Peter J. Griffin has served as the district supervisor of visual and performing arts since 1998. He came to Hopewell Valley from Bogota Public Schools, where he served in the same capacity and as longtime band director for the high school. In Hopewell Valley, Mr. Griffin has presided over an expanding program that enjoys wide community support, a growing popularity with students and rising stock throughout the state. Since 2004 the program twice has been singled out by the American Music Conference as one of the Best 100 Communities for Music Education in the U.S. In addition Central High School has won distinction -- twice -- as a GRAMMY Signature School Finalist.
On Mr. Griffin's watch, Hopewell Valley's arts programs have drawn letters of commendation from President Bill Clinton, Sen. Robert G. Torricelli, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, Congressman Rush Holt and Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes.
A percussionist and drummer, Mr. Griffin has performed professionally with the Houston Opera Studio, the Houston New Music Ensemble, the Houston Ballet, and The Princeton Girlchoir, as well as with various off-Broadway productions. He has also performed and recorded with many New York/New Jersey recording artists, as well as with internationally acclaimed Canadian choral music composer, Stephen Hatfield, and American choral music composer Jim Papoulis. He also spent two years as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University, directing the Montclair State Percussion Ensemble in concerts and recitals on and off campus.
While band director at Bogota High School, Mr. Griffin helped lead the school concert band to grand champion honors at the Colonial Classic Music Festival in Williamsburg, Va. in 1990. He was also invited to serve as guest conductor of the North Jersey High School Band Festival in 1993.
A recipient of the Governor's Teacher Recognition Award in 1997, he has been an invited workshop presenter at the New Jersey Music Educators Conference in 2009 and 2010 and at the 2009 MENC Eastern Division Conference in Providence, RI in 2009.
As a college student, Mr. Griffin was a member of the drum line with the University of Houston Cougar Marching Band under world-renowned director, composer and arranger Bill Moffit and performed in the 1979 and 1980 Cotton Bowl Classics. He was the student conductor of the University of Houston Percussion Ensemble, as well as principal timpanist with the wind ensemble under the direction of nationally renowned Texas bandmaster Eddie Green. He also performed with the symphony orchestra under the direction of maestros Igor Buketoff, Milton Katims and Michael Moores. He also has performed with the University of Houston Jazz Ensemble under jazz recording artist Tony Campise.
Mr. Griffin received a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Houston and a master's degree in music education from Montclair State University. He also earned a master's degree in educational administration from Rider University. He is a member of several professional associations, including the New Jersey Music Educators Association and the New Jersey Music Administrators Association, for which he serves on the group's executive board as treasurer.
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