Homegrown Composer: Peter B. Kay
By Laura-Clare Thevenet
“Like a cartoon strip, a Boy and his Tiger is a work built from segments; blocks that, when pieced together, illustrate a brief scene offering a window into the imagination.”
Spartanburg native, Peter B. Kay is undoubtedly a product of the music education system in Spartanburg. He is a Spartanburg High School alumnus with close ties to the music community in town. Before becoming a member of the Spartanburg Philharmonic staff, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Furman University where he studied with Mark Kilstofte (composition) and Tim Easter (double bass). He went on to complete his Masters in Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC where he studied with composers John Fitz Rogers and Reginald Bain. While at USC, he was fortunate to be the graduate assistant for the Southern Exposure New Music Series during which time it received the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming.
He was first exposed to the Spartanburg Philharmonic in 1997 when he joined as a member of the double bass section and remained for 10 years until he left to complete his graduate studies. After this, he joined the Philharmonic staff in 2015 as Director of Operations and Personnel Manager. By the 2018-2019 season, he had become the General Manager, Graphic Designer, and Composer in Residence.
Peter’s pieces are frequently featured in Spartanburg Philharmonic concerts, especially the Espresso Series chamber concerts. In 2004, the Philharmonic performed one of Peter’s works at their annual youth concert - his Masters thesis, Beowulf: A Musical Tale, with text translated by Natalie Grinnell (Wofford) and narration by Mark Ferguson (Wofford). Most recently, his piece Phoenix (Cathedral) premiered at the Rach 2 concert on October 12.
In addition to his work as a composer, Peter is also a music educator and advocate for composers. In 2014, he founded the non-profit organization Treefalls, dedicated to performing music of living composers, particularly under-represented groups. He is currently an adjunct professor at Converse College and Furman University.
Peter’s piece a Boy and his Tiger will premiere at the Homegrown concert on November 22, but it was originally written in 2012. It is based on beloved creator of Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Watterson and his effort to establish a free-form, unbreakable layout for his famed cartoon strip. As a child, Peter was a fan of the cartoon and looked forward to each new edition in the Sunday paper. He likens a Boy and his Tiger to Watterson’s valiant convictions and says, “Like a cartoon strip, a Boy and his Tiger is a work built from segments; blocks that, when pieced together, illustrate a brief scene offering a window into the imagination. Some of the imagery overlaps or extends beyond the borders. Some are short and distinct. At times, the characters can be playful and at others, sentimental. They can be moody or mischievous, giddy or goofy, bashful or brash. But always, the boy and his tiger were sincere and true to themselves.”
