Joseph Petrasek

Joseph Petrasek was appointed Principal Percussion of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2017. Previously, he served as Associate Principal Percussion of the Kansas City Symphony for 8 seasons, and as a percussion fellow in the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. Joseph has appeared as Guest Principal with the San Francisco Symphony, and has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Pacific Symphony. Originally from Southern California, Joseph earned his bachelors degree at UCLA studying under Mitchell Peters, former Timpanist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He went on to get a masters degree at Temple University, studying with Philadelphia Orchestra percussionists Alan Abel and Angela Zator-Nelson. Mr. Petrasek has had additional training at numerous summer festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center, National Repertory Orchestra, Roundtop Festival-Institute, Chautaqua Institute, and the Idyllwild Festival Orchestra. Joseph is a proud endorser of Zildjian cymbals, Pearl/Adams products, and Freer Percussion.