He moved to the city in 1979 after receiving formal training in Boston at the Berklee College of Music. Since then, he has performed at such Chicago jazz institutions as The Green Mill, Pops for Champagne, The Jazz Showcase, Andy’s, and the fondly remembered Leslee’s, where he held down that venue’s first regular gig.
His playing is rooted in a love of simple melody and the blues. He earned “Critic’s Choice” accolades from The Reader in the 1980s, and more recently was praised by Jay Harvey of the Indianapolis Star for his 2011 recording Kickstand. Harvey wrote, “His style at the keyboard is understated, modestly allowing phrasing and an emphasis on melody to speak more substantially than decorative splash or virtuoso thunder can usually provide.” Of the same recording Hrayr Attarian of Chicago Jazz Magazine wrote, “Peter Schwendener’s freshman recording is a solid work that does justice to the legacy of the musicians who influenced him.”
He continues to perform in the Chicago area and teaches privately in Evanston, Illinois, where he lives with his wife and daughter. He is on the faculty of the Chicago Academy for the Fine Arts, a private high school in the city.