Dr. Erik Peregrine (They/them/theirs), COF Chorus & Orchestra Director
Dr. Erik Peregrine (they/them/theirs) is a visionary conductor, musicologist, and educator whose work centers relationship as the fundamental basis for music-making. Peregrine currently serves as the Director of Choral & Orchestral Activities at Colleges of the Fenway, the artistic director of Ensemble Companio, and the founding director of LIFT!, an independent conducting studio which centers the development of musical leaders whose identities are un/underrepresented in the field.
Peregrine’s ensembles are hailed for their transformative programming, advocacy for historically-excluded composers, and vibrant, compelling performances of repertoire ranging from early music to newly-commissioned works. Under Peregrine’s direction, Ensemble Companio won third prize in the American Prize for Choral Performance (2018) and consecutive Ernst Bacon Memorial Awards for the Performance of American Music (2018 and 2019) for performances of works by historically-excluded living composers.
An award-winning teacher and internationally-recognized expert on best practices for transgender affirming ensembles, Peregrine received the 2023 UC Davis University Honors Program Faculty Mentorship Award and the 2023 ASUCD Excellence in Education Award for their outstanding commitment to undergraduate education. Their work has been featured by Chorus America, GALA Choruses, American Choral Directors Association, British Columbia Music Educators Association, and the International Federation for Choral Music.
Peregrine holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in choral conducting and historical musicology from the University of Arizona. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Peregrine also holds a MM in choral conducting from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) and a BA in Music from Lewis & Clark College (Portland, OR).
Questions about Chorus and Orchestra: Dr. Erik Peregrine at eperegrine@colleges-fenway.org
Jason Whiting (He, him, his), COF Jazz Band Director
Jason has been active in the Boston music scene since 1999. Currently he is an Adjunct Instructor at Emmanuel College, where his responsibilities include teaching Performance Techniques/Advanced Performance Techniques for the Singing Actor, music directing their spring production, and teaching piano and vocal lessons. Jason also works at MCPHS as an Administrative Assistant in the Pharmacy Practice. As a music director Jason has had the pleasure to work with The Player’s Ring (Portsmouth, NH), F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company, Emmanuel College, Bentley College, Suffolk University, Milton Players and Arlington Friends of the Drama. He has also run summer drama camps through the Westwood Recreation Department, and was music director and co-director for the Angier After School Program musical theatre program.
He expanded his love of jazz under Dr. John Entzi at Northwest Missouri State University, having the opportunity to perform in Chicago, and to also take his trio up to performances in Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa and North Dakota. Jason is excited for this opportunity to be continuing his musical journey with the Jazz Band and the COF!
Questions about Jazz Band email: Jason Whiting at jasonrobertwhiting@gmail.com
Featured Artist Collaborator
Ian Lao (they/them/theirs), COF Collaborative Pianist
Ian Lao (they/them/theirs) is a Filipino-American pianist, composer, producer and teaching artist currently based in Boston, MA.
Their work reflects the harmonious blend of their traditional classical piano training and inherent love for modern, approachable music. The duality of their upbringing informs their artistic expression, allowing them to effortlessly move between classical rigor and imaginative exploration. As a collaborator, Ian is dedicated to nurturing and uplifting the creativity of their fellow artists and storytellers, prioritizing those from Filipino, BIPOC and Queer communities.
Ian is a graduate of Longy School of Music of Bard College with a Master of Music in piano performance, where they studied with Spencer Myer. They earned their Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Florida State University under the tutelage of David Kalhous, and began their professional piano studies with John Deckert.