IONIATE

Composer, percussionist, and educator crafting hybrid electro-acoustic music where polyrhythm, orchestral color, and modern electronics converge. Drawing rhythmic fire from Copeland and Peart, narrative depth from Gabriel and Sting, and the cinematic sweep of progressive rock, his work balances structural clarity with visceral momentum. Raised in Southern California and trained at UC Irvine in percussion and composition, Schultheiss blends classical rigor, jazz elasticity, and progressive storytelling into a singular voice. As Head of Percussion Studies & Electro-Acoustic Composition at the Middle Tennessee Conservatory of Music, he champions a simple idea with radical implications: the DAW isn’t just a tool—it’s an instrument.