Allan has conducted choirs of all age levels in festivals, honor choirs, workshops, and tours throughout the US and abroad. In 2006 he recently completed his 13th season with Consort Chorale, an ensemble of 40 select voices from the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1995 he was the American guest conductor/composer for the Cathedral Choir Tour in England, sharing the podium with such luminaries as Peter Aston, Norman Morris, Andrew Carter and John Rutter. He was invited back to England in 2003 as the featured guest for the National Association of Choirs (UK) annual conference. From 1999 to 2006, he conducted the College and Community Choir at Marymount College (Rancho Palos Verdes). He is currently the Minister of Music at the First Presbyterian Church, San Pedro. In 2004 he became the Artistic Director for the Santa Clarita Master Chorale, a 60-voice auditioned choir.
Allan is a published composer and arranger with over 250 published works with numerous publishing houses. His conducting books, Choral Questions and Answers Vols. I, II, III, IV and V, have become staples in school curriculum and for secondary resource material. His crusade to offer a cure for musical illiteracy culminated in the publication of the ADVANCE learning series. As a composer for hire he has written original scores for live performance and has penned a number of original TV commercials which have appeared on the CNBC network.
He has been involved in the choral music publishing industry for many years. In 1977 he became the Director of Publications for Fred Bock Music Company and subsidiaries, a post he still holds. In 1989 he established his own choral music publishing company, Pavane Publishing, expanding to include representation for the distinguished English firms, Banks Music Publications, and the Basil Ramsey Catalogue. He later added John Rich Music Press to his portfolio.
As an instrumentalist (viola), Allan has done free-lance studio work and occasional concert playing. His specialized understanding of both instrumental and choral music enables him to be a sensitive and communicative conductor. As a composer, Allan's works have been performed all over the United States, including the commissioned piece, "Speak of Peace," premiered at the American Choral Directors Association 25th National Convention. He received noted acclaim for his Christmas cantata, "Canticle of St. Augustine," a work in five movements for choir and orchestra, which was recorded by the London National Philharmonic Orchestra and published by Gentry Publications (a division of Fred Bock). His most recent large scale commissions for choir and orchestra, "Resounding Praise" and "Te Deum to Music" have been enthusiastically received. Allan is in constant demand as a commissioned composer for new works for choir as well as choir and orchestra.
Allan holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from California State University at Northridge in music, specializing in viola (BA), voice and choral conducting (MA) and is a past President of the National Association of Church Musicians.
Allan is married to Kimberly (Kim) Ayers, who has bestowed Scottish nickname "Robbie MacPetker" on him, sings alto in his many choirs, and caters many choral events. The couple live in San Pedro and worship at First Presbyterian Church, where Allan directs the choir. He has two grown children, Joshua Petker, a rising LA (visual) artist, Elyce Petker, who works in publishing, and one very cosseted (and dairy-spoiled) house cat, Sid.
