"A piano concert of a completely special sort... absolutely an exquisite experience." -Leipziger Volkszeitung, Germany
American concert pianist Jason Paul Peterson has captivated audiences around the globe, with solo and collaborative performances in Germany, France, Austria, Mexico, England, Slovenia, and the United States. Highlights include Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, two outdoor performances of the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra for over 20,000 listeners; performances for embassies and consulates in Hamburg, Leipzig, and Ljubljana, two solo recitals on the historic Dame Myra Hess Memorial Series in Chicago (broadcast live nationwide via radio, internet, and cable television), performances at the Moulin d'Ande festival in France, and a performance in the Rathaus of Torgau, Germany, for the Elbe Festival, commemorating the meeting of Soviet and U.S. troops in 1945. Upcoming concerts include solo and collaborative engagements throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
The Leipziger Volkszeitung in Germany referred to a recent concert as "a piano concert of a completely special sort... absolutely an exquisite experience." Dr. Peterson has been described as "a national phenomenon" (The Milwaukee Journal) and a musician of "Technical brilliancy who conveyed all the nuances in performance" (Polonaise Magazine).
Dr. Peterson was awarded a grant from the Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc., and subsequently became the first-ever four-time recipient of the award. He is the winner of the 2006 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, the only American finalist in the 2001 Grace Welsh International Prize for Piano, and has also been awarded by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. Most recently, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for study at the Franz Liszt Academy in Weimar, Germany. His latest CD was released December 2008 on the Sospiro label.
In addition to the standard repertoire, Dr. Peterson is an advocate of modern and contemporary music, and has programmed works ranging from George Enescu and Samuel Barber to Verne Reynolds, Hwaen Ch'uqi, Adolphus Hailstork, and William Bolcom. His collaborators have included members of the Cleveland and Boston symphonies as well as the opera companies of Chicago, Austin, and Santa Fe. Dr. Peterson has also helped establish the Curso de Canto program at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, where he returns each summer to accompany and coach vocal music.
Dr. Peterson holds a Bachelor of Music degree with high distinction from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music degree with highest honors from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Conservatory, where he held an assistantship in piano teaching. Principal teachers include Natalya Antonova, Anton Nel, Alexander Shtarkman, and Grigory Gruzman. He is currently a full-time faculty member at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.