Young pianist returns

Pianist Drew Petersen

When you’re a kid – and lucky – you like to explore all sorts ofthings.

Drew Petersen was lucky. He not only explored new things, heexcelled at them. At the age of 5, Drew began to take piano lessonsand also learned to swim. Within a year, he performed at Carnegie’sWeill Recital Hall in New York City and was a competitive swimmeron a New Jersey team.

Since then, he has led a busy life: studying piano, conducting,composing and performing solo and with chamber music ensembles aswell as with orchestras. Shelter Islanders may remember him when heperformed for the Friends of Music series in 2006 at age 11.

By now he is not only a seasoned performer but a world traveler,having given recitals at festivals in Italy, Switzerland andGermany, as well as participating in numerous American festivals.At 10, he gave a recital at the Bridgehampton summer festival andwas invited back the following year to perform a Mozart pianoconcerto on opening night, with the orchestra conducted by LukasFoss. For all his busy schedule, Drew finds time to perform atsenior care facilities and give lectures for children at locallibraries, while pursuing academic studies at Harvard Universityextension school. And he’s still swimming, running, sailing, hikingand biking. Fortunately for us, he will find time to perform againfor the Shelter Island Friends of Music concert on Sunday, February14, at 3 p.m., at the Presbyterian Church. What a lovely Valentinefor us all!