Teren Shaffer

BM Music Education
BM Instrumental Performance - Bassoon
Orchestral Conducting
Class of 2008

Teren Shaffer began his musical studies at age six with piano lessons.  Middle school initiated his love of bassoon and saxophone, two instruments he continues to play under the instruction of John Campbell and Gary Matsuura.  Throughout the course of his studies at the Chapman University Conservatory of Music, he developed a strong interest in conducting and pursued studies with Daniel Alfred Wachs and Joseph Modica.  Mr. Shaffer attended the Conductors Institute at the Bard College Conservatory of Music where he worked with Harold Farberman, Apo Hsu, Eduardo Navarro, Lawrence Golan and Joan Tower.  In 2008 he was fortunate to study at the Conductor’s Retreat under the tutelage of Kenneth Kiesler, Andrew George and David Schiff.

Mr. Shaffer conducted members of Orange County’s Pacific Symphony in preparation for a concert with the Chapman Chamber Orchestra as part of the 2008 American Composers Festival.  He was recently selected as the Conducting Intern for the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, a program under the direction of Russell Steinberg, and now serves as the Assistant Conductor and General Manager of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO). During the 2008-2009 season, Mr. Shaffer conducted OCYSO at the Reneé and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, California, for eight Concerts for Fifth Graders, presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County.

As an active freelance musician, Mr. Shaffer has performed with numerous ensembles, including the Biola Symphony Orchestra and Capistrano Valley Symphony.  He has been a member of the Irvine Valley College Wind Symphony, Long Beach Community Band, La Primavera, the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra and the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra.
 
Mr. Shaffer has toured with OCYSO throughout Europe and also with the Chapman University Wind Symphony in Australia under the direction of Robert Frelly.  He regularly gives private music lessons, works as a coach and clinician at various high schools and also continues to be involved with professional organizations such as the National Association of Music Educators, Conductors Guild and League of American Orchestras.  In 2007, he was awarded the highest honor as a student in the Chapman University Conservatory of Music, the Edgar Sholund Music Scholarship for excellence in performance.

Mr. Shaffer’s pursuit of excellence extends beyond music as he maintains membership in honor societies such as Gamma Beta Phi, The Order of Omega and Mortar Board.  He recently completed a one-year term as President of the Iota Epsilon chapter of Delta Tau Delta.  Mr. Shaffer holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education, Bassoon Performance and Instrumental Conducting, graduating summa cum laude in 2008, from the Chapman University Conservatory of Music.  Mr. Shaffer was recently accepted into the graduate Orchestral Conducting program at the University of Cincinnati’s prestigious College-Conservatory of Music where he will be attending on a full scholarship beginning in the Fall of 2009.  Mr. Shaffer is honored to be the only Master’s level graduate student selected from a global applicant pool of over 100.