Staff Member Profiles

Mark Peterson has been in the music business for forty years as a pianist, music director and composer. In addition to being the choir director & organist here at King of Glory Lutheran Church, he is also the executive director of the Westminster Chorale, the artistic director of the San Clemente Choral Society, and the music director & organist of Beth Shalom in Whittier. He has a teaching credential in choral music from CSU Northridge (1988), and a M.M. in music composition from CSU Long Beach (2004). He began playing the piano at age 6, and the violin at age 9. In high school, he studied composition privately with Dr. Daniel Robbins, and arranged pieces for choirs at Mayfair High School in Lakewood. After winning two Frederic Chopin piano awards, he attended California Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks, working as the primary accompanist in the music department from 1977 until 1980. Then he was hired by actor John Daniels as a keyboardist and vocal arranger for the Gwen Brisco Show, touring the world for two years with singers, dancers, and a five-piece band. His first work as a choir director began at Bloomington High School in 1988. Since then, he has been a music director for many schools, churches, and private organizations. In 2012, he completed his greatest work: A New Nation, a musical drama based upon the epic struggle between Jacob and Esau. It premiered in Fort Worth, Texas in 2013. Last year, he retired from Cypress College after working full time in their music department for 18 years. Mr. Peterson can now devote his time to directing, composing, arranging and organizing musical projects.