Peter Dayton

Background

About Peter Dayton

Described by the Baltimore Sun as having “a refined sense of melodic arcs and harmonic motion,” Peter Dayton’s compositions have been performed across North America and in Europe. He hopes to engage with his community through concertizing and performance opportunities that support local musicians and create new artistic connections. He is the Programs & Operations Manager at Arts Education in Maryland Schools. Peter’s creative process often involves using visual art or poetry as the spark for an artistic response. His works responding to contemporary painters have generated friendships and connections across the globe, from England to Peru. Peter’s passion for literature has resulted in robust catalogue of art songs and choral works. In addition to his settings of modern American poets, Peter wrote the libretto for his own chamber opera May She | She May about the poet Gertrude Stein’s first love affair. Peter’s discography includes his 2020 self-published album Aspects of Landscape: Music inspired by the world of John Hitchens, a CD of his chamber music for piano and strings, Notes to Loved Ones, published by Navona Records (2018), and selections of his choral music on volumes 1 and 2 of the Ablaze Records New Choral Voices series (2017-2018). Peter holds a Bachelor’s Degree (summa cum laude) from Vanderbilt University and a Master’s Degree in Composition from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.