The Hamptons Festival of Music (TH·FM) returns for a full season of orchestral concerts featuring The New American Sinfonietta, a 41-member orchestra comprised of top-level musicians and principal players with major North American orchestras led by TH·FM Artistic Director, Michael Palmer.
Following the success of its inaugural season in September 2022 and the subsequent 2023 season, TH·FM will continue to deliver on its core mission to enhance the quality of community cultural life through live performances of great classical orchestral masterworks in intimate spaces.
TH·FM’s 2024 mainstage concerts will return to LTV Studios on September 6, 10, and 14, featuring some of classical music’s most notable works, including Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, Ginastera’s Variaciones Concertantes, Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola, featuring Richard Roberts, concertmaster and Richard Young, principal viola. The festival season also includes two iconic works from the symphonic masterwork repertoire: Brahms’ Serenade No. 1 and Beethoven’s exhilarating Symphony No. 8. The 2024 festival season will also feature Bridges by Victoria Bond, an East Hampton resident and internationally recognized composer. Also, baritone Thomas Dreeze performs a set of Mahler lieder
“Each of the three programs for our 2024 season supports my artistic vision to spotlight a celebrated orchestral masterpiece, highlighting the exceptional talent within The New American Sinfonietta,” confirms Maestro Palmer. “We continue our ongoing commitment to enriching the community by presenting the finest orchestral works.”
“TH·FM concerts offer an unforgettable experience unlike any other,” says Michael Yip, the Festival’s Executive Director. “We immerse audiences in the music, creating an intimate and powerful connection. It’s more than just listening – you see the artistry, and the music surrounds you, truly making you feel our orchestra’s performance. Our 2024 Festival Season will continue to deliver on our mission to bring amazing, orchestral music to our Hamptons audiences in unique and intimate spaces.”
Leading up to the mainstage orchestral concerts, the Festival continues its mission to expand its reach within the Hamptons through its community outreach performance in partnership with East Hampton Schools (May 31) and the return of its Salon Series event in partnership with LongHouse Reserve (April 27).
Be a part of this unique opportunity to participate in something new and exciting to the Hamptons arts and cultural scene. Show your support for bringing this exceptional orchestral experience to the Hamptons through the Festival’s website at thehamptonsfestivalofmusic.com. Tickets and VIP passes for TH·FM’s 2024 concert season will be available in March. All passes and ticket purchases are considered charitable contributions and will receive a tax deduction.
ABOUT MAESTRO MICHAEL PALMER
Michael Palmer (born May 8, 1945, in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American orchestral conductor. Palmer began his professional career at age 21 when he became Assistant Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1967 under its legendary Music Director, Robert Shaw. Palmer was later named the ASO’s Associate Conductor. In that capacity, he founded and became the first director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1974. In 1975 Palmer was one of the first young American conductors selected as an EXXON/Arts Endowment Conductor by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Palmer left the ASO in 1977 to become Music Director of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra (1977–1990), followed by the posts of Music Director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (1989–1997) and the American Sinfonietta (1991–2002), with whom he toured Europe for 10 consecutive seasons. Beginning in 1993, he served as Founder and Artistic Director of the Bellingham Festival of Music (Bellingham, Washington) and, as of 2023, is now Conductor Laureate.
Palmer also was Guest Conductor for three seasons for the Houston Symphony Orchestra (1978–1981) and Co-Principal Guest Conductor of the Denver Symphony Orchestra (1979–1982) and has made international appearances as a conductor in Canada, Europe, and China. He has also held academic conducting posts as Director of Orchestras for Wichita State University (1999–2004) and Distinguished Professor of Orchestral Studies at Georgia State University (2004–2023).
ABOUT THE HAMPTONS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC
The Hamptons Festival of Music (TH·FM) is the brainchild of Maestro Michael Palmer, who has established, maintained, and sustained the Bellingham Festival of Music, the premier orchestral music festival in the Pacific Northwest, for over 29 years. (www.bellinghamfestival.org)
Maestro Palmer recognized the artistic gravitational pull of Long Island’s East End, which is deeply rooted in the works of many legendary artists. He set in motion plans to create a similar yet unique classical music and festival experience, specifically serving the local, year-round residents in East Hampton and the surrounding hamlets and villages.
Following the success of its inaugural pilot and sophomore seasons, TH·FM returns to the Hamptons for a third consecutive year to provide concertgoers the opportunity to experience full orchestral concerts in the intimate performance space at LTV Studio 3. Festival performances will present audiences with unforgettable experiences of live performances of some of the greatest classical masterworks.
TH·FM features internationally recognized guest artists performing with The New American Sinfonietta, the resident orchestra of TH·FM. This orchestra comprises top orchestral musicians from across the US, Canada, and abroad, including many who hold principal positions with leading orchestras and ensembles.
