Kurt Hugo Schneider

Kurt Schneider
Birth name Kurt Hugo Schneider
Born September 7, 1988
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Origin Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres Pop, acoustic, synthpop music
Occupation(s) Film director, producer, singer, songwriter
Instruments Piano, guitar, percussion, vocals, synthesizer, harp, crockenspiel, recorder, ocarina, bass guitar, keytar
Years active 2008–present
Labels Mud Hut Digital, NoodleHouse, Sh-K-Boom
Associated acts Sam Tsui, Tiffany Alvord, Megan Nicole, Christina Grimmie, Matisse, Husky, Victoria Justice, Max Schneider, Keke Palmer, Alex Goot, Against the Current, Tyler Ward, Alyson Stoner, Zendaya, Kina Grannis, Jason Mraz, Hunter Hayes, Lindsey Stirling, Macy Kate
Website www.kurthugoschneider.com

Kurt Hugo Schneider (born September 7, 1988)[1] is an American video editor, musician, singer and songwriter, whose primary medium is YouTube music videos. He produces music videos for various YouTube musicians, such as Sam Tsui, including the musical medley videos in which Tsui sings as a one-man choir.[2][3]

Background

Schneider was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Laurie S. Auth, a visual artist, and Michael Schneider, a mathematician.[4][5] He grew up in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he lived just a street away from Sam Tsui, whom he met while attending middle school. They both later attended Wissahickon High School.[6] He is of German and Austrian descent on his father's side; however, he does not speak German.[7][8][9] Schneider has an older sister who is a classical pianist.[10] He also has over ten cousins.[11][12] He graduated as class Valedictorian from Wissahickon,[13] and magna cum laude from Yale University in 2010 with a degree in mathematics[1] and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.[14]

Schneider became a chess master at age 15, and played for Yale's chess team.[13] He currently holds a FIDE score of 2414.[15] He played against Magnus Carlsen at the CES 2014 HRM Chess Tournament, hosted by Nordic Semiconductor in Las Vegas.[16] He is also a self-taught musician.[17]

According to Business Insider and SocialBlade, he is believed to make a six-figure income from YouTube.[18][19]

Career

Collaboration with Sam Tsui

Schneider began collaborating with Tsui while both were in high school and continued while they were at Yale; Schneider matriculated a year before.[20] He produced videos of Tsui singing covers and medleys, and has since made an online musical series (College Musical) and produced original songs.

They garnered moderate media attention with a video of a Michael Jackson medley.[2][3] This video remains the 4th most viewed (more than 31 million) on Schneider's YouTube channel KurtHugoSchneider.[21] This medley is one of several in which Schneider, using video editing, creates the illusion of a one-man a cappella choir, with Tsui covering lead and backing vocals, playing multiple versions of himself.[3][22] Their medley videos have been described by Time as a combination of Glee and Attack of the Clones.[2] The viral videos led to a few appearances on national television, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.[23][24][25][26] On February 3, 2011, Schneider's video of Tsui covering Hold It Against Me, in which Tsui sang and played the piano with Schneider on percussion, was featured on Britney Spears' official website.[27][28]

The popularity of their videos has encouraged the duo to branch out to other projects.[20] Shooting for an independent film, College Musical: The Movie, based upon their online musical series, has been completed in the summer of 2010 and the film was released September 3, 2014.[29] A series of behind-the-scenes videos for the movie, filmed and narrated by Nick Uhas, has been released on YouTube.[30] Since September 2010, Schneider and Tsui have also begun to release videos of original songs[1][31] and in May 2013, Sam Tsui's debut original album, "Make It Up", was released.[32]

Other works

Schneider has also made music videos in collaboration with other artists. Popular videos include a Miley Cyrus medley sung by Christina Grimmie,[33] a duet between Tsui and Grimmie singing Just a Dream (the most viewed video on 'KurtHugoSchneider', with ninety two million views),[34] and a Starcraft-themed parody video, with Husky, of Baby.[35] He has also parodied the infamous "Friday" by Rebecca Black with his variation being known as "Void Rays". He has collaborated with Tiffany Alvord on a Taylor Swift Medley[36] and Matisse on a Medley of Rihanna songs.[37] He has also collaborated with Max Schneider on a number of occasions: for example he directed a Bruno Mars medley for Max Schneider & Victoria Justice, a Maroon 5 Medley and a Christmas Medley.[38] Schneider also co-wrote 'Standing In China' with Max Schneider for Cody Simpson's album Paradise. Schneider was also an associate producer for a musical admissions video for Yale, which features a cast consisting of Tsui and fellow Yale students.[20][39]

He has also performed a cover of Beauty and the Beat by Justin Bieber with Alex Goot and Chrissy Costanza from the band Against The Current[40] as well as a cover of Counting Stars by One Republic[41]

Collaboration with Coca-Cola

In 2013, Schneider and Coca-Cola created music videos featuring creative covers of two 2013 singles: Calvin Harris' "Feel So Close" and Of Monsters and Men's "Little Talks" for a campaign called "The Sounds of AHH". Commercial edits of the singles premiered on the inaugural episode of season 13 of American Idol on January 14, 2014 on FOX.

In the two new versions, recreated by Schneider, he is shown making the track playing only Coca-Cola bottles, glasses and cans. In addition, "Feels So Close" features the vocals of Sam Tsui whereas on the track "Little Talks", he is accompanied musically by beatboxing cellist Kevin Olusola.[42]

Discography

The following is a list of singles released digitally to iTunes Store and recorded with artists other than Sam Tsui.

Singles

Year Title Artists Original Artists
2010 "Chopsticks!" Andrew Johnson Euphemia Allen
"Iris" Kurt Hugo Schneider, Jake Bruene Goo Goo Dolls
2011 "Hold My Hand" J Rice, Kurt Hugo Schneider Michael Jackson ft. Akon

Filmography

Film

Year Title Credits Notes
2010 That's Why I Chose Yale Associate producer, music producer,
sound editor, vocalist, actor
Video (17 min) produced
in collaboration with
the Yale admissions office
Nothing Left Unsaid Director Short (13 min) starring
Daniel Amerman, Julie Shain and Jay Frisby
2014 College Musical: The Movie

Director

Music videos

This list covers only music videos made for solo works, Sam Tsui originals and collaborations with other artists not listed in the discography for Sam Tsui.

Year Title Artists Original Artists or Work Notes
2010
"Can I Have This Dance" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider High School Musical Cover version
"Circus" Jake Bruene, Kurt Hugo Schneider Britney Spears
"Run" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Snow Patrol
"Thinking of You" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Katy Perry
"Don't Stop Believing" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Journey
"You and I Both" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Jason Mraz
"Michael Jackson Medley" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Michael Jackson Medley of songs by Michael Jackson
"Down" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Jay Sean Cover version
"Breaking Free" Sam Tsui, Alison Williams High School Musical
"Keep Holding On" Kurt Hugo Schneider Avril Lavigne
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Mariah Carey
"Tik Tok" Alison Williams, Kurt Hugo Schneider Kesha
"Replay" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Iyaz
"Fireflies" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Owl City
"Need You Now" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Lady Antebellum
"Break Your Heart" Jake Bruene, Frank Sacramone, Kurt Hugo Schneider Taio Cruz
"Only Hope" Tiffany Alvord, Kurt Hugo Schneider Mandy Moore Switchfoot
"Nothin On You and Hey Soul Sister" Sam Tsui, Ahmir, Kurt Hugo Schneider B.o.B, Bruno Mars, Train
"Miley Cyrus medley" Christina Grimmie Miley Cyrus Medley of songs by Miley Cyrus
"Heaven" Sam Tsui Bryan Adams Cover version
"Unwell" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Matchbox Twenty
"For Good" Sam Tsui ft. Nick Pitera Wicked Cover version of musical number from Wicked
"Don't Want An Ending" Sam Tsui Sam Tsui Original video featuring Amanda Glassman
"Love The Way You Lie Mashup" Sam Tsui Rihanna Mashup of the songs Dynamite, Love The Way You Lie, and Teenage Dream
"If I Die Young" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider The Band Perry Cover version
"Just The Way You Are" Sam Tsui Bruno Mars
"DJ Got Us Falling In Love" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Usher ft. Pitbull
"The Only Exception" Sam Tsui Paramore
"I Will Follow You Into The Dark" Kurt Hugo Schneider Death Cab for Cutie
"Just a Dream" Sam Tsui, Christina Grimmie Nelly
"Dynamite, Firework & Grenade" Sam Tsui Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Taio Cruz Mashup version of Taio Cruz's Dynamite, Katy Perry's Firework and Bruno Mars' Grenade
"Banelings" Husky, Kurt Hugo Schneider Justin Bieber Parody version of Baby
"Iris" Kurt Hugo Schneider Goo Goo Dolls Cover version
2011 "Imagine" Sam Tsui, AHMIR John Lennon Cover version dedicated to the victims of the Tucson, AZ shooting (Jan 8, 2011)
"Hold My Hand" J Rice, Kurt Hugo Schneider Michael Jackson ft. Akon Cover version
"Pretty Eyes" Alex Goot Alex Goot Original video featuring Julie Shain
"Hold It Against Me" Sam Tsui Britney Spears Cover version
"Start Again" Sam Tsui Sam Tsui Original video featuring Veronica Ballestrini and Nick Uhas
"Jar of Hearts" Sam Tsui Christina Perri Cover version
"You've Been on my Mind" Dave Days Dave Days Original video
"Void Rays" Husky, Kurt Hugo Schneider Rebecca Black Parody version of Friday
"Go Screw Yourself" Avery Avery Original video
"B-e-a-utiful" Megan Nicole Megan Nicole Original video featuring Michael Jimenez
"Rolling in the Deep" Sam Tsui, Tyler Ward Adele Cover version
"Rihanna Medley" Matisse Rihanna Medley of songs by Rihanna
"Skyscraper" Olivia Noelle Demi Lovato Cover version
"How to Love" Sam Tsui Lil Wayne
"Katy Perry Medley" Olivia Noelle Katy Perry
"Happy Birthday" Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson An original 'Happy Birthday' piano arrangement.
"The Hardest Thing" Tyler Ward Tyler Ward Original Video
"Moves Like Jagger" Sam Tsui Maroon 5 Cover version
"Right Here Waiting" Kurt Hugo Schneider Richard Marx
"How To Save A Life" Alex Goot The Fray
2012 "Breakeven" Max Schneider The Script
"It Will Rain" Max Schneider, Olivia Noelle Bruno Mars
"Nerdy and I Know It" Husky, Kurt Hugo Schneider LMFAO Parody version of Sexy and I Know It
"Without You" Max Schneider David Guetta ft. Sia Cover version
"Stronger" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Kelly Clarkson
"We Are Young" Sam Tsui fun
"Not Over You" Max Schneider Gavin DeGraw
"One Republic Medley" Kurt Hugo Schneider One Republic Medley of songs by One Republic
"Drops of Jupiter" Alex Goot, Kurt Hugo Schneider Train Cover version
"Somebody That I Used to Know" Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Gotye
"A Thousand Years" Aimée Proal, Lindsey Stirling, Kurt Hugo Schneider Christina Perri
"Safe and Sound" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Taylor Swift
"Lightning" Alex Goot Alex Goot Original Video
"Bruno Mars Medley" Victoria Justice, Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Bruno Mars Medley of songs by Bruno Mars
"Pop Medley 2011" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Various Medley of pop songs in 2011
"Lady Gaga Medley" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Lady Gaga Medley of songs by Lady Gaga
"Lighters / Super Bass Mashup" Aimée Proal, Kurt Hugo Schneider Bad Meets Evil, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj Mashup of the songs Lighters and Super Bass
"Somewhere Only We Know" Elizabeth Gillies, Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Keane Cover version
"Born This Way" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Lady Gaga
"Rocketeer" Jake Bruene, Kurt Hugo Schneider Far East Movement
"Hold My Hand" J Rice, Kurt Hugo Schneider Michael Jackson, Akon
"King Of Anything" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Sara Bareilles
"Maroon 5 Medley" Victoria Justice, Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Maroon 5 Medley of songs by Maroon 5
"Call Me Maybe/Payphone Mashup" James Alan ft. Jessica Jarrel Carly Rae Jepsen. Maroon 5 Mashup of the songs Call Me Maybe and Payphone
"Titanium" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider David Guetta ft. Sia Cover version
"Hey There Delilah" Kurt Hugo Schneider Plain White T's
"So Sick" Sam Tsui, Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Ne-Yo
"Run To Me" Kurt Hugo Schneider Kurt Hugo Schneider Original song
"One More Night" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Maroon 5 Cover Version and live recording
"Skyfall" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Adele Cover version
"The A Team" Kurt Hugo Schneider Ed Sheeran
"Diamonds" Kim Viera, Kurt Hugo Schneider Rihanna
"Home" James Alan, Kurt Hugo Schneider Phillip Phillips
"Locked Out of Heaven" Megan Nicole, Sam Tsui & Kurt Hugo Schneider Bruno Mars, Alex Clare, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift & Ke$ha Mashup cover
"Little Things" Sam Tsui & Kurt Hugo Schneider One Direction Cover version
"Holiday Medley" Victoria Justice, Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Various Medley of Christmas songs
"I Knew You Were Trouble" Sam Tsui & Kurt Hugo Schneider Taylor Swift Cover version
"2012 Remix" Various Artists Various Artists
2013 "Beauty And A Beat" Alex Goot, Chrissy Costanza & Kurt Hugo Schneider Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj
"Don't You Worry Child" Sam Tsui & Kurt Hugo Schneider Swedish House Mafia ft. John Martin (singer)
"Kiss You" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider, Tyler Ward, Dave Days,

Chester See (Not Another Boyband)

One Direction
"Give Me Love" Max Schneider Ed Sheeran
"Brave" Action Item Action Item
"When I Was Your Man" Max Schneider Bruno Mars
"She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)" Kim Viera, Kurt Hugo Schneider David Guetta ft. Sia
"Pink Medley" Macy Kate, Kurt Hugo Schneider Pink Medley of songs by Pink
"Mirrors" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Justin Timberlake Cover version
"Clarity" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Zedd
"Me Without You" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Sam Tsui Original song, debut single from "Make It Up"
"Heart Attack" Sam Tsui, Chrissy Costanza of ATC Demi Lovato Cover version
"Make It Up" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Sam Tsui Original song, second single from "Make It Up"
"Just Give Me A Reason" Sam Tsui, Kylee P!nk Cover version
"Let Her Go" Tyler Ward, Kurt Hugo Schneider Passenger
"Can't Hold Us" Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Macklemore
"22" Alex Goot, Chrissy Costanza, Sam Tsui, King the Kid, Kurt Hugo Schneider Taylor Swift
"Shadow" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Sam Tsui Original song
"The Other Side" Max Schneider, Keke Palmer, Jason Derulo, Kurt Hugo Schneider Jason Derulo Cover version
"Come & Get It" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Selena Gomez
"Cups" Sam Tsui, Kina Grannis, Alex G, Kurt Hugo Schneider Anna Kendrick
"Here's To Summer" Jessica Jarrel, Kurt Hugo Schneider Jessica Jarrel Original Song
"Radioactive" Macy Kate, Kurt Hugo Schneider Imagine Dragons Cover version
"Demi Lovato medley" Sara Skinner, Kurt Hugo Schneider Demi Lovato Medley of songs by Demi Lovato
"Blurred Lines" Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Robin Thicke Cover version
"Bring Me The Night" Sam Tsui, Kina Grannis, Kurt Hugo Schneider Sam Tsui ft. Kina Grannis Original Song
"Treasure/Get Lucky Mashup" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Bruno Mars, Daft Punk Mashups of song "Get Lucky" and "Treasure
"Worth It" Sam Tsui Sam Tsui Original Song
2014 "Unconditionally" Sam Tsui, Kurt Hugo Schneider Katy Perry Cover version
"Problem" Max Schneider, Kurt Hugo Schneider Ariana Grande Cover version
"Story of My Life" Tyler Ward, Macy Kate, Kurt Hugo Schneider One Direction Cover version
Team Macy Kate, Kurt Hugo Schneider Lorde Cover version
"Maps" MAX, Alyson Stoner, Kurt Hugo Schneider Maroon 5 Cover version

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Sam Tsui and Kurt Schneider Interview". The Star Scoop. 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fletcher, Dan (2009-11-23). "YouTube Effect: Making Money from Viral Videos". Time (Time Inc). Retrieved 2010-12-02.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Sam Tsui's one-man choir hits YouTube". ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs. 2010-09-12. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  4. "Visual Artist Laurie S. Auth's Artworks". lsauth. 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
  5. "New Haven Asset Management, Management Team". newhavenllc. 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
  6. "Sam Tsui & Kurt Schneider: The Covers". Sh-K-Boom Records. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
  7. "hi! both my grandparents on my dad's side were born in Vienna ;)". Twitter. 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  8. "my dad's family is all german and austrian". Twitter. 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  9. "do u speak any German words?". Twitter. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  10. "older sister!". Twitter. 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  11. "A Schneider Family Thanksgiving!". Twitter. 2013-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  12. "A little shot of the Thanksgiving dinner table #FamilyReunion :1 I got a bunch of cousins...". Instagram. 2014-11-27. Retrieved 2014-12-26.
  13. 13.0 13.1 "Talking YouTube with Kurt Hugo Schneider". Philadelphia Media Network. Retrieved 2014-12-26.
  14. "Senior Year Inductees". Yale.edu. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  15. "The United States Chess Federation - Chess Master Appeared on Oprah". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  16. "Nordic Semi @ CES 2014 - HRM Chess Tournament starring Magnus Carlsen". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  17. "How did you learn the piano? - Did you get lessons or did you teach yourself?". Twitter. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  18. "YouTube Statistics for Kurthugoschneider". SocialBlade. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  19. "YouTube thought these people were going to make $100,000". Business Insider. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 "Kurt Schneider re(de)fines formula for YouTube success". The Yale Herald. Yale University. 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  21. As at December 2011. Schneider, Kurt Hugo. "KurtHugoSchneider's Channel". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-12-26.
  22. Smith, Mark W. (2009-10-03). "Michael Jackson medley video a Web hit". Detroit Free Press (Gannett Company, Inc). Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  23. "Incredible Feats". The Oprah Winfrey Show. Harpo Productions. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  24. Miranda (2010-02-16). "Bullblog breaking news: Sam Tsui to be on Oprah". The Yale Herald. Yale University. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  25. Zuckerman, Esther (2010-12-02). "Tsui '11 and Schneider '10 on 'Ellen'". Yale Daily News (The Yale Daily News Publishing Company). Retrieved 2010-12-02.
  26. "YouTube Sensation Sam Tsui Performs!". Ellen.WarnerBros.com. Warner Bros. December 2, 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
  27. "Sam Tsui Covers Britney's "Hold It Against Me"". britneyspears.com. 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  28. "My "Hold it Against Me" cover was just posted on @britneyspears official website!! Ahhh! :-D". Twitter. 2011-02-04. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  29. Zhang, Baobao (2010-09-03). "The stacks are alive ... with the sound of "College Musical"". Yale Daily News (The Yale Daily News Publishing Company). Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  30. "Ep. 01 of The Making of College Musical The Movie". YouTube. 2010-08-12. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  31. "Sam Tsui - Don't Want An Ending". YouTube. 2010-09-04. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  32. "Preorder "Make It Up" on iTunes"". 2013-05-04. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
  33. "Miley Cyrus Medley (ft. Christina Grimmie)". YouTube. 2010-05-02. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  34. "'Just A Dream' by Nelly - Sam Tsui & Christina Grimmie". YouTube. 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  35. "NERD ALERT - Banelings - (Justin Bieber - Baby PARODY) ft HuskyStarcraft / KurtHugoSchneider". YouTube. 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  36. "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  37. "Rihanna Medley!! (ft. Matisse)". YouTube. 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  38. "Breakeven - The Script (ft. Max Schneider)". YouTube. 2012-01-08. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  39. "That's Why I Chose Yale". YouTube. 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  40. "Beauty and the Beat Cover". YouTube. 2013-01-05. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  41. "Counting Stars Cover". YouTube. 2014-01-25. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  42. Coca Cola website: Behind the Bottles: 5 Questions With Kurt Hugo Schneider

External links