Peter Garrity - Violin, Viola

Peter Garrity is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium where he studied with Charmian Gadd. Prior to this he studied with Polish violinist Jan Tawroszewicz at Canterbury University, N.Z where he completed his Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance with 1st Class Hon. Peter completed his Masters in Violin Performance specialising in Chamber Music at the University of Colorado in Boulder studying on a full scholarship with the Takács Quartet in their Graduate Quartet Programme. During this time his quartet was invited to perform Mendelsohn’s Octet with the Takács Quartet. They also won the Denver, YMF (Young Musicians Foundation) Chamber Music Competition and was resident quartet at the Brevard Music Festival, where they worked with musicians such as Jamie Laredo, Sharon Robinson and principal violist of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Randolph Kelly. Peter has played chamber music in festivals throughout Europe and worked with teachers such as Peter Zhang, Roland Vamos and Patinka Kopec. Peter studied viola in Pittsburgh for the next 6 years with Randolph Kelly, Atar Arad and Toby Appel on full scholarships at Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon Universities. During that time he taught non-major viola at Carnegie Mellon University, won substitute violist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and was able to work with top conductors such as Mariss Jansons and frequently tour the major concert halls and music festivals of Europe and USA.

Peter enjoys collaborating with various artists in Sydney and has created several ensembles specialising in Balkan and Flamenco music. He has performed chamber music recently at The Crossroads and Pearl Beach Music Festivals, with Charmian Gadd & Friends and with Conservatorium faculty in the Cocktail Music Series.

Peter teaches violin, viola and chamber music at well-known high schools in Sydney, including the Conservatorium High School and in the Rising Stars Programme at the Conservatorium Open Academy. His students have won top academic tertiary awards, concerto and chamber music competitions in NZ and Australia, featured in high achiever concerts for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), gained entry to the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK, and several achieving professional careers in orchestras in Europe.

Peter is currently vice president of the ANZ Viola Society and was Head of Strings at the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music.