Hoo’s Who is a new bi-weekly column which will showcase the significant, but perhaps hidden, talents of members of the U.Va. community.
Peter Wellman is a first year in UVa’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, but he has been playing musical instruments since he was five years old.
An avid musician, Wellman’s inspiration for making music is to “make people feel the way it made [him] feel.” His ambition is emblematic of a lifelong dedication to the craft itself; when most people were learning to tie their shoe strings, he was making music with guitar strings.
Currently, Peter makes music both on his own and in collaboration with others. He values “playing with other people and working on solo records.” He works regularly with his jazz combo comprised of Harold Amoss and Calder Hannan, among others.
Back in high school, Wellman produced his own EP and helped to record multiple studio albums in addition to his regular coursework. “Right now,” he said, “I’m freelancing and working on my first solo album.”
In the lead up to his first album release, Wellman and his cohorts have performed at venues such as Broadberry and Capital Ale House. However, his favorite place to play was Hadywood Brewery.
“We played ‘Purple Rain’ all the way through,” he said.
At school, however, Wellman has made his best effort to blend his musical ambitions with his academic responsibilities. He is considering focusing his studies on acoustic physics so he can integrate his curriculum into his production techniques.
“I’m doing my best to balance engineering and music,” Peter says.
Right now, fans and interested music fans can check out “north12” and “Yesterday and Tomorrow,” two of Peter’s pieces which are available on all major streaming services.
Be sure to check them out, and stay tuned for the release of his first solo album.
