BIOGRAPHY

Will Schneider is an in-demand hornist, performer, improvisationalist, composer, and educator based in Northwest Ohio, actively performing in modern jazz settings as both a bandleader and sideman. He has garnered international acclaim in the horn community as one of the prominent new faces for its niche use in jazz and improvised music.

Will is the founder and a performing member of the Third Shore Collective in 2021: a forward-thinking instrumental quintet dedicated to creating new sonic spaces, pushing musical boundaries, and challenging listeners' perspectives. Though the members share a background in jazz, the group draws from a wide range of musical influences such as rock, hip-hop, swing, classical, and folk music, resulting in an eclectic range of songs and improvisations. In the summer of that year, Will presented the Third Shore Collective at the International Horn Symposium. 

Over the years, Will has become a named fixture in the local music community of Toledo, Ohio, taking part in maintaining a jam session currently hosted at The Golden Road (previously Ottawa Tavern) since 2021 as a tenured hornist. Will has also performed and recorded with the late Kimathi Asante (founding member of the Pyramids) known for his pioneering of afro-futurism and free jazz music. Outside of the jazz sphere, he has been frequently called to make appearances with local bands such as NuAudio, Arctic Clam, Katie’s Randy Cat and the Klondike Steamboat Band.

In addition to his work in improvised music, Will has also performed in more traditional settings including orchestras, pit orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Michigan and Ohio since 2012. Most notably, Will performed with the Johnny Mathis orchestra in 2025 just before the legendary singer’s retirement.

A dedicated educator, Will has over a decade of experience in instructing horn, composition and improvisation. He has adjudicated high school jazz festivals and has been a guest artist at various colleges as well. Will has served as a band director teaching grades 5th through 12th.

Will earned both of his Masters degrees in Jazz Studies and Performance respectively from Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) under the tutelage of David Bixler and Dr. Andrew Pelletier. He has earned his Bachelors degree in horn performance at Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) studying with Dr. Bruce Bonnell.