Nick Palmer has been widely recognized for his compelling performances, visionary leadership and emotional connection to audiences and is regarded as one of the most talented symphonic and Pops conductors on the scene today.

Maestro Palmer — Music Director of the Lafayette Symphony in Indiana, the North Charleston POPS! in South Carolina, the Evening Under the Stars Music Festival in Massachusetts, and Principal Pops Conductor of the Altoona Symphony in Pennsylvania—was a recipient of the Helen M. Thompson Award from the League of American Orchestras as the nation’s most outstanding young music director. Nick is also the newly appointed Principal Conductor of the Central Florida Pops.

Under Palmer’s direction since 2007, the LSO has experienced increased ticket sales, dynamic and creative programming, a marked development in educational programs and regional concerts, and dramatic artistic growth. Dick Jaeger commented in the Journal & Courier “without trepidation this reviewer is ready to state that the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra and conductor are setting the bar higher and higher for other regional orchestras around the state and Midwest”.

EUROPEAN FAVORITE

A favorite guest conductor in Europe, Mexico, and South America, Palmer conducted the Europa Philharmonie at the Hardinsburg Castle near Berlin, toured with the Orchestra di San Remo for two weeks in Italy and led concerts with the Czech Radio Orchestra at the Prague and Nelahozeves Castles celebrating the music of George Gershwin. The German press hailed Palmer’s conducting as “a musical high point with world class flair” and Radio Suisse Romande in Switzerland noted Palmer’s “great professionalism with unity and verve”.

EDUCATION

A native of Hingham, Massachusetts, Palmer graduated cum laude from Harvard University and received his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Orchestral Conducting from the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Iowa, respectively. He also has studied at the Juilliard School, Pierre Monteux Domaine School, Aspen Music School, the Festival at Sandpoint, and the Academia Chigiana in Italy, where he was a student of Franco Ferrara and Carlo Maria Giulini.

RECORDING

Maestro Nick is no stranger to the recording studio. Over the years, he has led orchestras in the recording of both major works (for the label Symphonic Discoveries) and new music for Albany Recordings with the Altoona and Owensboro Symphonies. Most recently, he has been asked by the estate of late composer Arnold Rosner to lead a new recording project with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In  2018 Palmer and the orchestra recorded two CD’s at the legendary Abbey Road Studio and a third in 2019. Rosner Orchestral Music, vol. 3 was both a Gramophone 2019 Critic’s Choice and Musicweb International Recording of the year: “Rosner’s high impact and memorable music is well served by Nick Palmer – a talent of which we need to hear more”.