Bob Petersen, a senior here at RAHS, has a passion for music. He currently plays four instruments: French horn, viola, bass clarinet, and trombone through the school, although he is capable of playing more than just those four.

For example, outside of the bandroom he enjoys playing the guitar. He said, “my dad’s a guitar player, so it’s been a part of my life since childhood.”

Peterson has been musically inclined from a young age, and said, “I been playing the horn for seven years.” He also said that before he switched to viola, he “played the violin for a couple years, but the two are pretty similar which helped a lot.”

Besides these two (French horn, guitar, and viola) he picked up the rest of his instruments in high school “all thanks to the awesome opportunities the music teachers provide,” Peterson said.

Playing in Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra wasn’t enough of a musical task for him, because Petersen also plays part-time in the Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Clarinet Choir. Additionally, he joined Cantus Certus, the top choir, this year to round out his music resume at RAHS. He said he is “very thankful for the awesome people in the choir community who’ve been helping me navigate my first year.”

Petersen said that he “joins all of these ensembles and learned the basics of all of these instruments” because he one day hopes to be a music teacher. He explained that “these experiences and foundations now will help me a lot as I move forward in life.”

The passion Bob Petersen has for the art of music is unmatched by anyone else at RAHS. The dedication and commitment he has to his craft is highly esteemed and admirable.