Solo percussionist, Lisa Pegher, has been called “The future of percussion” and as quoted by symphony magazine; “Is blazing a particularly, rough, un-trodden trail…”

Having grown up on a small rural farm in Western Pennsylvania, Lisa began playing the drums at the age of seven and made her debut as a solo percussionist with the Pittsburgh Symphony in her early twenties. Since then she has been described by critics as a “brilliant, polished performer” and continues to premiere and commission numerous works for solo percussion.

After her highly successful debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall, Pegher has appeared as soloist in numerous venues including the cities of Chicago, Tokyo, Eindhoven, Houston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and New York. She was one of only two Americans chosen to perform at the TROMP International Percussion Competition and Festival in the Netherlands and has been a featured artist at the Percussive Arts Society Convention on numerous occasions. This season Pegher will be performing with orchestras in Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota, and California among others.

Pegher’s mentors include: Michael Burritt, Andrew Reamer, Stanley Leonard, Jack DiIanni, Jim Ross, and Paul Wertico and Lenny Rogers.

Prior to the launch of her solo career, She was winner of the Aspen Music Scholarship awarded by the Minnesota Orchestra music competition, and was a recipient of the William J. Spencer Award fund at Northwestern University. She was awarded the Vladimir R. Bakaleninkoff Memorial Fund Scholarship, and was winner of the Women’s Advisory Board Music competition at the Mary Pappert School of Music. Pegher received the Director’s Prize at the Kingsville International Music Competition in Texas, and first place at the Northwestern University Concerto/Aria competition. She is also a recipient of the international YAMAHA Young Performing Artist Award.

Currently, Pegher is collaborating with composer, Andrew Knox, and Graphic Designer, Eric Cantrelle on a project called “Miesian Art”. This project combines computer music, projection art and improvisation along with chamber orchestra and seeks to bring art music and pop music audiences into the classical orchestral halls. Recently, she has commissioned composer, David Stock to write a new percussion concerto having won a grant from “Meet the Composer”. This new concerto is being performed with various orchestras in the 2008-09 seasons.

A drummer at heart, Pegher can also be heard playing for various avant-garde rock bands, and has begun songwriting for solo marimba and voice. She was the solo percussionist for the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble during the 2005-2007 season and is currently the sole percussionist with VOX a contemporary trio consisting of flute, cello and percussion.

Marimba One and Innovative Percussion endorse Ms. Pegher.