For me, music is a living language of emotion, faith, and community. Whether at the console of a pipe organ, accompanying a singer, or composing a new piece, I aim to create moments that move people—moments that resonate long after the final chord fades. I’m drawn to the organ not only for its grandeur and complexity but for its ability to express the deepest shades of the human spirit. Through performance, teaching, and composition, I strive to keep this instrument alive in today’s world—inviting listeners to experience its power, color, and beauty in fresh and meaningful ways.

Organist Carillonneur Conductor Educator Music Director

______________________

Biography

______________________

Hunter Peterson is a Pittsburgh-based organist, pianist, conductor, composer, and educator whose work encompasses performance, church music, collaboration, and music education. He currently serves as Director of Music and Organist at Mount Lebanon United Lutheran Church, where he oversees the church’s music ministries, serves as its primary organist, and coordinates music for worship and liturgical celebrations. He also serves on the adjunct faculty at Westminster College as a collaborative pianist, working with the Chamber Singers and Concert Choir and coaching students across a variety of musical disciplines.

As an organist and collaborative musician, Peterson has performed with ensembles including the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, and the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra. His orchestral performances include Camille Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No. 3, “Organ Symphony,” with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra. In spring 2024, he was awarded first place in Westminster College’s Concerto and Aria Competition for his performance of Francis Poulenc’s Organ Concerto in G minor. He has also performed as a carillonneur at the St. Paul’s Summer Carillon Festival in Cleveland Heights.

Peterson’s work is rooted in the tradition of organ performance but also embraces collaboration and contemporary music. His experience as a conductor includes performances of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, and the U.K. premiere of Chris Massa’s Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night from An American Requiem. As a composer, he is interested in writing music that explores expressive harmony, dramatic text, and the relationship between musical sound and human experience. His compositional work includes music for organ, chamber ensembles, orchestra and choir, as well as original scores for theatrical productions.

Alongside his performing career, Peterson is committed to music education and the development of musicians at all levels. His teaching and collaborative work reflects an interest in connecting technical musicianship with creativity, movement, and expressive performance. He has taught organ and piano and has worked with both young musicians and collegiate performers.

Peterson holds a Master of Music in Organ Performance with a concentration in eurhythmics from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance with a concentration in Composition from Westminster College. His principal organ teachers have included Todd Wilson and Paula Kubik.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse