Peter P. Hazzard was born in Poughkeepsie, NY on January 31, 1949. He wrote his first compositions, The Horses' Hooves and Evening Song, for violin and piano at the age of eight. He played violin studying in New York with Arlie Furman, and was a member of the New York Young People’s Orchestra. He also played guitar, and piano in both orchestras and dance bands throughout his youth. After graduation from Millbrook School and two years of study at Boston University, Mr. Hazzard entered the Berklee College of Music in 1968, receiving his Bachelor of Music in Composition in 1971. He studied composition with
John Bavicchi and William Maloof and conducting with
Jeronimus Kascinskas. Since finishing school, Mr. Hazzard has divided his time between composing, conducting, and teaching. Upon graduation, he was appointed to the faculty of Berklee College of Music where he taught composition, conducting, and music history and was the Chair of the Traditional Studies Department until 1983. He also conducted the Berklee Concert Wind Ensemble from 1976 to 1983. In the summer of 1983, Mr. Hazzard was appointed to the faculty of Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA where he served as Music Director and then Choral Director. In 1986 he founded the school’s a cappella group SLACS, and directed them until 2008. He was also musical director and vocal coach for the annual spring musical for more than twenty-two years. Mr. Hazzard retired from Lawrence Academy in 2012 and moved to the Charlotte, NC area so that his wife could accept a "dream" teaching position. In August of 2013 he resumed his teaching career becoming a substitute band and choral director in the Cabarrus County (NC) public schools. When his wife retired from teaching in early 2016, the Hazzards returned to New England and in June Mr Hazzard was appointed to the faculty of the Granite State Arts Academy, in Salem, NH where, as Director of Music, he taught and ran the music program. He retired from teaching after 50 years in January of 2020, but after the Covid-19 pandemic eased, went back to teaching in 2021 and is currently on the choral music faculty of The Founders Academy, in Manchester, NH. Mr. Hazzard received a Presidential Scholar Teacher Award form the U.S. Department of Education on 2006. He is a member of ASCAP, NAfME and the NHMEA.