ARTS AND CULTURE
Curtains Close on 35 Years of Music Music Department Chair Dr. Douglas Peterson reflects on his time at DSC By Kyra Lieberman Dr. Douglas Peterson began his career at Daytona State College as interim band director in the 1984-85 academic term. In the 35 years since, he has become Chair of the Mike Curb College of Music, Entertainment and Art and impacted thousands of students and members of the community who have enjoyed his performances. Through the College’s many changes over the years, Peterson has remained the pinnacle of professionalism, leading by example and teaching his students and faculty about hard work and staying true to oneself. Born in Pennsylvania, Peterson and his family moved to Daytona Beach when he
was 12, where he later graduated from Mainland High School. He went away to college but returned every summer and played professionally in the Seaside Music Theater Orchestra and worked at the Bandshell on Daytona Beach. After earning his master’s from Indiana University, he returned to the area permanently and began substitute teaching. “I taught everything except music!” he laughed. There was an opening for band director in DSC’s music program January 1985, and the rest is history. After becoming a full-time professor with tenure, the College gave him a one-year sabbatical to complete his doctorate degree in 1993-94. In 2003, he became Chair of what was then the joint arts and humanities
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department, overseeing faculty and courses from instrumental music, production, theater, photography and fine arts, among humanities courses such as speech, political science and foreign languages. Over the decades he has helped design many new degree and certificate programs. In 2017, Peterson received the Presidential Sterling Award for Teaching Excellence to recognize his contributions to the College and the countless lives of students and fellow faculty he has impacted during his time here. The College, in return, has impacted him just as much, he said. On May 9, 2019, Peterson presided over the DSC Spring Concert for one final performance. The DSC Symphonic Band performed a lively set featuring
