Peter Evans
Peter Evans is a composer, trumpet player, improvisor and bandleader based in New York City since 2003. Evans is part of a broad, hybrid scene of musical experimentation, and his work cuts across a wide range of modern musical practices and traditions. Evans is committed to the simultaneously self-determining and collaborative nature of musical improvisation as a compositional tool, and works with an ever-expanding group of musicians and composers in the creation of new music.
For 20 years Evans has been pushing the boundaries of creative music in formats as divergent as solo trumpet improvisation, large ensembles, jazz-based small groups, electronic music, and through-composed works. He’s been the recipient of awards and commissions worldwide including the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 2022. A prolific composer and performer, Evans’ has released over 20 albums of original music, regularly tours the world with his bands, is both constantly moving forward with new work and sustaining long standing relationships with his colleagues.
He leads and composes for several different ensembles, primarily Being & Becoming (with Joel Ross, Nick Jozwiak and Michael Ode) and SYMPHONY (with Alice Teyssier, Jozwiak and Levy Lorenzo). He leads the improvisational trio Forever 21 with virtuosi Andy Berman (guitar) and Michael Ode (drums). As well as collaborative projects such as his duo with Elias Stemeseder and Pulverize the Sound (with Mike Pride and Tim Dahl).
In addition to touring and presenting his groups internationally since 2007, Evans has been exploring solo trumpet music since 2002 and is widely recognized as a leading voice in the field, having released 7 albums of solo music since 2006, including the critically claimed “More is More” and “Lifeblood”. He has performed solo concerts in the USA, Europe, Asia, and South America.
As a composer, Evans has been commissioned by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Wet Ink, Yarn/Wire, the Donaueschingen Musiktage Festival, the Jerome Foundation’s Emerging Artist Program, and the Doris Duke Foundation. Evans has presented and/or performed his works at major festivals worldwide. He has composed works for his own ensembles, soloists, chamber ensembles, and choir.
As an educator, Evans has given masterclasses and conducted workshops on improvisation, composition, instrumental practice and creativity at the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, the New School of Social Research, Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Hochschule für Musik Köln, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Institute of Sonology, Melbourne University, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, University of Toronto, University of Oregon, Cornish College, Oberlin Conservatory, and Cleveland Institute of Music.
Evans has collaborated with some of the leading figures in contemporary music:
John Zorn, Pauline Oliveros, Brian Ferneyhough, Kanye West, George Lewis, Anthony Braxton, Mary Halvorson, Craig Taborn, Ambrose Akinmusere, Weasel Walter, Dave Liebman, Ingrid Laubrock (signature artist at the first Monheim Triennale), Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, Tyshawn Sorey and last but not least with Sofia Jernberg at the first Monheim Triennale as part of her signature project “Hymns and Laments”.
Evans has been releasing recordings on his own label, More is More, since 2011 beginning with his quintet’s critically acclaimed album ”Ghosts”.
