Dr. Peter Lemonds, retired Director of Orchestras at Duluth High School, has had a varied career as a performing cellist, conductor, and educator, performing numerous concerts as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States, England, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, and Korea. He was an assistant professor of cello at the University of Southern Mississippi, was on the cello faculty at Emory University and the Sewanee Summer Music Center. He has directed the orchestra program for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program and has taught at the Paideia School (as founder and director of the orchestra program), the Lovett School, Wheeler High School, East Cobb Middle School, North Gwinnett High School, and Duluth Middle School. He was a finalist in the International Dealy Awards Performing Artists Competition and a winner of the Alpha Delta Kappa International Cello Competition and finalist in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artists Competition. Dr. Lemonds has performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Virtuosi and has appeared with numerous guest artists, including Beyonce, Sarah Brightman, Smokey Robinson, Rod Stewart, Al Jarreau, Bob Hope, Bernadette Peters, Page and Plant of Led Zeppelin, and Dionne Warwick. He has recorded “Georgia on My Mind” with Ray Charles for Georgia Public Television. He holds a Master of Music degree in cello performance from Louisiana State University and Bachelor of Arts from the University of the South, Sewanee. He received a Ford Foundation Fellowship for doctoral study at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri, where he completed his dissertation, The Carl Flesch Violin Scale System: An Edition for Cello, and was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Dr. Lemonds is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association, American String Teachers Association, American Federation of Musicians, and the Georgia Association of Educators. His orchestras have been selected twice to perform at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Festival, four times to perform at the Georgia Music Educators In-Service Conference and twice at the American String Teachers Association National Orchestra Festival, placing first and third.



What would you say is your favorite thing about teaching, especially since you didn't intend to teach when you first started? I never set out to teach, but over time, I’ve come to realize that my favorite part of teaching is the connection with the students. It’s energizing to see their passion, to learn about their lives, and to be a part of their growth. There’s something truly fulfilling about knowing that you can make a difference in their journey, even in small ways. In performance, the focus is often on the individual, but in teaching, it’s about the collective—building relationships, sharing knowledge, and inspiring others. That sense of community and the mutual learning that happens is what makes teaching so rewarding for me now.

What would you say is the biggest challenge facing orchestra teachers today?

Teaching is one of the hardest “instruments” to adjust to and adapt. For example, there’s little Susie in the back, glued to her phone, and there are so many distractions to navigate. I know my mind works differently than a lot of other teachers on the podium—I’m not afraid to experiment. While many teachers stick closely to a structured approach, I enjoy trying new things, even if they don’t always work right away. I see it as part of the learning process.

When I teach orchestra, I approach it more like a series of private lessons. I break down the music into parts—what can we do in unison, and how do we fill the rests productively while something else is happening? I also try to tailor my teaching to the unique needs of the students in the room, differentiating based on what they've written or where they are musically. It’s about making the learning experience as individual as the students themselves.

What advice do you have for someone who is new to the profession?

One of the things that has made me a strong teacher is the ability to train students well enough to anticipate the challenges they might face. I believe in preparing them so thoroughly that they can recognize potential problems before they arise. Even if their performance isn’t perfect, it’s still a great achievement because they’ve given their best.

Over time, I’ve learned to enjoy performances more, and much of that comes from what I learned from my dad. He never focused on what went wrong or what could have been better; instead, he trusted that the students knew what they could improve. I’ve adopted the same approach with my students—especially during the final rehearsal, where I push them hard to make the most of every moment. The result is often a fantastic performance, and the students end up having fun in the process. The key lesson I’ve learned is that you can always achieve more than you think. There’s always a higher level of performance waiting to be unlocked if you keep pushing.

Who inspired you to become an educator? Who are your influences?

I grew up in a deeply musical family where we all played instruments. My dad taught at Emory University for many years, and he would often take us along to his rehearsals. My mom played timpani, and we were surrounded by a community of musicians. At the time, Atlanta’s music scene was smaller, and many Symphony players weren’t in a 52-week season, so I had the opportunity to play in various groups. I also sang in the chorus at Druid Hills High School, but it wasn’t until college that I truly began playing in ensembles. Before then, I had a unique experience of learning music primarily through my cello lessons, without much exposure to group playing.

In high school, I was active in sports, playing basketball, football, and volleyball. I went on to attend the University of the South at Sewanee, where my dad worked. At 6’3”, I thought I was too short for basketball, but I eventually got the chance to play on the college basketball team. During this time, I also attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, where my cello teacher, Martha McCoy, helped me refine my technique and truly "turned me into a real cello player."

Though I didn’t initially major in music, I eventually double majored in Music and Psychology. I was the first to major in music at Sewanee, which was a big inspiration for me. After graduation, I didn’t start teaching until I was 28, after many years of performing in the Southeast. I began to learn about the dynamics of public school teaching through sectional coaching and by helping out in schools near UMKC.I freelanced in Atlanta for a time, even subbing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, before landing my first teaching job at the Paideia School. Eventually, I moved to England, where I took business courses but soon realized that I should return to my area of expertise—music. I applied for a cello teaching position in Mississippi and was fortunate to get the job. In the 1980s, I had the chance to play with the Mineria Orchestra in Mexico, thanks to an invitation from Juan Ramirez’s group. That summer season funded the orchestra's work in Mexico, and it was an incredible experience. When I moved back to the U.S., I loved my time at LSU. The first time I entered Tiger Stadium was unforgettable—what an experience! Being at LSU certainly influenced me to become an educator.