Introspective, referential, and observant, the music of Peter S. Shin strives in reach of others. In its citation for the 2023 Charles Ives Fellowship, the American Academy of Arts and Letters observed that Peter “has already established an individual voice” and singled out Hyo, a work in which he reflects on his family’s immigration story from South Korea, exploring themes of genealogy and life’s impermanence in the backdrop of anti-Asian sentiment during the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra during his time as their Sound Investment Composer, the Academy praised the work for “a sophisticated wide range of beautiful orchestral sounds that unfold within a strong narrative,” calling it “honest, clear, heartfelt, original music.” Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Peter is drawn to how his music folds into the broader conversations around human connection, representation, and belonging in the United States.
Called a “composer to watch” by the New York Times, Peter’s music has been performed in the LA Phil’s “Noon to Midnight” festival at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, SF Performances’ PIVOT Festival curated by Gabriel Kahane, Carnegie Hall, Concertgeboew Brugge, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Grieghallen, and Chicago’s Symphony Center. He has received a Fulbright fellowship and commissions from the Harvard University Fromm Music Foundation, American Composers Forum, Chamber Music America, and John Adams for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Peter has studied at the University of Michigan, USC, and the Yale School of Music, earning his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley.
Currently, Peter is creating his second work for Roomful of Teeth in collaboration with Wild Up. His first work, Bits torn from words, was recorded on Roomful of Teeth’s 2024 GRAMMY Award-winning album, Rough Magic.
