Spencer Schillerstrom was born and raised in Downers Grove, Illinois. Here, he was introduced to music by his parents and piano teacher, Dennis Colby, at the age of 7. He received his Bachelor’s of Music at DePauw University and Master’s of Jazz Studies at DePaul University. Spencer now lives in Chicago, Illinois where he works as a freelance musician and educator.
After graduating DePauw University, Spencer moved to Chicago to begin his freelance career and Master’s degree at DePaul University. Studying under masters Dana Hall and Scott Burns, Spencer began performing and recording with several groups and musicians around Chicago and Indianapolis, including Maggie Speaks, Chicago Shout Section Big Band, Christian JaLon, Dean Z, and his self-led Silver Stream group. Spencer has studied and performed with a variety of individual musicians in his early career, including Eddie Henderson, Steven Snyder, Dennis Carroll, Alex Beltran, Jeremiah Hunt, Marquis Hill, and Mark Colby. In 2018, Spencer also began his role as the in-house woodwind specialist for Flatts and Sharpe Music School and the British International School of Chicago, where he still holds these positions. His Silver Stream groups have held residencies in Chicago, most recently at the Waterfront Cafe in Edgewater during the summer of 2020. He is currently writing and arranging to release his first record of original works in 2021!