(Peter Wiley)
On Friday, May 15, High Desert Chamber Music continues its 18th season by welcoming cellist Peter Wiley and pianist Anna Polonsky back to Bend for the Celebrity Recital Series. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Peter about his life in music, the many experiences that have shaped his career, and the works that hold special meaning for him.
Peter grew up in Utica, New York, to a musical family. His parents were not professional musicians, but both played instruments and there was always music in the house. His oldest brother had started playing violin and around age seven, Peter took up the cello. When I asked why he decided on the cello, he said, “The sound of the cello was so beautiful and, at that age, I was attracted to an instrument I could play sitting down!” Soon after he began playing the cello, Peter knew he wanted to make music a career. “I had wonderful teachers,” Peter told me, “and having four brothers, I may have been more driven to succeed since I got more attention.”
Peter entered the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia at thirteen, where he studied with David Soyer, the founding cellist of the Guarneri String Quartet. At 20, he was appointed principal cellist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 1987, he joined the world-renowned Beaux Arts Trio, where he spent the next decade performing more than a thousand concerts with the trio and earning a Grammy nomination in 1998. In 2001, he succeeded his former teacher and mentor David Soyer as cellist of the Guarneri String Quartet. “Taking [David’s] seat in the Guarneri Quartet was one of the most significant experiences of my career,” Peter said.
Like most musicians, choosing favorite works is impossible for Peter. He mentioned that his musical hero is Beethoven and he grew up loving the repertoire of Schumann, Mozart and Bach. He definitely also has an affinity for other composers, like Brahms. However, when asked about a piece of music that holds great significance, Peter didn’t hesitate. “Pablo Casals recording of the Schumann Cello Concerto.” It was the first cello recording he listened to, maybe even before he started taking lessons. Another significant work, he told me, was the great C Major String Quintet of Schubert, which he played at Curtis, under the coaching of Arnold Steinhardt from the Guarneri String Quartet.
Please join us on Friday, May 15 at 7:30pm at the Universalist Unitarian Fellowship in Bend for this celebrity recital! This program will include works by Beethoven, Schubert and Rachmaninoff, with a concert preview at 6:45pm.
This concert is brought to you by Pahlisch Homes. Tickets are available through High Desert Chamber Music by phone or online.
highdesertchambermusic.com • 541-306-3988