Praised for his "fiery playing," "dramatic performance," and "stunning orchestral playing," rising cellist Peter Swanson has performed across the United States as soloist, cutting-edge collaborator, and orchestral leader. Highlights include concerto performances with the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra, Northshore Philharmonic Orchestra (both MN), three solo tours of entirely unaccompanied recitals in the Upper Midwest, and his first CD released on the Sheva Collection label (UK). His passion for the modern cello repertoire has led him to tackle works by Hindemith, Crumb, Britten, Ligeti, Barber, Shostakovich, Dutilleux, Lutosławski, Golijov, MacMillan, Augusta Read Thomas, and John Luther Adams.

            As an orchestral musician, his leadership roles span nearly a dozen orchestras at the community, collegiate, and professional level. Accolades include a full fellowship to the National Orchestral Institute, being named winner of the inaugural Prince George's Philharmonic Cello Internship (MD), and two years as endowed principal of the Luther College Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. He can be heard on the Grammy-nominated NAXOS recording of the National Orchestral Institute performing masterworks by Ruggles, Stucky, and Harbison.

            As a chamber musician, he performs throughout the country as cellist of Catchfire Collective, an innovative chamber ensemble based in North Carolina, and with pianist Meagan Lacher as Duo 336. His recent performance of Annie Gosfield's chamber concerto "Almost Truths and Open Deceptions" was hailed as a performance that "completely captured the audience's attention."  Other chamber tenures include the Ekklesia Trio, Music In The Shape Of A Pear, the TEMPO Ensemble, the Gate City Camerata,  Present~Continuous, and the Di Domani Quartet. In these groups he has premiered numerous pieces and promoted recent compositions from around the world.

            He holds a doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro where he held a graduate assistant under the instruction of Alex Ezerman. He also holds degrees from the University of Maryland and Luther College (IA). Peter serves on the faculty of Guilford College (NC). He has performed in masterclasses for Andres Diaz, Cecylia Barczyk, Richard Belcher, Tulio Rondon, Christine Kim, Lawrence Stombeck, and Robert DeMaine. He is a winner of the National School Orchestra Award, the Luther Music Excellence Award, and the Burlington Industries Music Award. Peter plays a 2013 Beckmann cello specially commissioned by Givens Violins in Minneapolis.