Peter Wilson is an engaging and multifaceted American violinist and conductor whose musicianship has been noted as “first-class” by The Washington Post. He currently serves as Music Director of the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra and has conducted the National Symphony Orchestra as well as the National Gallery Orchestra. Highly respected throughout the Nation’s Capital, he has served as a violinist of The White House for nearly two decades and is an active chamber musician, concertmaster, recording artist, and performance clinician throughout the United States. He holds music degrees from Northwestern University and The Catholic University of America where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts.

Dr. Wilson began his professional career as Concertmaster of the Walt Disney World Orchestra. For over 12 years, he served as a lecturer at Catholic University where he was Resident Conductor of the CU Symphony Orchestra while teaching courses on podium conducting and string techniques. He is in great demand for his skills and versatility, commanding respect in genres ranging from classical and jazz to country, folk, and pop/rock. He has appeared as a violin soloist with such renowned artists as Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Renée Fleming, Bernadette Peters, Randy Travis, Chely Wright, and Trisha Yearwood.  He has performed chamber music in concert with Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, and Peter Wiley. In 2001, he soloed at the personal invitation of former Defense Secretary William Cohen for a private book-signing event honoring Quincy Jones and the release of his autobiography “Q.”  In addition, he has soloed in many unique venues including the Presidential Retreat at Camp David, the Vatican before Pope John Paul II, the American Embassy in Paris, and Chicago’s Comiskey Park, where he performed his arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner to open a Major League Baseball game. He also performed the arrangement to kick off the 2009 Leukemia Ball in Washington, DC. As a studio musician, he has recorded countless jingles and has soloed on many albums including Eddie From Ohio’s “IRODEFIDOHOME.” In addition, he has performed with orchestras backing up such legends as Beyoncé, Ray Charles, Josh Groban, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Johnny Mathis, and Joni Mitchell, as well as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in their Zeppelin UnLEDed World Tour. He has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra of Washington, DC, has served as a concertmaster for the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and recently appeared on HBO as a member of the orchestra that supported the “We Are One” concert at the Lincoln Memorial, which kicked off the Inaugural week of President Barack Obama. Most recently, Dr. Wilson performed with Stevie Wonder in a 21-piece orchestra at the Library of Congress in the World Premiere of Mr. Wonder’s “Sketches of a Life.”

  

Dr. Wilson has appeared in international magazines to include The Strad, which – following a performance of the Barber Violin Concerto – stated, “Wilson’s performance stressed the warmth and romanticism of the music… [His] technical skills brought a sparkle to the Moto Perpetuo and overall, [Wilson] made music that had the stamp of quality.” The Washington Post has further observed his “pristine melodic lines” and “showering virtuosity.” Dr. Wilson has performed such acclaimed works as John Corigliano’s “The Red Violin: Chaccone for Violin and Orchestra,” after which he was praised by the award winning composer: “[Wilson’s] beautiful performance of my Chaconne…how gorgeous it was…and so true to the piece.” Following a performance of the violin solo to Theme from “Schindler’s List” under the baton of composer John Williams at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Washington Post singled out Dr. Wilson for his “impassioned violin solo.”

  

Dr. Wilson was born in Cleveland, Ohio and began his musical training at age 2 as a Suzuki violin student of his mother Mary Wilson. He began piano studies at age 5 with his grandmother Maxine Cummins and later moved to Morgantown, West Virginia, where he became the first musician ever to receive the Governor’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in the Arts.  He is also an alumnus of the Interlochen “National Music Camp” and the ENCORE School for Strings.  His other violin teachers have included Linda Cerone, Jody Gatwood, Robert Gerle, Blair Milton, and Donald Portnoy. His primary conducting studies were with Victor Yampolsky and John Paynter, and he has received coaching from Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier.  In 2008, Dr. Wilson was one of only nine conductors selected to work with Leonard Slatkin in the highly acclaimed National Conducting Institute in Washington, DC, an intensive training program for rising Music Directors. Having developed a passion for authentic, historically informed performances, Dr. Wilson has researched and conducted several restorations of great musical works including Gershwin’s original 1924 version of “Rhapsody In Blue” using his own, personally prepared critical edition parts and Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” Suite for 13 instruments. In addition, he has championed Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony, Op. 9, Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No. 1, and Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” the last two featuring Dr. Wilson as soloist and conductor.

  

Dr. Wilson is a founding member of the highly acclaimed string duo, Bridging the Gap®, in which he performs with double bassist Aaron Clay. Hailed by The Washington Post for “superior arrangements and uncommon musicianship,” the unique duo performs works covering a wide range of musical styles in venues from private homes and schools to concert halls and stadiums. They released their first CD in 2003 and have become frequent guests of the Millennium Stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2004, Wilson and Clay were honored by their home state when each received the Music Award by the Arts and Humanities Commission of Fairmont, West Virginia in recognition of their “outstanding leadership and devotion to the enhancement of the arts.” The diplomatic duo has appeared at the White House and frequently performs after-dinner entertainment at the homes of members of Congress and The Cabinet as well as for senior military and government officials throughout the National Capital Region. Wilson and Clay especially enjoy performing educational and entertaining community outreach programs at primary and secondary schools throughout the United States.  In addition, they have an active schedule of conducting master classes and performing recitals at numerous universities and conservatories while also promoting the repertoire for violin, double bass, and orchestra by appearing with university and community orchestras.

  

An occasional composer and songwriter, Dr. Wilson wrote in 2001 “An American Pledge,” a song inspired by and featuring the American “Pledge of Allegiance.” The song was premiered on September 8th, 2001—just three days before the terrorist attacks that forever changed America. Less than a month following the attacks, Dr. Wilson was interviewed by CNN for a feature that included a performance of the song, which aired nationally. On the second commemoration of 9/11, further interviews and a performance of the song were aired in prime time on ABC’s Travel Channel.  In 2006, he followed up “An American Pledge” with a song written in honor of U.S. Marines who have ever served in war overseas.  Based on the final lyric of the Marines’ Hymn the tribute is entitled, “Guarding the Streets of Heaven.” 

  

In addition to his schedule as a musician, Dr. Wilson enjoys performing as a voiceover specialist and announcer. Twice he has served as Guest Public Address Announcer for “Bands of America” regional championships and has provided countless voiceovers for various military, federal, civilian, and commercial projects. Dr. Wilson currently resides in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife Katie and sons Brad, Gregory, and Tommy.