Gretchen Peters

Gretchen Peters is a Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire within the College of Arts and Sciences, affiliated with both the Music and Theatre Arts Department and the American Indian Studies Program. Her scholarly work bridges historical musicology with critical analyses of cultural representation in music curricula.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • M.M., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • B.M., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Peters’ research focuses on Music History (particularly Medieval and Renaissance periods), Gender and Music, and Indigenous Cultural Representation. Her recent projects examine the appropriation of American Indian culture in musical contexts and the evolution of urban musical practices in premodern Europe.

Her publications span medieval urban musicology (2000-2013), cultural inclusivity in pedagogy (2016), and Indigenous critiques of ethnographic practices (2015). Notable works include her 2012 Cambridge University Press monograph and analyses of Alberto Bimboni’s opera Winona, which explores Native American legends in classical music.

Dr. Peters has supervised diverse student projects, including studies on Hmong musical traditions in Eau Claire, racial dynamics in Bizet’s Carmen, and gender representation in UW-EC’s music program history. She also contributes program notes for recordings and reviews scholarly works in medieval music studies.