A dynamic pianist of immense versatility, Peter Walsh brings the highest standard of pianism to his multifaceted career as a pianist and vocal coach. Walsh has been recognized by Opera News for his “especially solid and prominent playing” and “warmly expressive” touch. A select member of LA Opera’s full-time music staff, he works closely with Music Director James Conlon on mainstage productions in addition to coaching the company’s Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artists. He has played for more than 40 opera productions at LA Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera, Opera Omaha, Utah Opera, Central City Opera, and Wolf Trap Opera. His work has led to collaborations with renowned conductors Roberto Abbado, Joseph Colaneri, James Conlon, Gustavo Dudamel, Grant Gershon, Jane Glover, Eun-Sun Kim, Speranza Scappucci, Robert Spano, and Patrick Summers, amongst others.
In the fall of 2023 Walsh releases a debut album with Lexicon Classics in collaboration with mezzo-soprano Abi Levis entitled Songs of Dominick Argento. At LA Opera he will be a member of the music staff for Don Giovanni, Il barbiere di Siviglia, William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA, Alexander Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg, and La Traviata, in addition to Handel’s Partenope at San Francisco Opera. He will play keyboard continuo for performances of Partenope in San Francisco and Il barbiere di Siviglia in Los Angeles. Walsh will additionally collaborate with soprano Diana Newman in a recital of American Song at El Camino College in September of 2023.
Walsh began the 2022-2023 season by joining the music staff of San Francisco Opera at the invitation of Music Director Eun-Sun Kim for the highly-anticipated world premiere of John Adams’ Antony and Cleopatra. At LA Opera he played and coached productions of Tosca, Pelléas and Mélisande, and Otello. He performed with the LA Opera orchestra as orchestral keyboardist for Tosca, with the Los Angeles Ballet for Nutcracker, and at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for Michael Giacchino’s score to The Batman live with motion picture.
Walsh has been presented in recital at Carnegie Hall under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Legacy at Carnegie Hall, by Vocal Arts DC, Ravinia, the Broad Stage, and Sundays Live at LACMA. He has collaborated in performance with grammy-nominated baritone Rod Gilfry, legendary mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick, as well as many classical singers from his own generation including Mane Galoyan, Joshua Guerrero, Abi Levis, Diana Newman, Aryeh Nussbaum-Cohen, Zoie Reams, and Liv Redpath. He has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, LA Opera Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, San Diego Symphony, and Houston Grand Opera Orchestra.
As a soloist Walsh was awarded top prizes in the MTAC State Solo Competition, the MTNA Young Artists’ National Competition, and was a finalist in the Loeb/Louviere International Competition. He holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor of musical arts degrees in piano performance from the USC Thornton School of Music where he studied with Lucinda Carver and Kevin Fitz-Gerald. He is an alumnus of the training programs at the Music Academy of the West, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar. Walsh is a graduate of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at LA Opera and the prestigious Houston Grand Opera Studio.