Will Schaefer(1928-2007)
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
An Emmy Award and Pulitzer Prize nominee composer, conductor, and
arranger, Will Schaefer was educated at Mary D. Bradford High School in
Kenosha (Distinguished Alumni Award), De Paul University (BM,
Distinguished Alumni Award), and Northwestern University (MA and
graduate work extending into study for a Doctor of Music degree).
During the Korean War, he was assistant conductor and arranger for the
5th Army Band, Special Services at Fort Sheridan, Illinois (1951-1954)
where he wrote music for Radio Free Europe, the Voice of America, and
local stations. Coming to New York after his military service, he wrote
for well-known music publishers and composed, conducted and arranged
for radio, television, commercials (Pillsbury, Post Cereals, Ford,
Chevrolet and over seven hundred others), industrial films and records.
While there, he arranged for the Buddy Rich and Count Basie bands and thirteen
Broadway musicals ("What Makes Sammy Run?", "Kicks & Company", "The
Prince and the Showgirl", "Spotlight" and others). In Los Angeles from
1966 for Walt Disney Studios, he orchestrated about thirty episodes of
The Magical World of Disney (1954) (aka "The Wonderful World of Disney") and sections of many
Disney films plus music for the live attractions "Pirates of the
Caribbean", "America the Beautiful", "Bear Country", "It's a Small
World", and "Innoventions". His over-150 songs and instrumentals
include "Midnight Matinee", "Caribeguine, "Autumn Beguine", "Overture -
Fanfare and Capriccio", and "Ballada" plus others.
