Peter Archer Papers

Dr. Archer held the title as Instrumental Music Director at the Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School 74 in Bayside, Queens for 34 years, retiring in June 2020. At the school, he taught band and string instruments to students through a three-year sequential instrumental music program. Archer is also a former adjunct at the Aaron Copland School of Music-Queens College, CUNY, where he taught music education and instrumental music at the College’s Center for Preparatory Studies in Music to many youths.

As a member of the Disney/Pixar team for the movie Soul (2020), Dr. Archer contributed significantly by providing inspiration and insight to the film, primarily for the lead character, Joe Gardner, a middle school band teacher.

Dr. Archer is an accomplished musician. As a trumpeter, he performs in many venues throughout the New York City Metropolitan area and abroad. He appeared as recitalist at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and at the Cadet’s Chapel at West Point Military Academy. As a conductor, he directed the Queens All-Borough-Wide Symphonic Band (a youth organization) at Carnegie Hall during its 100’s anniversary celebration. He also trained and directed both Police and Army Bands of Georgetown-Guyana in South America at the request of the Guyanese government.

Dr. Archer earned a Bachelor of Music degree in music performance and a Master of Science degree in Music Education from Queens College-CUNY and completed his Doctorate in Music Education at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. His dissertation chronicles the history of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College of the City University of New York from 1938-2010.