Peter Sheridan
Peter Sheridan, was raised in New York City, and studied at the Mannes College of Music. He has lived in London, Arizona, Los Angeles and now takes up residence in Melbourne Australia. Mr. Sheridan currently maintains an active schedule performing, teaching, creating and touring. Peter is director of the Monash University Flute Ensemble and a lecturer of flute for the University of Melbourne. As a recording artist he has appeared on various Hollywood soundtracks, recorded two chamber music discs and has completed two solo albums featuring the unique tones of the low flutes "Below: Music for Low Flutes" (2009) and "Monologues and Dialogues (2011).
A specialist on the low flutes, Sheridan has promoted commissioned and collaborative music for the Alto, Bass, Contrabass and Sub-Contrabass flutes. He recently had a most unique instrument designed and built known as the Hyperbass flute, which plays lower than the concert piano (C-0). He actively performs and lectures on these instruments both as a soloist and educator. Sheridan has premiered the 'Lyric Concerto' by Bruce Lawrence (for contrabass flute and strings) with the Melbourne Musicians Society, Patrick Neher's "City Vignettes" (for contrabass flute, double bass and piano), and Houston Dunleavy's "Clumsy Duos" for piccolo and subcontrabass with the renowned International soloist Jean Louis Beaumadier. In 2011 Thomas Reiner composed his "Five Propositions" for alto flute as a request for a set of challenging concert etudes. Peter was a founding member of the creative and innovative ensemble, the Los Angeles Flute Quartet (2001-2007) and appeared with the Grand Canyon Music Festival on PBS, Aspen Music Festival on NPR and has performed live on 3 MBS. Selections from his recent recording have been featured across Australia on ABC and 3MBS radio. He has given performances throughout the United States, and in England, Holland, Japan, Australia and Italy.
As an Orchestral player he has worked with the the Hollywood Studio Orchestra, Australian National Academy of Music-Orchestra, Australian Philharmonic, Pasadena and Thousand Oaks Symphonies, the Mannes Camerata, Arizona Opera Company, San Bernardino Pops and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. Peter has presented numerous master classes and recitals for various arts organizations, including: the National Flute Association, University of Washington (Seattle), St. Martin-in the- Fields Church (UK), Barbican Center/ Foyer Series (UK), Trinity Church (NYC), The Los Angeles Flute Society, University of California Los Angeles, American Composers Forum, California Music Teachers Association, and The Los Angeles Bach Society. Peter has also performed at numerous flute conventions including the National Flute Association (USA), British Flute Society, Australian Flute Festival (2009 and 2011), Southwest Flute Festival, San Diego Festival and was invited to perform for the Japan Flute Association Convention in Shiga.
Peter is honoured to have studied with Thomas Nyfenger, Sheridon Stokes, Janos Balint (Hungary), Judith Mendenhall, Nadine Asin, Bonnie Lichter and Clare Hoffmann (who's patience and dedication seasoned him into a flute player!). He has performed in Master classes by Baker, Schocker, Nicolet, Schultz, and Chesis. Mr. Sheridan has been the recipient of awards and grants from Monash University, Mannes College, Aspen Music Festival, American Composers Forum: Subito, University of Arizona, New York City Honours Orchestra, Turtle Bay Music School and Santa Monica College, where he was nominated ''Outstanding Professor" by the International Student Committee. In 2009 and 2010 he was presented with the "Dean's Commendation of Excellence in Teaching" for his outstanding contribution to the Faculty of Arts, Monash University.
Mr. Sheridan has conducted the Victorian College of the Arts, Santa Monica College, UCLA and Arizona University Flute Ensembles, and was Assistant conductor of the Monash Wind Symphony in 2010. He was director of the Santa Monica College Intermediate Band from 2004-2006 and held various church positions as Music Director within the greater Los Angeles area. He currently directs the Donvale Christian College Concert Band and flute ensemble, and is the director of the vibrant and energetic Monash University Flute Ensemble which performs on all the multiple flutes (picc, Eb flute, C flute, Alto, Pinschophone in G, Contrabass, Subcontrabass, and Hyperbass flutes).
Premieres have included works by: Gary Schocker, Houston Dunleavy, Alex Shapiro, Paul Chihara, Andrew Downes, Rhian Samuels, Adrienne Albert, Sheridon Stokes, Jeffrey Miller, Vinny Golia, Patrick Neher, Bruce Lawrence, Vaughan McAlley and Reena Esmail among numerous other composers. Future projects include collaborations with composers/ performers such as Mike Mower, Robert Dick, Taran Carter and Sergio Morais. Peter has recorded for Albany records, Innova, Move, Warner Music Latina, and Varese Sarabande. As a passionate commissioner of new music, with some fifty compositions from six countries, his artistic mission is to develop and expand music and recordings for all the 'Low Flutes' (anything that plays below middle C). Peter has also improvised and written solos for the lower flutes, involving extended techniques.
Peter plays Kotato and Fukushima Bass and Contra bass flutes, as well as a Sub-Contra and Hyperbass flute from Jelle Hogenhuis (Holland). As a dedicated teacher and lecturer Mr. Sheridan has served on the Music faculties of La Sierra University, Santa Monica College, and El Camino College (CA), both as Professor of Flute and Lecturer. He has lectured and performed at UCLA, Arizona (Tucson), Portland State, Cal Arts (Northridge), Cal State Fresno and Monash Universities. Peter presents recitals throughout regional Victoria and has plans to travel to Iceland, China and Russia in the near future. Mr. Sheridan is a proud lifetime member of the National Flute Association and sits on the low flutes committee of that organization.