Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, Peter O’Malley began studying cello at the age of seven. He currently studies with Damian Kremer of the Charleston Symphony and will be attending the Cleveland Institute of Music in the Fall, under the tutelage of Dr. Melissa Kraut. He currently attends the Charleston County School of the Arts as a Senior, where he sits Principal in both the Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonietta. Peter has played in masterclasses with many distinguished musicians, including  Xavier Foley, Midori, the Parker Quartet, Daniel Ching of the Miró Quartet, and Anthea Kreston, formerly of the Artemis Quartet. In 2023 he won the annual concerto competition at his high school, where he played the fourth movement of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, and in the same year he sat Principal at the National Orchestra Festival, where the orchestra placed first and won the Grand Champion title. He was the winner of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League David and Karen Stahl College Scholarship, the highest-place scholarship, was the inaugural winner of the Emily Remington Music Scholarship, has received additional scholarships from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League and Charleston Music Club, and has played in the 2019-2022 South Carolina All State Programs. Additionally, Peter was named a Piccolo Spoleto “Rising Star” in 2021 and 2022. He attended Luzerne Music Center from 2016 to 2021, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in 2020 and 2021, the Castleman Quartet Program in 2022, and Ascent International Chamber Music Festival in 2022. In 2023 he will be attending the Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute and Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

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Outside of music, Peter also serves as the Editor-In-Chief for his high school's newspaper, Applause, the official publication of the Charleston County School of the Arts. To view the archive, visit soa-applause.com. Peter has written numerous articles, features, interviews, editorials, and reviews for the paper since April 2020, including interviews with Midori, Lawrence Dutton of the Emerson String Quartet, and conductor Jonathon Heyward.