During the years 1922-1926, he studied composition with Jaroslav Kvapil and conducting with Frantisek Neumann at the Brno Conservatory. He continued his music education at the Prague Conservatory where he studied composition under Vitezslav Novak (1926-1929). During 1930-1934 he taught at the Municipal Music School in Kutna Hora. In 1934 he moved to Brno where he taught composition and music theory, first at the private music school of Vaclav Kapral (1934-1940) and later at the Brno Conservatory (1940-1959). In 1959 Schaefer became a professor of composition at the Janacek Academy of Music in Brno (his students included Pavel Blatny, Ctirad Kohoutek, Ivan Petrzelka, Alois Pinos, Zdenek Pololanik, Zdenek Zouhar, and others). For several years he also conducted Brnenske orchestralni sdruzeni and Radiojournal Ensemble. During 1960s he served as chair of the Union of Czechoslovak Composers (Brno branch) and was instrumental in founding the Brno International Music Festival.

NB. The text provided by courtesy of Karla Hartl (The Kapralova Society).