Peter T. Jones

Lecturer and Accompanist in Dance
 
Specialization
Dance music

Peter Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, improviser, and composer of dance music. He has been an active musician in dance for the past 20 years. He has his own record label, Joneschord, and has produced eight collections of his music. Jones regularly collaborates with a wide range of artists, from dance improvisers such as Kristie Simson and Andrew Harwood to singer Philip Hamilton and percussionist Tigger Benford. He composes music for piano, chamber ensembles, and combinations of keyboard and percussion.

Jones has been a consistent contributor to both student and faculty dance performances at MHC and has been a guest artist at universities around the nation, such as Keene State College in New Hampshire, University of Wisconsin Madison, and University of Washington Seattle. Jones has also participated in international dance festivals, including the Lisbon Improvisation Festival and the Pro Danza Italia.

Jones’s passion for dance music can be seen in his course offerings. He regularly teaches an intermediate-level and senior-level Analysis of Rhythm, which studies music from a dancer’s perspective. Jones has also advised students on independent projects in ethnomusicology, drum technique, and the history of blues.

In addition to his musical collections, Jones has created scores for numerous choreographers, including "21st Century Stride" for Danny Buraczeski's Jazzdance, "The Metal Garden" for Sean Curran, and "Viscous Beauties" for Kevin Wynn, all of which premiered at the Joyce Theater in New York City.