About Peter Anthony Almolky
I grew up in a busy household as the youngest of six children, with two brothers and three sisters. Our home was always full of music with the radio and the piano being played often. Being the youngest meant I had the privilege of learning from all my older siblings, each of whom influenced me in different ways.
From the time I was a very young child, music has been a constant companion in my life. For instance, my eldest sister often took me to the public library where we borrowed stacks of music books. At home, we would sing together for hours with some songs decades old and some dating back almost a century.
We sang together, exploring songs such as:
- Moon River, Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive, and Too Marvelous for Words by Johnny Mercer
- Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, Oh Susanna, and Camptown Races by Stephen Foster
- Stardust and Georgia on My Mind by Hoagy Carmichael
That is where my love for music began…
At 13, prompted by my youngest sister, my mother gave me my first guitar. I was eager to learn everything I could about playing it. Our home also had a piano, which my middle sister played beautifully, and as I attempted to learn that instrument, I developed basic keyboard skills and began to understand chord formations and the fundamentals of music theory.
As the years went by, I absorbed the popular music of the day, learning countless songs and even beginning to write my own. Life brought its share of responsibilities along with multiple moves across Canada and new jobs. These changes made it difficult to form and maintain music groups. While not every band venture worked out as planned, the experience of rehearsing, collaborating, and performing with other musicians proved invaluable. I also performed occasionally as a solo artist at open mics and jam sessions.
Recently, I returned to my musical development with renewed dedication. I immersed myself in books such as The Craft of Lyric Writing by Sheila Davis and This Is Your Brain on Music and The World in Six Songs by Daniel J. Levitin. Along the way, I met gifted musicians, including a classically trained pianist who now runs a music school and a graduate of the Vancouver Community College Jazz Program who became an informal mentor. Their insights, combined with my own studies, deepened my understanding of music theory, particularly the use of extended chords of four notes or more.
This knowledge shaped my songwriting. In my song No One Like You from my debut EP Close to Me, I incorporated Augmented chords, Minor 7ths, Major 7ths, and Half-Diminished chords.
In May 2023, I released my second EP Just a Man, collaborating with percussionists, a violinist, and a professional pianist.
My goal has always been to write songs that are universally relatable, avoiding overly specific language and using neutral or third-person pronouns to ensure inclusivity and resonance for all listeners.
Today, my focus is on creating new content for this website and music for distribution on streaming platforms, while also expanding my online presence. I look forward to sharing more original works, both recorded and online recordings, and I remain committed to growing my skills and creativity for years to come.
Thank you,
Peter Anthony Almolky