Minneapolis-raised guitarist and composer, Will Schmid, has been performing his original music for over a decade. Before moving to Texas for PhD studies at Rice University from 2020-2025, his duos, trios, and quartets frequently headlined popular Minnesota jazz series including Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog, Saturday Night Jazz at KJ’s Hideaway, and the illicit Jazz Workshop. He has led ensembles in multiple appearances at the Twin Cities and Iowa City Jazz Festivals, and at nationally renowned venues such as New York’s ShapeShifter Lab, Cleveland’s BOP STOP at The Music Settlement, and Minneapolis' Berlin.

Will has played with Michelle Kinney, Greg Lewis, and Jake Baldwin, and his bands have opened for Eric Kamau Grávátt, Michael Lewis, and Dave King. As a member of the Twin Cities modern jazz collective SPACE, he has released two albums of original music: 2019’s Non-Trivial Problem and 2022’s The Approaching Coast. His collaboration with electronic music producer Hydra (now softsky) and singer Gwen Rose on the track “Want Your Love” has been streamed over 65,000 times on Spotify.

Will is passionate about education and communication with over a decade's experience in physics, engineering, and music teaching. He served as a faculty member of Houston's Overture School of Music, teaching weekly guitar and trombone to students aged 7-55. Will continues to teach independently.

Will moved back to Minneapolis in 2026. His regular quartet features pianist Patrick Adkins, bassist Alma Engebretson, and drummer Tarek Abdelqader. He is also a member of the eclectic, experimental jazz group Senseless Violets with guitarist Toivo Hannigan and drummer Edmund Catlin.