news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Search teams spent Monday looking in and around Guilford Courthouse Military Park for a local musician missing from his home since Sunday afternoon.

About 4:30 p.m., crews called off their search for Russell James Peck, 64, after a day spent tracking through the woods in heavy snow failed to produce results.

Peck, who is known for his orchestral compositions, disappeared from his home at 3605 Brandywine Drive after failing to return from a walk.

A search began in the rain Sunday afternoon and resumed Monday morning following a heavy overnight snowfall.

Peck is known to exercise on running trails in both Guilford Courthouse and Country parks, where authorities spent much of their time Monday, said Capt. Janice Rogers of the Greensboro Police Department.

“We did about everything we could do (with a search) without even knowing for sure he was even out here,” Rogers said.

“He could have gotten in a vehicle, walked off on foot or caught a cab — we really don’t know.”

Rogers said crews searched both parks by foot, on all-terrain vehicles and did a surface search of all ponds and waterways.

She said crews do not plan to resume searching today but may search the area again later in the week once the remaining snow melts, if he isn’t found.

Peck is a white man, 6 feet tall and weighs 153 pounds. He has gray hair, blue eyes and was last seen wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, black sweat pants and white sneakers.

According to past news accounts, Peck’s musical career began in childhood and has continued as he has produced countless works inside a small studio at his home.

His work has been performed thousands of times by hundreds of orchestras in the United States and internationally, including performances by the London and Montréal symphonies.

He is also well-known for his work with the Greensboro Youth Symphony.

His best known pieces include “Harmonic Rhythm”  timpani concerto, “The Glory and the Grandeur” percussion concerto, “The Thrill of the Orchestra” narrated demonstration piece, and “Signs of Life” for strings, according to his Web site, russellpeck.com.

“The symphony builds up a momentum and inspires a certain feeling you can’t get anywhere else,” Peck said in a 1998 interview with the News & Record about his life’s work.

“The symphony makes you feel 10 feet tall and gives you a sense of grandeur in what’s possible with being a human being. It’s like looking at the Earth from outer space.”

Anyone with information about Peck’s whereabouts is urged to call Guilford Metro 911 at 373-2222 or Greensboro police at 373-2255.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com