Peter Simon

Hometown: Springfield, Louisiana

Age: 46

Artistry: Songwriter, music teacher

Online: @morning_byrd and @minosthesaint on Instagram; minosthesaint.com

Locals know him as the singer for Southern-splashed chamber-folk band Minos the Saint and the soulful acoustic performer at restaurants and artistic events across the region. But this summer, Peter Simon is taking off with something completely different. A Talented Program music instructor for multiple Baton Rouge schools, Simon will debut Change in Elevation, a new album and music video series under the name Morning Byrd.

Inspired by fearless writers like Jeff Buckley, Nina Simone and Leonard Cohen, the Springfield native began writing songs in college. Simon continues to collaborate with Minos the Saint, but when he felt the urge to experiment with his craft, he was inspired by the boldness of his students, young beginners new to expressing themselves with music.

“I’ve maybe approached certain aspects of music or singing in too technical of a mindset in the past, and really it’s actually an endless wonder machine—and that’s it,” he explains. “That’s a lesson I learn from teaching. Creativity is about learning how to be a kid again. And part of that process is trying different things.”

Though it began as a solo effort, the Morning Byrd album attracted a number of collaborators, including Cuban-born cellist Raudol Palacios.

“My goal was to write the arrangements and do the notation for these new songs, and I wanted to push myself to do that,” Simon says. “Raudol got excited about that, and he just became a huge part of it. So it’s more of a duet now.”

Simon describes collaboration as a “trust fall,” but one with endless rewards. Change in Elevation is proof of that—a melodic collection inspired by his time spent near a friend’s mountainside home in Costa Rica and moments of reflection and collaboration at home.

“Creating is a real disruption from the day-to-day, in a good way, but you have to give it the time it needs,” Simon says. “Making a space for it is important, so I finally cleared out a whole room as a recording space.”

Whether it’s singing live with his band, arranging a new song or handing a ukulele to a 9-year-old, Simon knows that at its best, music includes bravery and an openness to change.

“A lot of how I teach music is observed from David Hinson,” Simon says of the music teacher and upright bassist. “And he talks about the importance of messing up. If you mess up, you know you’re trying. And it will be OK. Just don’t be afraid to fail.”