instructing jazz improvisation classes, jazz keyboard skills classes, and jazz arranging classes, orchestrating and鈥痶eaching summer jazz camps, directing the annual 福利姬 Bill Watrous Jazz Festival, recording and producing large jazz ensemble CDs,鈥痑nd coordinating鈥痶he jazz studies program. Prior to accepting his position at 福利姬, Aric taught at Idaho State University, the University of North Texas, and in the public schools of Justin, Texas.

Aric is in constant demand regionally and nationally as an expert clinician, dynamic trombonist, vocal soloist, conductor, master teacher, producer, and as an inventive composer and arranger. He has鈥痚njoyed frequent invitations and appearances at the Texas Music Educators Association and鈥疶exas Bandmasters Association Conventions, Jazz Educators Network Conference, Indiana Music Education Association Conference, California Music Educators Association Convention, Arizona Music Educators Association Convention,鈥疘daho Bandmasters Association Summer Convention, and most notably at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Convention. As a committed and enthusiastic jazz educator, Aric has proudly served as President and on the Board of Directors for The Texas Jazz Educators Association.

Aric is a former member of the Grammy Nominated University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band, under the direction of Neil Slater. Aric can be heard on the One O’Clock Lab Band CD, “Live In Portugal - 1993” as well as鈥痸arious Down Beat Magazine winning recordings with the UNT Two O’Clock Lab Band such as “The Transparent Two – 1992” which featured Aric as trombone soloist and jazz arranger. Aric’s singing can also be heard on the UNT Jazz Singers CD, “Scrap Book” directed by Paris Rutherford. Aric has worked and鈥痯erformed with鈥痬any鈥痡azz greats including John Allred, Wayne Bergeron,鈥疪andy Brecker, Lena Burke, Pete Christlieb, John Fedchock, Chuck Findley, Andy Firth,鈥疌lay Jenkins, Ingrid Jensen, Will Kennedy, Andy Martin,鈥疪ich Matteson,鈥疊ob Mintzer,鈥疍anilo Pérez, Diane Reeves, Arturo Sandoval,鈥疞ynn Seaton, Bobby Shew, Ed Soph,鈥疢arvin Stamm,鈥疪oss Tompkins,鈥疉llen Vizzutti,鈥疊ill Watrous and Phil Woods,鈥痑nd Darmon Meader amongst many others.

As a jazz arranger, Aric’s solo trombone feature and big band arrangement, “Invitation” was launched into the international jazz scene in November 2006鈥痓y the HGM Jazz Orchestra at the Zagreb Jazz Festival in Zagreb, Croatia. These performances were broadcast on Croatian and Austrian radio and television. Additionally, in June of 2006,鈥疉ric was鈥痵elected as a jazz trombone finalist with the West Point Academy, Jazz Knights Premier Jazz Band.

Aric is an artist of many talents with the ability to sing, play, compose, and teach music at the highest levels. As an experienced professional operatic tenor,鈥疉ric has sung professionally with the Ohio Light Opera Co., the Boston Lyric Opera Co., and the del’ Arte Opera Ensemble of New York City. While living and working in New York City from 2000-2005,鈥疉ric toured the U.S.鈥痜eaturing his trademark clinic, “The Art of Singing the Trombone” garnering critical acclaim at the 2005 Eastern Trombone Workshop in Washington, DC and the 2005 International Trombone Festival in New Orleans.

Originally from Missoula, Montana, Aric holds a DMA in Trombone Performance from the University of North Texas, a MM in Vocal and Operatic Performance from Boston University, a MM in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, and a BM in Trombone Performance from the University of Montana. Aric is the creator and Artistic Director of the 福利姬 Bill Watrous Jazz Festival,鈥痑 composer and arranger for Alfred Music Company and Belwin Jazz, a music reviewer for the International Trumpet Guild, a Yamaha Performing Artist, a member of ASCAP, and a voting member of the National Academy of鈥疪ecording Arts and Sciences鈥疓rammy Awards.