Acclaimed young American pianist Drew Petersen, who has been performing since age 5, is a sought-after soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician in the United States, Europe and Asia. He’s been praised for his commanding and poetic performances of repertoire ranging from Bach to Zaimont, and is the recipient of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, 2017 American Pianists Award, and the Christel DeHaan Fellow of the American Pianists Association, as well as a residency at the University of Indianapolis.


He has made debuts with the Houston, Phoenix, Tucson, Pacific and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras, and has appeared in solo recitals at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, University of Indianapolis and Dame Myra Hess Concerts in Chicago. Recent performances include concerts at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival and Brevard Music Center’s Summer Festival, orchestral performances with the Indianapolis Symphony and a recital at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival. He released his first solo recording of American music in 2018 on the Steinway label, for which BBC Music Magazine acknowledged his presence as a rising star.


A frequent radio contributor, Drew has performed on McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase, From the Top, and Performance Today. He has been profiled in The New York Times and New York Magazine, and was the subject of a short documentary, just normal, by award-winning director Kim A. Snyder. A champion of chamber music, Drew has appeared on French radio’s France Musique while a member of a Verbier Festival piano trio.


Drew’s firm belief in the importance of music to contemporary society led to collaborations with Young Audiences NY, which presents performances in New York City’s public schools. His appearance in Andrew Solomon’s New York Times-bestselling book Far From the Tree sparked a nationwide conversation on raising extraordinary and different children who test the willpower and capabilities of their families and society. Drew continually advocates for the necessity of classical music and other arts in society, and was named a 2006 Davidson Fellow for his portfolio entitled “Keeping Classical Music Alive.”