Joseph Donald Peterson is a violist, composer,
and woodworker based in Northern California. He received his
bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, where he studied
viola with Samuel Rhodes and composition with Justin Dello Joio;
additional mentors include music theorist Steven Laitz and
violist Roger Tapping. While at Juilliard, Joseph placed second
in the schoolwide viola concerto competition, contributed to the
student-run newspaper The Citizen Penguin, and performed
in both the AXIOM and New Juilliard new music ensembles as often
as he was allowed; he also regularly premiered pieces composed by
his fellow students.
Joseph received his master’s degree in music composition
and theory from the University of California, Davis, where
he is currently also pursuing a PhD. While in Davis, Joseph has
had the opportunity to work with composers Laurie San Martin, Sam
Nichols, and Mika Pelo. His music has been performed by the
Empyrean Ensemble, Eclipse Quartet, and, after winning the UCDSO
Composition award, performed by the UCD Symphony Orchestra.
Besides music, Joseph is a serious woodworker, having completed
both a violin-making apprenticeship with luthier William Bartruff
and the nine-month program in fine furniture at The Krenov
School. Joseph’s PhD work at the University of California, Davis
is attempting to define an intersection between music and
woodworking.
The UC Davis Symphony Orchestra will premiere two works,
including one responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and a
much-loved symphony by Antonín Dvořák for its concert on March 5.
The concert takes place at 7 p.m. at the Robert and Margrit
Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.
