Nationally recognized violinist, Erik Peterson was a member of the Colorado Symphony for 29 years, and continues to perform with the Ivy Street Ensemble, Canto Deo, and Colorado Bach Ensemble. An active teacher in the Denver Metro area, Erik has a large studio of talented violinists and continues to pursue excellence on the violin for both himself and his students!
Erik is dedicated to chamber music performance and community outreach. He frequently visits Colorado schools to engage students in the art of chamber music performance with a variety of ensembles. A longtime member of the Ivy Street Ensemble, Erik also performs across the state with cellist Barbara Thiem, and pianist Theodore Lichtmann as part of the Mendelssohn Trio. His performances are often broadcast on Performance Today, Colorado Public Radio, and Oregon Public Radio.
In addition to his commitments to violin and chamber music performance, Erik Peterson is the Artistic Director of the Chintimini Chamber Music Festival (www.chintimini.org) in Corvallis, Oregon and Front Range Chamber Players (www.frontrangechamberplayers.org) in Fort Collins, Colorado. His role in these two organizations allows him to promote the art of chamber music to a wide audience.
While attending the University of Iowa, Erik studied violin peformance with Leapold LaFosse. He continued violin studies with Andres Cardenes at the University of Michigan and with Camilla Wicks at Rice University. Erik has been a member of many orchestras throughout the United States, and has performed in the great concert halls of Europe as Principal Second Violinist of the American Sinfonietta on several international tours.
Erik maintains a private home teaching studio and has also taught for Colorado State University, Rocky Ridge Music Center, Denver Young Artists Orchestra and the Denver School of the Arts, and he is frequently engaged to give master classes. Each June, Erik travels with his family to Oregon to enjoy the Pacific Ocean and for the Chintimini Chamber Music Festival, which he co-founded in 2001.
