Donna Schaffer
Current Position________________________________________________
Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS 2009-present
Director of Choral Activities
Directed the preparation and performances of all choral ensembles in the Fine Arts Department. Planned,
organized, and executed a yearly tour with the 30-member Alcorn State University Touring Choir. Directed
recruitment efforts and scholarship program. Managed annual budget.
Achievements
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Established new curriculums adhering to national standards.
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Instrumental in the implementation of the Bachelor of Sacred
Music degree program.
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Maintained and enhanced rigorous performing schedules both
with the larger ensembles and smaller chamber ensembles.
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Initiated the participation in national festivals and competitions.
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Served as Applied Vocal Instructor, maintaining a studio of 12
vocal majors. Students were able to move on to leading graduate
programs and competitive performance careers throughout the
country.
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Served as accompanist for both vocal and instrumental majors.
Professional Experience_________________________________________
Summit Studios, Manchester, CT 1995-2012
Director/Founder
Founded and operated a performing arts center offering instruction in all instruments including voice, dance,
and drama. In seven years the studio grew from two instructors to 34.
Achievements
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Provided a facility noted for integrity where both students and
instructors could collaborate in arts education.
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Maintained over 700 weekly private lessons as well as numerous
programs both within the studio and within the community.
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Guided students of various levels to successful careers in the arts.
Shreveport Opera, Shreveport, LA 2007-2008
Music Director
Served as chorus master, staff pianist, lecturer, and director of young artist residency program.
Achievements
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Rehearsed a community-based chorus to provide a polished
performance.
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Programmed, rehearsed, and executed weekly outreach
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performances.
Provided pre-performance lectures.
Liaison to office staff.
Natchez Music Festival, Natchez, MS 2003-present
Director
Served as staff pianist and director for the Natchez Music Festival’s Community Program
Achievements
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Prepared both dramatically and musically a cast of professional
artists from around the country.
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Directed, organized and toured a full-scale opera for over 15,000
audience members.
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Served as accompanist.
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Performed as a featured soloist in the music festival.
Children’s Associated Summer Theatre, Manchester, CT 2000-2013
Music Director
Served as music director and conductor for large-scale musical production.
Achievements
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Rehearsed and polished a cast of 130 students.
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Assembled, rehearsed, and conducted 25-piece orchestra.
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served as pit pianist.
Rocky Hill Town Theatre, Rocky Hill, CT 2003-2005
Music Director
Served as music director, conductor, and rehearsal pianist for large scale musical production
Achievements
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Rehearsed and polished a cast of 20-40 adults.
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Assembled, rehearsed, and conducted 16-piece orchestra.
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Served as pit pianist.
Little Theatre of Manchester, Manchester, CT 2004-2007
Music Director
Served as music director, conductor, and rehearsal pianist for large scale musical production
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Achievements
Rehearsed and polished a cast of 20-40 adults.
Assembled, rehearsed, and conducted 16-piece orchestra.
Served as pit pianist.
The University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 1992-1997
Lecturer in Voice
Provided private lessons in voice as well as coaching for opera workshops and musical theatre classes.
Taught language diction class and vocal pedagogy class to music education and performance majors.
Achievements
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Restructured courses to provide the optimum presentation of
material.
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Helped numerous students hone their technical ability.
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Rehearsed, coached, and costumed opera outreach programs.
The Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT 1997-1998
Music Instructor
Provided instruction in voice, choir, diction, and general music to middle school and high school students.
Achievements
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Incorporated music theory and history into general music classes.
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Initiated a student recital series.
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Served as pit pianist and assistant conductor for musical.
Free-Lance Church Musician
Choral Director,Cantor, Accompanist, Clinician
I have worked in a church setting since my teen years when I served as the choir director for a small church
of which I was a member.
Achievements
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Built and polished both adult and youth choirs in small and large
parishes alike.
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Sought after throughout the eastern and southern United States as
a clinician to aid in choral sound and vocal production.
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Served as cantor for masses in English and in foreign language at
St. Peter’s Cathedral, Marquette, MI; St. Joseph’s Cathedral,
Hartford, CT; St. Mary Basilica, Natchez, MS in addition to others.
Education_____________________________________________________
Master of Music- The University of Connecticut, 1997
Bachelor of Music - The University of Michigan, 1991
Research_____________________________________________________
The study of persecuted peoples, namely, the African American peoples during
the early twentieth century in the United States and the Polish peoples during the
exile of 1938. The music form, "call and response", was practiced by both groups
perhaps as a means of coping with the numerous hardships imposed upon them.
Professional Memberships_______________________________________
American Choral Director's Association
National Association of Teacher's of Singing
Professional Activities___________________________________________
VOCAL CONCERT & RECITAL APPEARANCES
NY Women Composer’s Society Featured Soloist
Pop Recital Series
Jazz Recital Series
Judas Maccabaeus
Beethoven Mass in C
Mozart Requiem
Finzi In Terra Pax
International Dickens Society
Mozart Mass in C Minor
Summer Recital Series
Jephthah-Carissimi
Messiah
Featured Vocalist
Featured Soloist
Soprano Soloist
Soprano Soloist
Soprano Soloist
Soprano Soloist
Featured Soloist
Soprano Soloist
Featured Soloist
Soprano Soloist
Soprano Soloist
OPERATIC ROLES
Die Fledermaus
Elixir of Love
Tosca
Le Nozze di Figaro
Elixir of Love
La Clemens di Tito
Fidelio
Carmen
Die Zauberflöte
Die Zauberflöte
La Bohéme
The Impresario
Elixir of Love
Die Fledermaus
The Barber of Seville
Die Zauberflöte
Ida
Gianetta
Shepherd Boy
Susannah
Adina
Servilia
Marceline
Frasquita
The First Lady
Pamina
Musetta
Madame Silverpeal
Adina
Rosalinda
Rosina
First Lady
New York, NY
Artful Living Inc., Old Lyme, CT
Natchez Opera Festival, Natchez, MS
Belleville Symphony, Belleville, NJ
Manchester Symphony, Manchester, CT
Manchester Symphony, Manchester, CT
Manchester Chorale, Manchester, CT
New London, CT
Middletown, Chorale, Middletown, CT
Lenox, MA
Baroque Festival, Willimantic, CT
New York City Choral Society
Natchez Opera Festival, Natchez, MS
NY Lyric Opera New York, NY
Natchez Opera Festival, Natchez, MS
NY Opera Forum, New York, NY
NY Opera Forum, New York, NY
NY Opera Forum, New York, NY
NY Opera Forum, New York, NY
NY Opera Forum, New York, NY
NY Opera Forum, New York, NY
Crystal Opera, Norwalk CT
Opera Theatre of CT, Clinton, CT
Crystal Opera, Norwalk, CT
Summer Series, Storrs, CT
Summer Series, Storrs, CT
Opera New England Outreach
Jorgensen Opera Theatre
Honors and Awards_____________________________________________
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Director, Education Program, Natchez Opera Festival, Natchez, MS
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The Songs of James MacDermid, featured recording artist sponsored by the
Peter Aron Foundation
Honorable Mention, Amici Vocal Competition
Music Teachers National Association, National Finalist
Finalist
Concerto Competition Winner, University of Connecticut
Lectureship, Opera Department, University of Connecticut
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Member