Peter Tavalin

Listen to this show

Peter Tavalin

For Peter Tavalin, an awareness of music started as a small child, hearing melodies on the radio and finding them on the piano in his living room. He began formal lessons along with music theory at The Third Street Music Settlement in New York City at age six and progressed from classical music to jazz, harmony, and improvisation at twelve. He attended the High School of Music and Art in NYC and Studied Music Composition at the Berklee College in Boston. Though still an influence, Peter left jazz behind in young adulthood for a freer, more self-expressive style. The results of an automobile accident in 1981 introduced a less flashy, more thoughtful approach to Peter's music. Currently, electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and computers provide tools to accomplish these ideas as well as a way to expand on improvisation through 'sequencing' or electronic recording.

Peter Tavalin is a composer, improvisational musician, teacher, family man, house builder, and part woodchuck. His music compositions range from jazz tunes to the symphonic. He has written a trio sonata, pieces for symphonic band and orchestra, classical piano, choral music, commercials, songs for children's musicals, circus music, sequenced soundscapes, and dance pieces. Since 1980, Peter has performed improvised musical accompaniment to classic silent films all over New England.

Peter and his wife Fern live in Putney, VT in the house they built, with their children Kuna and Julian.

Representative musical compositions:

• [Composition list not yet available.]

To reach the composer:
On-line: [email protected]
By telephone: 802-387-4277
By fax:
By physical mail: RD 4 Box 1378, Putney, VT 05346