Tom Schmidt began studying and performing music in 1957. As a young adult he studied with jazz masters Charlie Haden and Dave Holland and taught music at Naropa University the summers of 1975 & ‘76. His Tibetan musically studies have been guided by Lama Tashi Dhondup, Lama Yeshe Namdag and Umdze Lodro Samphel, the principle chant master of Rumtek Monastery.