Teacher Profile: Andrew Peterson

About Andrew Peterson

Andrew began playing piano at age 6, and began drumming at age 10. The son of an opera singer and a symphonic clarinet player, his rearing was steeped in classical music and jazz. Classically trained on the piano for ten years, he has been an organist and a keyboardist in a few traveling bands and has been playing professionally for the last ten years. Despite this, his true talent is in drumming. He began studying jazz drums as a middle schooler and trained until he could live as a professional drummer. In this capacity he has toured with country artists, played in jazz bands, and done session work for electronic artists and rappers.

Andrew studied Philosophy with a focus on Schopenhauer's aesthetics, specifically relating to the philosophy of music and opera. As such he has a unique understanding of the history and development of music as theory, and focuses his teaching accordingly. Aside from playing in a few Atlanta bands, he also co-founded and organizes a music and art collective. In this capacity he is very active in the larger Atlanta music scene, plans shows and events, and books different bands.

Andrew believes that music is the most powerful and innate art form. He believes that within every mind there is a capacity for musical understanding and expression, and while there may be prodigies, music is for everyone and meant to be shared. His goal is not just to teach his students the fundamentals, but to help them learn to love their own expression, and to help connect them with the broader music world.