is a leading performer, composer, researcher and pedagogue of the klezmer tsimbl (hackbrett/cimbalom).  He is the creator of Concert Form Klezmer, a performance system for klezmer listening repertoire inspired by Ottoman and Central Asian court musics, and has developed a new genre of klezmer based on the Ottoman peşrev. Pete has studied tsimbl with a number of the world’s leading tsimblists, including Walter Zev Feldman, Josh Horowitz, Stuart Brotman, Alexander Fedoriouk and Kalman Balogh.  He performs and records internationally with many of Yiddish music’s leading lights, including Joel Rubin, Steven Greenman, Alicia Svigals, Michael Alpert, Rebecca Kaplan, Elie Rosenblatt, Asya Vaisman, Jake Shulman-Ment and Michael Winograd.  Pete additionally serves as Executive Director of the New York-based Center for Traditional Music and Dance, one of America’s leading institutions working to preserve the performing arts traditions of America’s immigrant communities.  He has authored a number of articles on ethnic music in America.