Prior to his appointment at Musical Innovations, Dr. Eric Peterson served as Director of Bands and Assistant Professor in the Department of Music. His duties included the administration of the Brevard College band program, managing recruiting efforts for the wind, brass and percussion areas, teaching applied tuba/euphonium lessons, undergraduate conducting, and coordinating the music education area in both instructional and administrative capacities.
Dr. Peterson previously served as Director of Bands at South Dakota State University. Under his direction, the South Dakota State University Symphonic Band performed several state and regional premieres. Collaborations with composers and artists included Allen Vizzutti, SGM (Ret.) Charles Siepp-Principal Trumpet-Pershing’s Own United States Army Band, United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, John Frantzen, Dan Forrest, James David, Brian Balmages, James Barnes, Richard Saucedo, Nathan Daughtrey, and noted John Philip Sousa scholar and conductor Keith Brion.
Prior to South Dakota State University, Dr. Peterson was Assistant Director of Bands-Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Utah from 2003-2008. Under his direction, the Marching 'Utes' performed at several nationally televised bowl games including the 2005 Bowl Championship Series Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The Ute Basketball bands under his direction performed at several NCAA Basketball Championship venues including the 2004 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship “Sweet Sixteen” in Austin, TX, and the 2006 Women’s NCAA Basketball Championship “Elite Eight” in Albuquerque, NM.
Dr. Peterson received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from Texas Tech University, the Master of Music Education degree from the University of Kansas, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has studied conducting with John Cody Birdwell, Gary Lewis, James Hile, Robert Foster, and James Barnes. In addition, Dr. Peterson has studied tuba performance with Fritz Kaenzig, Mark Moore, Scott Watson, and Kevin Wass. He has six years of public school teaching experience in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Illinois.
Dr. Peterson is a recipient of the Richard B. Tolley Service Award at Texas Tech University and is a member of Music Educators National Conference, South Dakota Bandmasters Association, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, an elected jury member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Shield Committee, and is an honorary inducted member of Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi. Dr. Peterson remains active as a conductor, clinician and adjudicator.
