Peter J. Griffin

Assistant Professor of Music and
Assistant Director of Bands

B.M., M.S., and Ed.D., University of Illinois

Peter Griffin is Director of the Marching Illini at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and reports to the Director of Bands. He became Assistant Director of Bands at Illinois in 1994 after having served in that capacity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At Wisconsin, Dr. Griffin conducted one of its concert bands, was Assistant Director of the marching and Varsity bands, and taught in the School of Music. Prior to his appointment at Wisconsin he was instrumental music director in Fowler, Colorado and at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs. While teaching in Colorado he also performed with Rocky Mountain Brassworks (Denver), the Pueblo Symphony Orchestra, and the Pueblo Municipal Band.

In addition to his conducting responsibilities at the University of Illinois, Dr. Griffin teaches conducting and marching band procedures in the School of Music. He was the coordinator of the Illini Marching Band Festival and the Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival from 1994-2006. He also served as head clinician and co-director of the Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Clinics from 1993-2005, and has served as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator across the state of Illinois and throughout the United States. Dr. Griffin served as head clinician of the University of New Hampshire Marching Band Clinic from 1999-2002, was co-producer/director of the pre game and halftime shows at the 1998 and 2000 Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia, and has published articles in The Instrumentalist Magazine and the National Band Association Journal. In January 2006 he presented a clinic at the Illinois Music Educators Association state convention in Peoria, and in December 2006 at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. In January 2008 he directed the Marching Illini in performances at the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl, and in March 2008 the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. In April 2008 he presented a clinic at the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Convention in Milwaukee, and in March 2009 at the College Band Directors National Association national convention in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Griffin is a native of Chicago. He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, Big Ten Band Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, Illinois Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha (honorary membership) and Sigma Alpha Iota (Friend of the Arts).

The development of the individual within a collective effort is at the center of my teaching efforts. It is the work of the individual within an ensemble or class that determines the success of a program. It is the teacher’s responsibility to provide a setting where individual progress and musicianship can grow to new heights and challenge students to achieve goals they never before thought possible. With these challenges comes the responsibility of the student and teacher to share new ideas and improve old ones in a never-ending pursuit to improve individual and collective achievements. The concept of a partnership between teacher and students working closely together is vital to training new teachers for success in the teaching profession.