Mr. Schmidt received his undergraduate training in music education at the Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University in Philadelphia, graduating Magna cum Laude in 1991. He served as Director of Instrumental Music at Omaha North High School in Omaha, Nebraska as his first professional placement. Returning to New Jersey in 1997, he was appointed Director of Instrumental Music, first at Highland Regional High School and then at Timber Creek Regional High School upon its opening in 2001. During his first tenure for the Black Horse Pike Regional Schools, Mr. Schmidt directed concert bands, jazz bands, string orchestras, pit orchestras, chamber ensembles, and marching bands at both high schools. In 1999, he and then-theatre teacher Carolyn Hand co-directed an inaugural Highland summer production of Little Shop of Horrors. Also in 1999, Highland High School fielded its first-ever competitive marching band, and, just one year later, the 2000 Tartan Marching Band finished 13th in a field of 30 at the "Tournament of Bands" Atlantic Coast Marching Band Championships. In 2001, the first Charger Marching Band at Timber Creek High School qualified for the Atlantic Coast Championship competition and won the Invitational competition. In 2002, Mr. Schmidt composed "Hail, Timber Creek!" the Timber Creek fight song, and wrote the lyrics to "Mighty Chargers, We Adore Thee," its alma mater.

In 2003, Mr. Schmidt accepted a full-time graduate teaching and research assistantship to complete a masters degree at Temple University, and then accepted a full-time graduate teaching and research assistantship to complete his Ph.D. in music education (with an emphasis in instrumental conducting) at the Florida State University in Tallahassee. While at FSU, Mr. Schmidt was the "instructor of record" for undergraduate music education courses and served as principal graduate assistant for the FSU Marching Chiefs, the largest collegiate marching band in the world. 

Returning to New Jersey in 2013, Mr. Schmidt was appointed instrumental director of the newly created Music Academy at Camden County Technical School (CCTS) in Gloucester Township. There, Mr. Schmidt created a comprehensive pre-music education program designed to prepare aspiring collegiate music majors. During his time at CCTS, he conducted the pit orchestras for 19 fully-staged high school musical productions presented by the CCTS Performing Arts Academy.  In January, 2024, Mr. Schmidt returned to Timber Creek High School as its new Director of Instrumental Music. He has since composed two new fight songs for Charger Nation including, "Fight, Fight, Fight for Timber Creek!" and "There is no Fan Like a Charger!" Fasten your seatbelts, TC! The future of music is bright on Jarvis Road!

Mr. Schmidt lives in Gloucester Township with his wife Lauren, their two dogs Sasha and Riley, and their two cats, Zoey, and Joey.