Joseph Petrasek, Associate Principal
B.A. University of California, Los Angeles
M.M. Temple University

Member of the Orchestra Since 2009

Joseph Petrasek joined the Kansas City Symphony as Associate Principal Percussionist in 2009. Prior to his appointment, he served as a percussion fellow in the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. Originally from Southern California, Petrasek 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, where he studied with Philadelphia Orchestra percussionists Alan Abel and Angela Zator-Nelson. 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. Outside of classical music, he enjoys playing jazz, learning to cook, and the films of Woody Allen.