Michael Schaner serves as the Director of Music Ministries at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Waukesha, WI. Schaner studied with Todd Wilson at the Cleveland Institute of Music for his Master of Music degree in Organ Performance, completed in 2012. He received his Bachelor of Music in Church Music with Organ emphasis in 2010 from St. Olaf College under the tutelage of John Ferguson. Schaner has served churches in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio, including as the Director of Music at Church of the Western Reserve in Pepper Pike, Ohio, a

suburb of Cleveland, and as the Director of Music Ministries at Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar, MN.

At St. Luke’s Schaner directs the Voices of Faith adult choir, Godsbells, Saints and Sinners handbells and choir, Sing for Joy choir, Joyful Ringers handbells, the Men’s Chorus, and plays piano and organ for the worship services. In the Waukesha community Schaner sings in the Jubilate Chorale. In 2013 and 2015 Schaner was the organist for the Southwestern Minnesota Synod Assembly, held on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College. Schaner also served on the planning team for the synod's Equipping Congregations Day.

Schaner, a Michigan native, was born in Ludington and grew up in Caledonia. He studied piano starting at age five. His teachers included Cynthia Bristol, Kenneth Bos, and Philip Pletcher.

Schaner started studying the organ the summer before his freshman year of high school with Ronald Krebs. In high school he became involved with his church by playing for special music, Praise Team, and as a regular substitute musician. In 2006 Schaner performed as a student

performer in the Eight Piano Concert held annually at St. Cecilia Music Society.

While attending St. Olaf, Schaner served as an accompanist for the music department. From 2008-2010, as a member of the artistic staff of the Northfield Youth Choirs, he accompanied the Troubadours, a boy’s choir for grades 5-9. Schaner sang in the St. Olaf Chapel Choir sophomore through senior years, and performed the duties of Vice President his senior year. Also during his senior year he assisted Christopher

Aspaas with the Viking Chorus, the first-year men’s chorus, as the student director.