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Climbing on benches, dancing to the music, being sent to the hall were some of Colton Peltier’s first experiences with music at eighteen months old.  At the age of four, Colton’s first music teacher had him sit quietly and listen to a Mozart Concerto telling him that if he worked hard, he could play like the musician on the recording.  A powerful fusion of musical notes, composition, and the piano as an instrument provided that magical “ah ha!”  As a gifted piano prodigy, Colton’s focus on becoming a concert pianist has been unwavering ever since.

Colton, now 17, entered the concert and competition world at age 9, performing Beethoven’s Concerto #1 in eight young people’s concerts with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Marlene Pauley conducting.  He was re-engaged almost immediately for the following year, playing Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals.  The next year, at age 10, Colton continued to perform with orchestras in Minnesota.  Highlights included playing with the Minnesota Orchestra as the winner of the Minnesota Idol Competition, the Kenwood Symphony as winner of the Mozart Concerto Competition, and traveling to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to perform with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra.  At age 11, Colton again was engaged for numerous performances, performing  Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Allegro Con Brio Orchestra, and seven times over 6 months with the Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska conducting.  In March of 2007, Colton performed with the Virginia Waring International Competition Orchestra, winning first prize, and presented the Prokofiev Concerto # 1 with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra in three concerts. Most recently, Colton played the Liszt Concerto #1 with the Southeast Iowa Symphony.

In addition to Colton’s concerti appearances, he has also performed as a soloist at many venues.  In March of 2010, Colton performed in the Snowmass Chapel Concert Series in Snowmass Village, Colorado.  He also was chosen to perform at the “From the Top” 10 year anniversary show in Ohio in November of 2009.    He also played a recital for the “Friends of the Library” in Rancho Mirage, California, the Schubert Club Thursday Afternoon Concert Series in Minneapolis, Minnesota and three times in the “Salon Se Leve” Concert series, also in Minneapolis.  He has appeared on National Radio’s “From the Top” three times in the last couple of years, playing solo in two of the shows and in a chamber group most recently.

Colton has participated in numerous competitions throughout the last few years.  Highlights include winning the Minnesota Orchestra’s “Minnesota Idol” Concerto Competition, winning the Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum Mozart Concerto Competition, and most recently, winning the Virginia Waring International Piano Concerto Competition, Schubert Club competition, Lake Superior Symphony Concerto Competition and Dakota Valley Concerto Competition.

Colton studies piano with Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky in the Juilliard pre-college program and with Dr. Paul Wirth of the Central Minnesota Music School.  He has also received coaching from Stephen Kovacevich and Andre Watts. He attends the Aspen Music Festival in the summers where he studies with Prof. Kaplinsky.  Colton enjoys school, golf, traveling and spending time with his friends and family.

Sunday, October 23, 2011
2:30 pm

Schubert’s Unfinished

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