Schafer completed bachelor's degrees in music and biology in 1995 and a master's in biology in 2001 at Walla Walla College, now University. In addition to teaching as an instructor in the faculty of science at Mission College, he taught piano, served as pianist and co-director of its choirs, and directed the Mission College String Ensemble.

Schafer is married to Tanya Anderson, who graduated as a voice major from WWU with a B.A. in 1996. While pursuing a doctorate at UP, he and Tanya continue to be active in music, singing in the Pittsburgh Compline Choir at the Heinz Chapel on the university campus and in candlelit Evensong at St. Andrews services. Another activity they enjoyed in 2010 and 2011 was inviting a dozen friends to their home at Christmas time to sing through Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium (Christmas Oratorio) and other German carols brought by their guests.

Schafer also serves as pianist at the East Suburban Seventh-day Adventist Church, and is pursuing study on the tenor recorder.

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