Richard S Peters

BIOGRAPHY OF RICHARD PETERS

After 53 years as a band director, District Music Coordinator, and District Fine Arts Coordinator, Richard Peters remains active in his retirement, helping other directors through private lessons and sectionals and devoting time to his band compositions and arrangements. A native of San Antonio, Richard is the son of officers (ministers) in The Salvation Army which gave him ample opportunity to live around the south and southwest while enjoying the rich history of brass banding  unique to the Salvation Army. Those opportunities have allowed Richard to travel to the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Canada as a performer in 
addition to performing in many states. He credits his parents’ desire to have him learn an instrument at the age of 5 for his love of percussion and every part of being a band director.

Richard is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi where he was a student of Dr. Shermon Hong, Percussion Director, Dr. Joe Barry Mullins, Wind Ensemble Conductor, and Dr. William Gower, Director of Orchestral Studies, and Maestro of the University Symphonic Orchestra.

Richard completed his Master’s degree in music at Mississippi College, where he studied under Dr. John Hanberry. He also has a Supervisor’s Certification through Stephen F. Austin University. Richard spent 14 years as a band director in Mississippi but returned home to Texas where he taught in the Rio Grande Valley and the San Antonio metropolitan area.

Richard is married to the former Nellie Cruz Peters, a former member of the McAllen HS “Bulldog” Band of McAllen TX. Both Richard and Nellie are most proud of their children. Matthew is a United States Marine Corps veteran, and a former fire fighter who currently lives in the eastern United States with his wife Heather and their 3 children Weston, Colbie and Jemma. Brittany, a Band Director, and son-in-law Beau Hunter, also a Band Director live in Pearland, Texas and are the proud parents of Ewan, Eilidh, and Gwynyth.