Biography

American pianist DREW PETERSEN is a sought-after soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician in the US, Europe, and Asia. He has been praised for his performances of repertoire ranging from J.S. Bach to Judith Lang Zaimont, and is the recipient of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, 2017 American Pianists Award, and the Christel DeHaan Fellow of the American Pianists Association, as well as a residency at the University of Indianapolis.

He has made debuts with the Houston, Phoenix, Tucson, Pacific, and Milwaukee symphony orchestras, and has appeared in solo recitals at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, University of Indianapolis, and Dame Myra Hess Concerts in Chicago. Most recent performances include concerts at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival and Brevard Music Center’s Summer Festival, orchestral performances with the Indianapolis Symphony, and a recital at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival. He makes his debut under San Francisco Symphony auspices at this performance. In 2018 he released his first solo recording of American music on the Steinway label.

A frequent radio contributor, Mr. Petersen has performed on McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase, From the Top, and Performance Today. Profiles include The New York Times, New York Magazine, and the documentary just normal by director Kim A. Snyder. His appearance in Andrew Solomon’s New York Times bestselling book, Far From the Tree, sparked a nationwide conversation on raising extraordinary and different children who test the willpower and capabilities of their families and society. Mr. Petersen continually advocates for the necessity of classical music and other arts in society, and was named a 2006 Davidson Fellow for his portfolio entitled Keeping Classical Music Alive.