Peter Wessler

Peter Wessler was born and raised in Peoria. He attended Manual High School and Bradley Unviersity, later earning a masters degree at Illinois State University. Peter joined the violin section of the Peoria Symphony in 1977 while he was a music education major at Bradley. Upon graduation, he joined the music staff of the Peoria Public Schools, teaching grade school strings. In 1985, he was appointed orchestra director at Woodruff High School, where he remains today as music department chair and teaches courses in orchestra and music appreciation. Peter served as conductor of the Central Illinois Concert Orchestra for fifteen years, from 1981 - 1996, a period of time during which the Central Illinois Youth Symphony organization experienced some of the most significant growth in its history.

In addition to his duties at Woodruff, Peter teaches String Instrument Techniques at Bradley and directs the adult choir at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pekin. During the summer, he serves as Summer Academy Director for the Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival, a month-long program for musically talented high school students from across the country.

Peter is married to Carol, a cellist in the Peoria Symphony, and together they are the parents of two sons. Jonathan is a sophomore organ performance major at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, and Daniel is a senior at Woodruff High School.