Peter Spitzer
arranger
Peter is co-founder and general partner of Hope Street Music Studios. He received a BA (Music) from Portland State University, and an MA (Music) from San Jose State University. He has studied privately with Paul Pone (clarinet), Eddy Flenner (sax, theory), Mark Wolbers (clarinet), and Joe Henderson (sax, jazz improvisation), and has taken classes or workshops with David Baker, William Bolcom, John LaPorta, Wes Hensel, David Liebman, Robert Moran, John Cage, Sandor Veress, and Tomas Svoboda.
As a performer, he has played countless engagements, in many musical genres. He leads his own group, playing both straight-ahead and Brazilian jazz.
Peter has taught both privately and in classroom settings for over 40 years, at all age levels, including 18 years teaching instrumental music for the Los Altos School District.
He is the author of the Jazz Theory Handbook and the Easy Classics series (Mel Bay Publications).