Peter Oberg (musician)
Peter Oberg (born 1953) is a musician, composer, and luthier living in San Diego, California. He has been playing and composing for the classical guitar for over 40 years.
Musical style
Oberg's musical style might be categorized as a hybridization of classical and jazz, though even this falls short of adequately describing the character of his compositions. He credits as influences composers as diverse as Federico Mompou, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Ralph Towner, Keith Jarrett, Joaquín Rodrigo, Darius Milhaud, Egberto Gismonti, and many others too numerous to mention. His compositions seek to use musical space, complex harmonies, and unexpected linear rhythmic changes, combined with a relaxed tension expressed through an expert use of rubato. Several accomplished classical guitarists including Antonio De Innocentis, Matthew Grasso, and the Scottish guitarist Matthew McAllister have performed his compositions.
Luthier
As a professional luthier Oberg has been building classical guitars since 1996. He spent three years as apprentice to two of America’s top luthiers, Ervin Somogyi and Robert Ruck. It was his two years living in Washington state and working full-time with Ruck that allowed Oberg to understand fully the complex nature of guitar building, and provided him the opportunity to hone skills acquired during a 20 year career as a woodworker, building everything from wooden racing sloops to reproduction English antiques and fine furniture. To date Oberg has completed over 134 classical guitars, and his instruments are played all over the United States, in Canada, and in Europe.
Peter Oberg lives with his wife Jannine in San Diego, California. Jannine is a Certified Wellness Coach, professional astrologer, and Relationship Coach active in many professional organizations. His stepson Brian M. Palmer is a Los Angeles based film editor, photographer, essayist, and chronicler of offbeat pop culture.