Greg Petersen

Greg Petersen teaches the humanities in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, offering courses in critical thinking and disparate aspects of the human relationship with arts: Patrons of the Arts, Art and Identity, The Art of Rituals and Recreation, and Technology and Artistic Innovation. All of his courses help Conservatory students develop their portfolio and prepare for the post-graduation experiences.

Greg holds a doctorate in Humanities Studies from the University at Albany, State University of New York as well as a Master of Arts degree in musicology and art history, and a Bachelor in Music Performance from Brigham Young University in Utah, USA. Before coming to Singapore, he was an Assistant Professor at Rogers State University in Oklahoma. A highly commended teacher, Dr. Petersen was honoured in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2004-2005.

After spending many years as a professional bassist, Greg left the musical performance venues of the world and entered the universities of the world to focus on his academic interests in the human relationship with arts. He received his doctorate in Humanistic Studies with an emphasis in critical theory from the University of Albany, State University of New York. His previous degrees include a Master of Arts degree in art history and musicology, and a Bachelor of Music in double bass performance, both awarded from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.

As an interdisciplinary scholar with a diverse background and interests, Greg’s research explores disparate aspects of cultural values, the human relationship with the arts, and artistic border crossings. Some of the world’s most respected publishers have published his book chapters and journals articles in the areas of musical instrument history, aesthetics, and economic, religious, and political influences. In addition, his conference papers have explored questions of emptiness in creativity and how the arts influence personal and national identity.

Prior to joining the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, the University at Albany (New York) and Rogers State University (Oklahoma, USA) assigned Petersen a diverse range of responsibilities. Between these two institutions, he taught a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary humanities courses. His unique teaching style has resulted in multiple teaching awards and conference presentations on teaching excellence in higher education. In additional to being a highly commended teacher, he brings notable experience as a humanities coordinator, chair of institutional undergraduate assessment for a comprehensive accreditation review, chair of academic integrity policies, and undergraduate degree programme development.

As a bassist Petersen has performed on several records and film scores, including motion pictures for Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros. He has also performed live with several international celebrities, Broadway musicals, ice shows, and circuses. Professional opera, ballet, and symphonic organizations encapsulate his classical music experience. Although his focus is now his teaching and research, he remains marginally active as a substitute in the Singapore music circuit.