Christopher Peterson

Choral Education Workshop Faculty Lead

Christopher W. Peterson is professor of music at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) where he directs the Concert Choir and the Singing Titans Chorus, and teaches classes in choral music education. In May of 2019 he was honored as the recipient of the CSUF Carol Barnes Award for Excellence in Teaching, and in 2018 he received the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Outstanding Music Educator Award for the Southeastern Section of California. In his 30 years as a music educator, Dr. Peterson has taught in elementary, middle school, high school, church, community, festival, and collegiate settings. He is also a published author, editor, composer, and choral arranger for Hal Leonard Music Publishers. His choral methods college textbook Resonance: The Art of the Choral Music Educator is currently in press and will be published by Pavane Publishing. Peterson has served as state choral representative and Southern Section president for CMEA, as well as the Western Division representative for the National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME) Council for Choral Education. He has also served the California Choral Directors Association in various offices, and is the current CCDA president-elect.

He has been invited to teach, judge, and conduct choirs in more than 30 US states, five Canadian provinces, and nine countries including China, England, Sweden, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, and Holland, and has conducted All-State choirs across the nation including Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, and California. In Fall of 2018 Peterson was named the director of music at Irvine United Congregational Church in Irvine, CA. In his “spare time” Chris sings bass with the Masters of Harmony, nine-time International Men’s Chorus Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Dr. Peterson earned the bachelor of science in music education from the University of Southern Maine, and the master of music in choral conducting performance from the University of Maine. He earned the doctor of philosophy in choral music education and conducting from Florida State University where he studied with Rodney Eichenberger, André Thomas, and Clifford Madsen.