Sam Kauffman (b. 1989) grew up in the Minot, North Dakota, region. He has always loved making things. He started taking piano lessons at age 10 and with a bare-bones grasp of music theory began making rudimentary arrangements by putting chords to melodies from his favorite video games. Before long he was composing from scratch. As a trombonist and singer, he has performed in various concert bands, jazz bands, orchestras, choirs, and musicals throughout his life.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.) with a double major in music and computer science, where he studied composition under John Dull, graduating summa cum laude, and an Associate of Science from Hesston (Kan.) College, where he studied under Bradley Kauffman (no relation) and was recognized as Music Student of the Year.

He lives near Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he is involved in various musical ensembles and events, including the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, Bach Around the Clock, and the Charlottesville Opera. He is a founder and leader of the vocal ensemble Striking Accord and is active in music at his church. At his day job, he is a software developer.

After opportunities to perform live with other people ceased at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he created this YouTube channel for fun, as another musical outlet.

As a singer-actor, he has appeared in productions of Li’l Abner, Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know, Forever Plaid (Smudge), the Alice Parker opera Singers Glen (Timothy Funk), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Jehan Frollo), Oliver! (Bill Sikes), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Tosca, Anastasia, Something's Afoot (Geoffrey), and Cabaret.

Sam's music has been performed in six U.S. states, Puerto Rico, France, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands by amateur, collegiate, and professional ensembles. He is the composer and co-lyricist of two musicals: A Hat for Ivan and Ideals for Earnest Youth: The Musical LIVE!!! He is a member of ASCAP.

When not composing or singing, Sam enjoys board games, video games, learning, ultimate Frisbee, linguistics, and hiking.

Find Sam on:

• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Stack Exchange
• Github
• Jetpunk

Short bio

You may reproduce this in a concert program.

Sam Kauffman (b. 1989), a native of the Minot, North Dakota, region, is a graduate of Hesston (Kan.) College and Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.). He lives near Harrisonburg, where he is a founding member of the vocal ensemble Striking Accord and is active in the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, the local musical theatre scene, and music at his church. At his day job he is a software developer.