I have a Doctorate in Piano Performance from the University of California, Santa Barbara. As far as music education stands, my studies were heavily based on classical music – but that ‘shoe’ just never fit for me; instead of listening to symphonies while I’m driving, I blast pop music…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
Slovenia-born/Southern California-based pianist Petra Persolja elevates the atmosphere of weddings, corporate events, and special occasions with her performances, leaving a lasting impression on her clients and their guests. Petra was recently nominated as one of our ‘CITY & BEACH LIFESTYLE TOP 10 EVENT SPECIALISTS 2025.’ Here, we discuss her extensive knowledge of music, the flexibility required during luxury event performances, and what Petra offers couples looking for a musician to perform at their wedding…
C&B: “Petra, tell us about your background – how did you begin your journey as a pianist?”
PP: “I was born in Slovenia, which is former Yugoslavia, and I first asked my parents if I could play the piano when I was five or six. Due to the independence war, my first lessons were held at my hometown’s fire station and I remember my first piano teacher stacking shoe boxes under my feet, so that my legs wouldn’t be hanging…”
As I’m based in California, most of my clients book me for outdoor events and there are many challenges when playing outside – the weather, be it sun or rain, the wind or cold. Personally, the pavement has been my biggest enemy: non-levelled ground presents a problem for the keyboard, as well as the gravel and sand. They are each problematic for the balance and safety of the keyboard, for the pedals and the turning page pedal. I had to add to my contract that I expect levelled and dry pavement or some type of carpet for the area…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
“As a 15-year-old, I wasn’t yet sure music was my calling however later on, as a university student at the Music Academy in Ljubljana and a journalist at the Slovenian National Radio and Television, I received a scholarship offer to study in the US. I accepted the offer and went to New Jersey to study Piano Performance at Rowan University, but I travelled back to Slovenia in the summers in order to complete my degree there. After graduating from university, I accepted an assistantship position at the University of Hawaii to pursue a master’s degree in Music. In the belief that my life would take the traditional route of teaching after completing my studies, I went on to pursue doctoral studies at the University of California in Santa Barbara…”
“Being of a foreign nationality prevented me from applying for student loans, so I always had to apply to programs that offered scholarships and assistantships, for which I had to practice really hard since they were so competitive. In 2024 I was the first-place winner of the American Protégé Concerto competition, and received the Judges Distinction Award with a debut at Carnegie Hall. Simultaneously I was the recipient of the Emerging Artists Award by the San Jose Rotary club…”
My extensive musical training enables me to sight read and perform almost any piece of music on the spot. Instead of offering a limited playlist of the ‘usual’ songs, I work closely with clients to create a tailored selection of songs; a musical experience that perfectly aligns with their unique vision and taste…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
C&B: “Thats an incredible foundation for what you do currently; what led you to specialise in performing at weddings and events?”
PP: “Although my previous performances include venues such as Carnegie Hall and Hammer Theatre just a few months ago, I find my happiness outside the classical music realm. The decision however became clearer to me last year. After receiving my Green Card, I began applying for teaching positions. During the process of filling out the paperwork, reading the offers, the duties and the amount of time I would have to spend away from my family, compared to the compensation, made me pause and reflect. I wrote down all the performing experiences that brought me happiness. One of my favorite engagements was playing piano at the Rosewood Miramar resort in Santa Barbara, where every weekend I searched for trending music, prepared new songs, and met new people. I would be part of galas, weddings, celebrations; my job was to make people happy…”
“So, I politely declined the teaching opportunities and steered toward performance. I dug through a few arrangements of pop hits and rock anthems, practiced them, posted on Instagram, created a website, joined communities of professional musicians and soon after, leads started to come in. After receiving the Leigh Weimers Award, I upgraded my equipment to a beautiful Privia PX S7000. It’s white in colour, a modern design, and the wooden stand complements every wedding venue. The keys are wooden to make them feel the most similar to the real piano. Before I was using an old keyboard – from 2006 – that I’d borrowed from a friend. The last two months of 2024 I was only off one weekend, otherwise I have been booked straight through. I love it! And I never need to travel too far from home and my family…”
I love socialising and my personality is just too bubbly and care-free to be only a classical pianist. Already, as a child, I always enjoyed reaching outside of the classical music genre. I understood early in life that I didn’t need to only listen to pop, rock and movie soundtracks – I was able to play them myself!”
Petra Persolja, pianist
C&B: “Your determination in following your heart and what gives you the most satisfaction is admirable, Petra. Now that you’re primarily performing at weddings, what repertoire do you offer to your clients?”
PP: “Although I offer an ever-expanding repertoire with piano covers of pop hits and rock anthems, ranging from the 50s to the current hits, most frequently I’m asked to perform music from the 80s – for example Abba, through to today’s ‘best of’ Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Rose, BTS, Taylor Swift, etc. I also play ‘soft’ covers of rock anthems by bands such as Queen, The Eagles, U2, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith – to just name a few. I’ve previously performed selections of light jazz, movie soundtracks and of course a lot of classical music. In my iPad I keep the music for fans of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennet. I indulge learning wedding ceremony mash-ups for brides who want that one iconic song that will signify their ‘love’ for a lifetime. And if you are looking to get your guests to sing along and swing their hips, I don’t only increase the volume and speed, but I can also add a backtrack to complement the piano and make the atmosphere more energetic…”
After a client gave me feedback on the difficulty of spelling and pronouncing my last name, I applied for the stage name ‘Platinum Pianist’…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
“The next step is that I ask the client to share their Spotify or Apple playlist and I try to understand their musical style. I select songs that sound good on the piano, download the sheet music and then experiment with it. Often the left hand is a little plain, so I’ll add a bit of my own touch to each song. After I have about sixteen songs per hour ready, I start looking at which pair well in tempo, tonality and the general feeling…”
“A few clients want the music to be upbeat so I speed up the tempo, or I add more heavy basses, while for others clients – such as wedding ceremonies – I mellow them down and keep them simple and beautiful. According to the client’s expectations, I can either arrange rock songs into calm piano arrangements, play EDM songs with backing tracks or I can put together different pop songs and create mash-ups; this is trending now, especially for weddings. The music I play is really completely customised to each event. Sometimes I’ll reach outside my ‘playlist’ while performing if I see a guest nearby who seems intrigued, or has a request; I try to play something for everyone in the room…”
I perform different music at every single event. After receiving an inquiry from a potential client, I schedule a call to get an idea of what they’re looking for. I have a playlist of over four thousand songs they can choose from, but I also love to learn new music…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
“I immediately become happy when I discover there’s a piano on the premises, as that means I don’t need to bring my own setup. However, with an instrument that is not my own, I never know what condition the instrument will be in, when it was last tuned, etc. On one occasion, the piano at the venue turned out to be a staging prop. A week before the event, I had sent my piano technician to the venue to tune the instrument, and he called me and informed me that the piano was not in playing condition; some keys didn’t work. I suggested to him to remove the keyboard mechanism from the frame completely, measure the frame, and I then found a Roland keyboard that fit the frame. The event actually turned into a magnificent experience, and only one guest came up to ask me why the piano had a speaker. Nobody else noticed that we had fitted a keyboard into the piano’s emptied shell. Nowadays, this is actually not so uncommon. Many pianists buy a movable piano shell for their keyboard, and thus make their setup look elevated with the presentation of a ‘grand piano.’”
Finding requested songs has never been simpler – I play from an iPad, so I get immediate access to sheet music. Sometimes I do hesitate, especially if I’ve never heard the song before, but the excitement it brings is unmatched. My list was expanding every week until I stopped adding titles once I hit 4,000 songs…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
C&B: “What are some of the most rewarding aspects of performing at weddings and special events?”
PP: “There’s a major difference between playing a classical recital, or playing at a special event. Audience engagement is completely different. Having an outgoing personality, I get excited for people to stop by, to express what they like, to see them swing their hips or start singing along. I get to look at the crowd and their energy, and choose the next song based on that. There are always people who will lock eyes with you and say: ‘Hey, I know that song!’ That’s the best! You know that you have just played something that is meaningful for them…”
BOOKING PETRA FOR YOUR WEDDING:
Both the event planners and the clients play a crucial role in my preparation process. As mentioned before, I put a lot of care into each event and get as much feedback right from the start. I need to be completely certain that I am understanding my assignment and fulfil the expectations well before the day of the event…”
Petra Persolja, pianist
Every wedding is unique and most brides Petra has worked with have had a very specific piano arrangement of their favourite song in mind for the processional. With others, she has collaborated with them to narrow the selection down to their favourite five songs. From there, she has utilised Spotify and YouTube for inspiration regarding the type of arrangement required. Petra typically suggests that the groom choose his own entrance song. Although the bride might desire ‘River Flows in You’, most men tend to feel more comfortable with an upbeat song of their own preference, which sets a better tone and overall excitement for the event. Together, the couple selects an upbeat, happily-ever-after recessional, which Petra continues to play until they leave the venue. For clients who book Petra for the cocktail hour, she requests their Spotify playlist to gain insight into their musical taste. If time permits, she is willing to learn an entirely new set. Petra appreciates being informed in advance that the couple has a designated wedding planner and coordinator. Although the planners are responsible for the operations and aesthetics of a wedding, as the pianist it’s essential for Petra to fully understand the vision they have for their special day. The more that Petra understands the couple, the better she can fulfil their wishes. Ceremony music holds great significance, and Petra invests considerable care into selecting the sheet music, practicing it, and ensuring it is performance-ready. It’s advisable for couples to choose their special songs well in advance and request a demo to ensure they truly appreciate what they hear and that they will continue to cherish the song even on their 10-year anniversary. When hiring Petra for the cocktail hour, it is important to consider that she is performing for a large audience, not solely for the couple. She is versatile and adapts to the varying ages and preferences of the guests; by doing so, she creates an enjoyable and engaging atmosphere for everyone in attendance.
CONTACT: http://www.platinumpianist.com
