Born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1960, Peter began playing the piano early in life. After learning basic chord structure from a brother, Peter began performing original songs for his kindergarten class. Formal lessons and classical training followed, continuing through his college years, as he studied music theory along with his economics at DePauw University.

A move to St. Louis and a career in banking followed his 1982 graduation. After a couple of years, Peter missed the piano and began spending significant time creating expressive piano movements and patterns. By 1988, these movements had become songs that Peter felt needed to be recorded. Using vacation time from the bank, he recorded these original songs. His debut CD, Cafe at Arles, emerged, and was released to rave reviews.

Through the early '90s, Cafe at Arles was building a loyal following of new and repeat mail order customers. During this time, Peter was writing new songs that captured more of the dynamics and energy of his live performances. These became the heart of his 1995 release, The Orchard, an eclectic mix that includes more rhythmic influences than the beautiful and calming Arles.

During the planning and writing of The Orchard, Peter became more convinced that music was his calling and had to be pursued full time. He left his banking career and founded the Wild Orchard Record Company, an independent label devoted to the love of the craft of music, and an extension of the personal interaction with fans that Peter enjoyed from the early days of Arles.

While preparing songs for his 1995 holiday concert, some interesting new arrangements of traditional holiday songs emerged. The joy of creating unique arrangements of holiday classics brought a new flurry of creative activity that resulted in his 1996 release, Tis the Season.

His holiday seasons now culminate in sold-out performances at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis. The standing ovations at these and other concerts reassure Peter that following his dream was the right decision, and reaffirm his belief that sharing music is one of life's most rewarding experiences.

LATEST: Peter has just released The Wedding Dance, a collection of his most-requested concert covers. Get the full story and a preview of this new recording!