Background
Schelle grew up in Bergen County, in northern New Jersey, where he studied piano and conducting with Walter Schroeder. After receiving a pre-collegiate certificate from the Trinity College of Music in London, he changed direction for a B.A. in theatre and philosophy fromCommissions
Schelle's music has been commissioned and / or performed by over 350 orchestras, symphonic bands and professional chamber ensembles across the US and abroad including the Detroit Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Albany (NY) Symphony, Springfield (Mass) Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Honolulu Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Greenwich (CT) Chorus and Orchestra, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Chamber Symphony . . . . also, XTET (Los Angeles), ISIS (Austin, TX), ''Voices of Change'' ensemble, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, the Urban Quartet (PhoenixGrants and awards
Schelle has received composition grants and awards from the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Arts Council, the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Welsh Arts Council (Cardiff), Arts Midwest, the Great Lakes Arts Alliance, the American Pianists Association, the International Percussive Arts Society, thGuest composer
In addition to working with many American orchestras, Schelle is a frequent ''Guest Composer'' for American universities and schools of music, where he gives master classes on his music and works with young composers and student ensembles. Among many others, he has been featured for ''guest composer'' residencies at Indiana University, CCM, Arizona State University, Washington State UniversityCompositions
Orchestral * Escape from Xishuangbanna (2022) * Trapped Like Rats (2021) * The Sixth Dimension of Light (2021), string orchestra * Summit at San Quentin (2019), chamber orchestra * Virus (2019) * Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse (2017) * Resilience (2015), viola, cello and orchestra * Sun-Wukong (2013) * Through the Bright Lights of Hell (2013) * The Exorcism of the Sugar Plum Fairy (2012) * Guardian (2011), solo violin and orchestra * Rain (2009), soprano and orchestra * The Beast of Brazil (2005) * Ear Infection (2005) * Vox Humana (2005) * Extraction on No. 8 (2005) * Chrysalis (2004) * Crashout (2004) * Wright Flight (2002), piano concerto * Samurai (1999) * Spider Baby (1996) * Mayday! (1995) * Spirits (1993), six biographies for orchestra * Jonestown Echo (Rev. Jim Jones), from ''Spirits'' * Detour to Nowhere (John Dillinger), from ''Spirits'' * Limberlost (Gene Stratton Porter), from ''Spirits'' * One for the Gipper (Knute Rockne), from ''Spirits'' * Ben Bonhommes Rouge (Ezra Pound), from ''Spirits'' * The Last Ride (James Dean), from ''Spirits'' * Blast (1992) * Rapscallion (1990) * After the Meridian: Times of Future Passed (1990), for soloists, chorus and orchestra * The Big Night (1989) * Kidspeace (1987) * Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (1986) * Swashbuckler! (1984) * Play Us Chastity on Your Violin (1984), for solo violin and chamber orchestra * Pygmies II (1983) * Pygmies (1982) * Masque (1979) * El Salon Medico (1977) * Lancaster Variations (1976) Wind Ensemble / Symphonic Band * Hangover Hotel (2020) * A Far Cry from Fairview (2019) * O Magma Mysterium (2016) * Fear Strikes Out (2015), for trombone and wind ensemble * Extraction on No. 9 (2013) * The End of the World (2011) - "E.O.W" was the winner of the 2012 National Band Assoc. William D. Revelli Composition Prize * Prayer (2004), for cello and chamber winds * When Hell Freezes Over (1996) * Guttersnipe (1994) * Contraband (1991) * Seven Steps from Hell (1985) * Cliffhanger March (1984) * King Ubu (1981) Opera / Choral / Vocal * The End of Al Capone (2014), mono-opera for voice and large chamber ensemble * Ra-ahmen (2010), SATB and four doublebasses * Aesop Rules (1997), 55:00 musical for kids (grades 1–5), tenor sax, keyboards, percussion * Pipuff (1992), SATB * Struwwelpeter (1991), for tenor and piano (or chamber ensemble) * The Great Soap Opera (1988), 90:00 chamber opera * Six Seasonal Anthems (1987), SATB, organ * Dei Angelus (1987), SATB, organ * Caroleluia (1987), SATB * Swanwhite (1981), for soprano and piano * The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin (1977), TTBB Chamber * Fear and Loathing in the Carthusian Monastery at Valldemossa (2022), for 2 pianos (6 hands) and chamber ensemble * Kurashikku (2021), flute / bass flute, clarinet / bass clarinet and piano * Jackhammer Heracles (2021), alto sax (or Bb clarinet) and piano * Kingfish Levinsky (2021), oboe (or soprano sax), tenor sax and piano * Discreet Street (2021), for double bass and piano * In the Shame of Her Own Silence (2021), flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano * Fünf Verschwörungstheorien (2021), wind quintet (fl, ob, cl, horn, bsn) * Stasis at Warp Speed (2020), clarinet and piano * Papa Hemingway's Polydactyls (2020), chamber ensemble * Hichirikima (2020), for two cellos * JUKAI: The Mt. Fuji Suicide Forest (2019), hichiriki and chamber ensemble * Summit at San Quentin (2019), large chamber ensemble * Psalm of these Days (2019), for eight pianos * The Tragic Paradigm of Miss Mi$-T's Misguided Expectations (2019), chamber ensemble * The Eisenstein Mummers (2018), chamber ensemble * Hesitation Killed the Cat (2018), chamber ensemble * Rosemary's Baby's Accordions (2018), chamber ensemble * Vorsichtig (2017), guitar duo * The Illusion of Invincibility (2017), violin and piano * My Tears Fall Dry (2017), violin and piano * Chords That Rhyme With Your Eyes (2017), clarinet and piano * Bury the Hatchet (2017), for guitar quartet * Tranquilizer (2015), for chamber ensemble * The Wolves of Parnassus (2014), for chamber ensemble * Mystic Mourning (2014), for solo violin and chamber ensemble * Burning Crusaders (2014), for five trumpets and percussion * Crusher (2013), for solo guitar w/piano accompaniment * Meine Grossmutter Kostbaren Klarinette (2013), for clarinet and piano * My Precious Iron Lung (2013), for horn and piano * My Precious Iron Cello (2013), for euphonium and piano * Aka Sakana (2012), for solo clarinet * Their House Was Around Here, Somewhere ... (2012), for piano and chamber ensemble * Sprechstisambastimme (2011), for string quartet * Red Knuckles (2011), for clarinet and tenor sax * Say Goodnight, Gracie (2010), for large chamber ensemble * Nagoya Spiral (2009), for any four players and pre-recorded medium * Calhoun (2009), for large chamber ensemble * The Fall of Susan McClary (2009), for chamber ensemble * No Child Left Behind (2007), large chamber ensemble * The Viola the Wind Swept Away (2007), for solo viola (or any instrument) and chamber ensemble * Heartland (2007), for clarinet, tenor sax, violin, cello, bass, piano and percussion * Struwwelpeter (2006), for tenor and piano (1991), for tenor and chamber ensemble (2006) * It's Curtains for You, Bub (2005), for large chamber ensemble * Prayer (2004), for solo cello with harp and piano * Gimme Shelter (2001), for violin and piano * Godzilla (1997) for clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax, piano, bass, percussion * Berlin Archetype (1990) for clarinet, cello, piano (and off-stage trumpet and tenor) * Inizio (1989), for violin and cello * Musica Magnetizzare (1988), for five chamber players * Howl (1986), for solo clarinet and four chamber players * Play Us Chastity on Your Violin (1984), for solo violin and large chamber ensemble * Music for the Alabama Kid (1984), for chamber ensemble * Music for Two Pianos (1982) * Cry Wolf (1981), for cello and 5 percussionists * Music for the Last Days of Strindberg (1979), for chamber ensemble * Chamber Concerto (1978), for solo violin, flute, cello and piano Solo * The Case of the Hesitant Heretic (2022), for piano * Campari (2020), for piano * Ulterior Motives (2019), for piano * Fünf Fantasien nach Bach (2011-19), for piano * Fünf Halluziationen von Beethoven (2016-19), for piano * Aka Sakana (2012), for solo clarinet * Straight, No Lithium (2010), nine bipolar preludes for piano * Janus: Third Sonata (1998), for piano * Subwoofer (1996), for flute * Hammerstein (1995), for piano * Racing With Rabbits (1988), solo percussionist * Rattlesnake (1983), solo percussionist * Blue Plate Special (1983), for tuba alone (with aux. percussion) * Redbud (1982), for doublebass * Second Sonata (1979), for pianoCurrent
Schelle is Composer in Residence and Founder/Director of the JCFA Composers OrchestrReferences
External links