Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.

The 5th grade bands from Lakeview, Washington and Lincoln will be combining together for a District Wide 5th Grade Band concert on Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at Whitewater High School in the Auditorium.  They will be working with a special guest, Composer Peter Terry during the day for rehearsals as well as at the concert. Peter Terry will be joining the 5th grade band to work with them as well as premiering his new composition called “The Whitewater March” that he wrote and dedicated to the Whitewater 5th grade band, and their teacher, Justin Kamp. Peter Terry’s travel and expenses have been paid for by Excelcia Music Publishing Company in Florida.  At the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2019, Mr. Kamp won a raffle from Excelcia Publishing and they awarded a composer visit to WUSD!

Peter Terry (b. 1957) is an award-winning composer, conductor and educator. He holds a bachelor’s degree in trumpet from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in music composition and theory from Bowling Green State University, and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin in music composition and theory.

Dr. Terry’s compositions have been performed and broadcast worldwide and appear on numerous contest and festival required music lists. With over 70 works published by Excelcia Music, Carl Fischer, BRS Music, Dorn Publications and Music for Percussion, Inc., Dr. Terry is sought out for commissions by numerous chamber groups, choirs, concert bands and orchestras. He is accomplished at every level of ensemble writing from beginner to middle school, high school and advanced ensembles. His music is colorful, dramatic, and characterized by a rhythmic verve and a deep lyricism that shows the influences of American popular music, world music and American classical composers such as Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber. He is particularly proud of the emphasis on playability and melodic interest for all the instruments in his compositions.

Dr. Terry has served on the faculties of the University of Texas at Austin, Cal State-Los Angeles, Bowling Green State University and Bluffton University and the Interlochen Arts Camp.