"strong and committed performance...a valuable experience...Petric's Berio Sequenza was particularily memorable ”
New York Times

“…had he been a pianist he'd have won the Leeds Competition years ago....”
London Independent

“haunting...inventive...so bold, so alive you can't forget it..."
Coda

Joseph Petric's career has been described as legendary and his performances "exquisite...magical...a revelation" by the media. Propelled by a successful CBC Radio audition, he is a mainstay with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Societe Radio Canada, CBC Records and Societe Radio Canada's Carte Blanche Series. He is a nominee for Canada's JUNO, Prix Opus, and Hunter Recording Prize, and is the first instrumentalist recipient of the prestigious Friend of Canadian Music Award.

His critically successful American Kennedy Centre and London debuts, combined with full support from international management offices in London and Paris, signalled the beginning of a wider reputation with performances at major venues including IRCAM, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Franz Liszt Academy, London's South Bank, Tanglewood, Huddersfield, Siljan and Agora Festivals. He has recorded for BBC Radio 3, most European radio systems, American PBS Radio, and has enjoyed extensive tours for Columbia Artists (USA), Jeunesses Musicales, Debut Atlantic, Encore Atlantic (CAN), and the John Lewis Partnership (UK).

Joseph's passion for creation has resulted in a catalogue of 203 commissioned works, among them 26 new works for accordion and multi-media, computer generated sound and interactive software. He has made concerto performances and commissions a high priority, and his first concerto, The Eyes of Bidesuk, by jazz composer Norman Symonds established alternate values for the accordion as early as 1986. An artist of unmatched range, his improvisations have been described as "ferocious...unforgettable"; his Bach and Rameau "poetic..sumptuous...brilliant." His performances continue to invite a re-appraisal of the concert accordion.

Respect for adaptation and building audiences has been central to Joseph's work as has the creation of newly commissioned works. He was delighted to be able to release the complete Bach Trio Sonatas on the Odeofon label in 2006, and his 27 albums with the Naxos, MusicaViva, Chandos, CBC5000, Centrediscs, ConAccord, AIR, ImprinteDigitale, and Analekta labels form the largest individual contribution to the international accordion discography to date. Future CD releases include music by Denis Gougeon, Bernhard Molique, and Andrew MacDonald.

Mogens Ellegaard invited Petric to lecture, perform and give master classes at the Royal Danish Conservatory, Rejkjavik's Museum of Man, Oslo Conservatory, Sibelious Academy and the Jyvaskylla Conservatory. He has also been a guest lecturer and recitalist at London's Royal Academy, a independent juror for the University of Toronto Music Faculty, and has worked in extended and notable collaborations with Pauline Oliveros, Alain Trudel, David Mott, Guy Few, Normand Forget, Guy Klucevsek, and the Penderecki Quartet among others.

A snapshot of future highlights includes a US tour in 2007; a UK tour 2008; an EU tour 2009; a British Columbia tour 2008; a Koussevitsky Foundation concerto commission for 2009; a recording of Schubert's Die Winterreise with Cologne based Kristoph Pregardien and the Pentaedre Woodwind Quintet of Montreal; the release of a Centrediscs recording with the Penderecki String Quartet; the ATMA release of the Denis Gougeon concerto 2008; the recording and release of discs devoted to the music of Domenico Scarlatti and Bernhard Molique; a surround sound DVD recording of multimedia and electronic works for accordion on the ConAccord label; the world premiere of a multi-media dance collaboration with choreographer Heidi Strauss and stage director Jeremy Mimnagh; and the premieres of newly commissioned works by composers Eric Morin, Erik Ross, Brian Current, Yves Daoust, and Christien LeDroit.