Biography

	Doing a gig while in high school

      A native of Endicott, NY, Peggy started playing drums at age 10 with the school band. She continued throughout middle and high school, performing with the concert and jazz bands as well as with the ‘Tiger’s Pride’ marching band.

      Although she wished to be a professional musician, Peggy decided she’d rather not be a starving one. To that end, she opted to major in engineering at a college that also had a good music program, eventually choosing the co-op engineering program at Fredonia State College. In addition to tech studies, Peggy was able to play with the school's jazz and concert bands as well as do demos for the ‘Tonmiester’ Recording Engineering program. Back home during the summers, she played with local concert and big bands.

With the Ladies First Big Band

      After finishing her Fredonia part of the co-op program, Peggy attended the University of Buffalo, majoring in electrical engineering and playing in the school jazz band. After graduating, with day job in hand, Peggy continued her avocation by gigging in wedding bands, jazz combos, and local concert bands. Besides playing, she was the recording engineer/tech director for a weekly live music program at local NPR station WBFO.

	With the Ladies First Combo

      A few years later, after balancing day job demands with increasing numbers of gigs, Peggy decided to dive into a music career head-first. In addition to drumset work, she kept up her legit chops by performing with the American Legion Post 264 "Band of the Tonawandas" concert band.

      After noticing her playing, local sax legend Dave Schiavone asked Peggy to join a new quartet he was forming with pianist Joe Brancato, another local music icon. The group gelled together quickly, and soon the Dave Schiavone/Joe Brancato Quartet became a sought-after staple at local clubs. Doing this for a few years motivated the quartet to do an actual recording. Their resultling freshman effort, "Hidden Treasures", sold extremely well locally and garnered both national and international radio airplay.

With the Dave Schivone/Joe Brancato Quartet

      In addition to the Dave Schiavone Quartet, Peggy works with many other groups, including Ladies First Big Band/Combo, Eddie Oliniski Orchestra, 2nd Generation, Dave Golando Big Band, Sentimental Journey Big Band, Tom Johnson, and Buffalo Swing. She does studio work and has a home teaching practice, and is the Audio/Video Coordinator for the UB Amherst Newman Center, as well. In between gigs, Peggy spends her free time with husband Dave and son Alex.