ABOUT DANIEL PETERSON

Daniel Peterson is a passionate and collaborative conductor, and a doctoral graduate from the Catholic University of America.  Studying under seasoned mentor, Murry Sidlin, he gained experience to further develop the leadership qualities and skills essential to a music director, with a particular emphasis on creating a positive culture within an ensemble.

 

Daniel has made use of the substantial opportunities afforded to him to conduct performances, run rehearsals, recruit ensemble members, and program concerts. Recent highlights include premiering a modern chamber opera at the Conservatory of San Juan by noted alum composer Johanny Navarro, directing a concerto competition winners’ concert featuring sixteen soloists, debuting with the Chengdu Philharmonic (China), and coordinating a CUA broadcasted concert in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, led by Maestro Sidlin.

 

He has served as cover and assistant conductor for numerous productions, the most recent being Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at Catholic University. He additionally gave a scholarly pre-concert lecture for Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, for which he directed three performances.  Other concerts include directing performances of Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, Debussy’s Prelude on the Afternoon of a Faun, and Milhaud’s jazz-inspired Creation of the World.

 

Prior to his studies at Catholic University, Daniel completed dual master degrees in conducting at Southern Methodist University (orchestral) and Boston University (choral). He studied with Ann Howard Jones and David Hoose (conducting) and Martin Amlin (composition) at BU, and Paul Phillips (conducting) at SMU. During his time at both schools he directed performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, Ives’ The Unanswered Question, Haydn’s Little Organ Mass, Nielsen’s Flute Concerto (first movement), and Copland’s Appalachian Spring (chamber version), amongst others. His first conducting teacher was Paul Jones, in Philadelphia. 

 

Daniel also has positive experience as an educator.  While in Boston, he founded a women’s chorus at Showa University, an extension of the Tokyo-based institution, which he conducted for three semesters.  He also was a long-term substitute at Florence High School (NJ) where he directed the chorus, taught class piano, and co-taught general music for a special education class. Upon completion of his time at Florence, he became the music teacher at the Southampton Elementary and Middle Schools, teaching general music to over 600 students, as well as directed the chorus. At each school he received positive reviews from supervisors.

 

Committed to professional development, Daniel was a conducting fellow at both the Conductor’s Institute of South Carolina and the Pierre Monteux School.  He also spent a summer abroad, studying at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany.

 

An East coast native, he is the music teacher at Saint Anselm's Abbey School, where he teaches instrumental and general music, and directs the chorus, string orchestra and jazz band. He also serves as the organist for school masses. He makes his home in Maryland with his wife, Jackie.