Hochschule für Musik Freiburg
Born in Staufen im Breisgau, Schäfer studied music education, voice and choral conducting in Freiburg im Breisgau, and orchestral conducting in Stuttgart. He was a teacher at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg from 1971 to 1982. He has been the artistic director of the , which he founded in 1971.