Geoffrey Peterson studied composition at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with Richard Hoffmann and Dennis Eberhard, and with Donald Erb at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree. His works have been performed at venues throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, including the Curtis Institute of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Ohio Wesleyan University, University of Miami, Northwestern University, DePaul University, Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, Philadelphia Music School Settlement, Swarthmore College, Fleischer Art Memorial, Cleveland Museum of Art, Beck Center for the Arts and the San Salvatore Church in Prague.
His Homage to Donald Erb was recently performed by the renowned French bassoonist Pascal Gallois at the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University. Recent works include Danse Diabolique for orchestra, Seasons for string quartet premiered by the award-winning Cavani Quartet, Three Haiku commissioned by the Beck Center Children’s Choirs in Lakewood, Ohio, and a piano concerto The Edmund Fitzgerald premiered in 2005 by the Sault Symphony in Ontario, Canada. In addition, he was interviewed on “Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection” on WRTI radio in Philadelphia regarding his Fitzgerald concerto. He was commissioned by the Richmond Symphony to arrange and orchestrate music for their “Out O’ the Blue Orchestral Revue” concert. He also wrote incidental music for the play Vinegar Tom produced at DePaul University. His Sonata for Solo Oboe has been performed by the principle oboists of the National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and the Florida West Coast Symphony, and was featured at an International Double Reed Society conference.
Peterson was awarded a grant through the American Composers Forum Community Partners program to
write The Living Cathedral a cantata for chorus, organ and brass quintet, and was a recipient of an ACF
Subito grant in 2004 and 2006. He also received ASCAPLUS awards in 2003-2008. He was also given
the Music Publishers’ Association Paul Revere Award for music engraving in 2004 and 2005, and a grant through the William J. Cooper Foundation of Swarthmore College in 2008. Additionally, he participated in reading sessions with both the critically acclaimed new music ensemble Orchestra 2001 and the Choral
Arts Society of Philadelphia.
He is the Concert Manager for the Department of Music and Dance at Swarthmore College. His music is published by Theodore Presser and Tenuto Publications.