Violist.

Born in Canada to Belgian and Chinese parents, Peter began his musical life playing the violin at the age of 3. Since winning the Viola Soloist position with the State Symphony of Sao Paulo in 1998, he has enjoyed over 1500 concerts at the Sala São Paulo Concert Hall.

His favorite musical moments include international tours with his orchestra; performing at the London Proms, the Musikverein, the Berlin Philharmonie, the Concertgebouw, Lincoln Center, the Teatro Colón and many other halls around the world, as well his solo work. Works by Mozart, Hoffmeister, Gubaidulina and John Adams are a few recent highlights. Peter also enjoys performing in the OSESP String Quartet.

In addition to his solo work, he was the violist of the contemporary music group Camerata Aberta. He has enjoyed participating in the Portinari String Quartet as a founding member. Together with his wife Soledad, they play their own arrangements and promote new music for viola and harp via their Duo Portinari, named after the Brazilian painter Candido Portinari.

Devoted to teaching, Peter is Professor of Viola at the OSESP Academy, and was Chairman of the String Department and Viola Professor at the State of São Paulo Music School for ten years.

At the age of 17, five years after switching to viola, he won the Principal Viola position of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra in his home town. After receiving a Friends of Music scholarship, he moved to the United States to study at Indiana University with Atar Arad and Csaba Erdelyi.

Peter was awarded the Performer’s Certificate for his senior recital, a special recognition for musical understanding and technical proficiency demonstrated in recital. He won both the IU Viola Competition and the Kuttner String Quartet Competition. He continued his studies with Jesse Levine at the Yale University School of Music. He is also grateful to Rivka Golani and Roberto Diaz for sharing their insights and knowledge.

Peter plays a viola that was made for the legendary William Primrose by William Moennig Jr. of Philadelphia. Peter Pas uses Peter Infeld strings made by Thomastik-Infeld.