Loving, giving, creative, persistent, and gentle
Peter Martin Krag lived in Shelburne, Vermont, where music, people, and the outdoors formed his days. He was of Filipino and Danish heritage and known for being gentle with others, often placing their needs before his own.
Music was a constant in Peter’s life. He began playing piano when he was three. His father said, and others agreed, that Peter was a “genius musician who would bring tears of joy to listeners.” He performed, wrote, composed, taught, transcribed, and recorded music. A top jazz student in college, Peter won composition awards as a boy and young adult. His parents, David and Jesusa, witnessed a steady stream of local musicians visiting Peter’s studio to collaborate with him. The studio was on the family property inside a converted barn that Peter helped build. “Music filled the air,” his family remembers.
After his death, more than three hundred condolence letters arrived from former school friends, creative collaborators, family members, and even police, describing him as gentle, loving, and remarkable. Many musicians shared that Peter encouraged their own growth, often encouraging them to play their solos first when performing together. They credit his support in helping them establish their professional careers. One young student gave Peter’s parents a life-size paper outline of themself, saying it could offer a hug whenever one was needed.
Family life included cross-country skiing, camping, and hiking. Peter loved being outdoors and enjoyed building. He shared a close relationship with his brother, Christopher, who is twelve years younger. Their bond was strong, built on love and mutual respect, and they deeply admired one another.
Even in difficult periods, Peter continued to share music. During COVID, he recorded and posted music online to support people who were isolated. In his gentle way, he was reaching out, forming connections during a time of anxiety and uncertainty.
Peter kept trying to get better and did not stop working toward that goal. “No one could try harder than Peter to get well,” his father said. He lived with substance use disorder for eight years, and the illness made long-term relationships difficult. He did not have children, though he hoped to raise a family and continue performing and recording his music.
For his family, loving Peter meant living with the realities of his illness, including lost opportunities and self-condemnation. The impact was all-consuming. His father, a medical doctor, has since turned his professional skills toward addressing substance use disorder and now leads a large database of information drawn from published data.
Peter is missed in everyday ways. The sight of one of his trademark flannel shirts is enough to bring tears to his loved ones. The Krags established a permitted burial site on their property in Shelburne to ensure that Peter will always remain at home with his family, his biggest supporters. His gravesite features a bronze sculpture created by his mother, Jesusa, an artist, depicting him as a young boy poised to leap — the way she remembers her “little puddle jumper,” as she described him.
Peter’s father, David Krag, provided the information for this narrative.
September 23, 1985-May 22, 2020-Age 34
Portrait Arist: Shawn Faust
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
