Malcolm Peyton

Malcolm Cameron Peyton (born January 12, 1932, New York City) is an American composer, concert director, conductor, and teacher.

Peyton grew up in Princeton, New Jersey and received early classical training in piano starting at age 6, and in trumpet starting at age 9.

From 1950 to 1956 he attended Princeton University for both undergraduate and graduate training in musical composition, studying with Edward Cone and Roger Sessions, and was awarded a Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship.

In 1956–57 Peyton traveled on a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany to study with Wolfgang Fortner. From 1958 through 1961 Peyton, along with Edward Cone and William Carlin, initiated a series of contemporary chamber music concerts in New York presenting many new works.

After joining the faculty at New England Conservatory (NEC) in 1965, Peyton directed with Lyle Davidson Evenings of New Music, the first continuous contemporary music series at NEC, until 1972.

Since then Peyton has directed the Composer's Series at NEC, presenting works by faculty, invited guests, and students in NEC's Jordan Hall.

Peyton lectured at Boston University in 1975 and at Princeton University in 1978.

In 1980 Peyton was appointed chairman of composition at NEC, a position in which he served for many years.

In 1995, he conducted the premier of Robert Ceely's Automobile Graveyard, a full-length opera staged in Jordan Hall.

Peyton has received awards from the Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Norlin Foundation.

His works are published by Boelke-Bomart/Mobart and the Association for the Promotion of New Music, and recorded on the CRI and Centaur labels.

Notable students of Malcolm Peyton include Slovenian composer Igor Krivokapič and American composer Karen Tarlow.