BRIAN PETRAS

Piano, Jazz Piano

Brian Petras grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended the University of North Carolina where he earned a Bachelors Degree in music performance and studied piano with John Salmon, and composition and arranging with Craig Whittaker. He has performed throughout North and South Carolina with a variety of rock, pop and jazz bands and as the leader of his own trio and big band. After moving to Florida, Brian worked the convention circuit and theme parks with various bands, eventually joining the popular Orlando based band Madhouse, with whom he has recorded and toured. Strongly influenced by Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson and with a particular affinity for the piano trio format, he teamed up with Larry Hutter and Tom Cabrera and formed The Brian Petras Trio. The trio continues to perform as a self-contained unit and with singer Julie Lyon.