Peter chaired the music department at Central Washington University from 1999 to 2010. He grew up in New York City, earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Queens College (now the Aaron Copland School of Music). He was awarded a master of music degree from University of Puget Sound and taught public school in Brooklyn, New York, Port Angeles and Fairbanks, Alaska. Peter was hired by CWU in 1974, following completion of his doctor of music degree from the University of Oregon. He has taught piano, music appreciation, music theory, counterpoint, analysis and pedagogy of theory. He is passionate for making music theory clear to beginning music majors, and firmly believes that any theory class worth teaching should help students become better performers. In 2002, Peter shepherded the CWU music department through NASM accreditation, helped facilitate the department’s move into the new music building in 2004, and served on the faculty negotiating team resulting in the first university contract under collective bargaining legislation.